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Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

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Blackjack56
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Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Blackjack56 » Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:30 pm

Hi all, i know it's a daft question but it occured to me that i hadn't heard mention of the F35 having a gun,i have looked online and found all sorts of conflicting news articles some showing an internal gatling gun in the wing root and one showing the gun housed in a very"heath robinson"looking pod underneath the fuselage(which surely would have a negative effect on the stealth properties of the aircraft?) anyway the members on here have always come up with the goods so i thought i would try here first!.

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Blackcat1
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Blackcat1 » Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:32 pm

Does the F35 have an endurance of more than 45 minutes? ;-)
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by stevejb » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:26 pm

No, the F35A does have an internal gun, but the RAFs F35B is more weight critical and of course has the lift fan installation and thus only has the option of a podded gun.

gnirtS
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by gnirtS » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:30 pm

Pod based i thought.
But given how poor the F-35 (and even worse the Bs we bought) seem to be in terms of performance against any other modern plane i suspect if you're close enough to need a gun, you're already dead.

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TankBuster
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by TankBuster » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:57 pm

Not seen any sign of a gun on the aircraft. I had a good look at this pic of the F-35B and couldn't see any guns at all :D ...

http://www.stickpng.com/assets/images/5 ... 2f3e3e.png

TankBuster
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T_J
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by T_J » Sun Jul 29, 2018 10:01 pm


It depends on customer demands. Alternatively the F-35s missionized gun pod could be used to expand the F-35s electronic capabilities. "The gun pod is already there, and it's stealthy, so we see a potential for different types of equipment", says O'Bryan. That could include EW equipment, a reconnaissance pod or even side and aft-looking AESA radar, adding to the F-35's range of powerful capabilities.
http://www.f-16.net/news_article3837.html

Supra
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Supra » Sun Jul 29, 2018 11:17 pm

Wow! That gun-pod really spoils the lines of this thoroughbred....Oh wait! No worries :roll:

scottoz8
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by scottoz8 » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:34 pm

bang goes stealth if you hang a gun pod onto it !!!

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Dazza37
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Dazza37 » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:44 pm

bang goes stealth if you hang a gun pod onto it !!!
I wondered how long it would be before someone mentioned this old chestnut...

-Dazza
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scottoz8
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by scottoz8 » Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:14 am

Dazza , any info otherwise. I always thought hanging stuff on the outside of a stealth platform would negate any advantage. Correct me if I am wrong with any info you may have.

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Nighthawke
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Nighthawke » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:25 am

There is plenty of info on the web. I've just used Google with words like "external stores affecting stealth" and lots of references came up . Looks worth reading up on if you are interested. Better work now!

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TonyO
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by TonyO » Tue Jul 31, 2018 9:00 am

UK hasn't funded the gun pod for its F-35s.
You want the Aladeen news, or the Aladeen news?

Supra
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Supra » Tue Jul 31, 2018 9:20 am

Close Air Support (CAS) will be provided by a special Flight of Grobs with second-hand 'England' & 'Footballs coming Home' flags draped over the inside of the cockpit! Who needs guns? They'll laugh themselves to death :whistle:
Seriously though, if the need for a gun-pod on the magnificent F35B should materialise, Boscombe Down are already testing a low observable inverted 'Thule' roof-box fitted with a lethal 'super-soaker' they got from the Toys-r-Us clear-out sale!
'Nothing' is too good for our boys....& this time around, that's what they're getting!

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T_J
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by T_J » Tue Jul 31, 2018 12:55 pm

scottoz8 wrote:
Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:14 am
Dazza , any info otherwise. I always thought hanging stuff on the outside of a stealth platform would negate any advantage. Correct me if I am wrong with any info you may have.
Such pods can also have low observable qualities and they can be matched to the airframe. Think of the low observable pods on the Super Hornet.

The gun pod was obviously driven by the USMC and its mission to provide close air support. Some people seem surprised that the F-35 has the ability to carry pylons and external ordnance. It just means that the airframe has the ability to fully stealth up during the initial days of a campaign or operation and then operate with external stores as the threats lessen.

The F-35 pods can be used for other missions.

https://www.terma.com/press/news-2012/f ... n-display/

https://medium.com/@skunkworksLH/boeing ... 3e9fcf23ff

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ChrisCwmbran
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by ChrisCwmbran » Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:01 pm

I dunno whether Dave has got a gun but Janie has.....

MR TERRY GREEN
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by MR TERRY GREEN » Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:03 pm

Nice one.Made me smile.

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C24
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by C24 » Tue Jul 31, 2018 6:13 pm

I posted this in May

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/f-35-co ... ing-phase/

Lots of stuff hanging off the rails on this one, an A.?
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RubyRoo
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by RubyRoo » Tue Jul 31, 2018 7:38 pm

I think that one is a B.

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T_J
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by T_J » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:43 pm

C24 wrote:
Tue Jul 31, 2018 6:13 pm
I posted this in May

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/f-35-co ... ing-phase/

Lots of stuff hanging off the rails on this one, an A.?
BF-02 is an F-35B


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Dazza37
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Re: Does the RAF F35 have a gun?

Post by Dazza37 » Wed Aug 01, 2018 2:22 pm

scottoz8 wrote:
Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:14 am
Dazza , any info otherwise. I always thought hanging stuff on the outside of a stealth platform would negate any advantage. Correct me if I am wrong with any info you may have.
Yes, Scott, hanging external stores/fuel tanks on a LO aircraft increases it's radar signature, It's also pretty obvious that the gun pod won't be used when maximum LO is a mission priority, hence why I always cringe when someone trots out the old, 'so much for it being stealthy with that hanging of it...' nonsense...

-Dazza
I rock, you don't...

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