Can F-35 perform the role of an attack helicopter too?

hm712

New Member
Can it aim and fire its weapons against enemy when hovering? (air or ground targets)
Was is designed for such roles?
Can it attack/engage targets in hover or semi-hovering (very low speeds in comparison to an ordinary fighter aircraft) stat?
Is such scenarios feasible? If yes, can it be comparable or even more effective than choppers like AH-64 in this role?
What limitations and for what reasons exists for this mode of flight for f-35 or other VTOL/STOL aircraft?
Can it maneuver and evade/react in this mode comparablely or possibly faster/better than a chopper?
I have seen no video or source indicating an answer to these questions so far!
 
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I sincerely doubt that it's as dangerous as a gunship in this role, but as far as I know, it can. I don't think they'll give it VTOL capabilities just so that it takes up less space.
 
Whether it launching rockets or firing machine guns I also Dought very much that a high speed jet like the F-35 is made specifically for hovering. I could be wrong but I think it is made to operate more at the other end of the spectrum that is fight and fire at high speeds.
 
One of the Biggest problems with the AV-8B Harrier was that needed a large amount of gas in order to hover even a few minutes, which is why hovering was only limited to landings and not combat. Theoretical it could do pop-up attacks like a Helicopter but it simply didn't have the endurance to do this AND have the fuel to return to the ship.

The F-35 doesn't use thrust nozzle vectoring anymore, but a lift-fan system, does anyone know what the fuel consumption is on that, if hovering is a viable?
 
I do stand corrected from my original post it can do some hovering. I don't know the exact specifics however.
 
I do stand corrected from my original post it can do some hovering. I don't know the exact specifics however.

Fast air and gunship tasks are two completely different roles, I honestly cannot see the F35 (or the Harrier for that matter) taking on the role of a gunship chopper.
 
F-35 vertical takeoff, pretty impressive. BTW Brit I don't think any jet can put down the concentrated fire on a single spot like a gunship.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0v5FIbb68"]First F-35B Hover in Fort Worth - YouTube[/ame]
 
F-35 vertical takeoff, pretty impressive. BTW Brit I don't think any jet can put down the concentrated fire on a single spot like a gunship.

I'm completely out of touch regarding ordnance in use today by various aircraft (Fixed and rotary wing) so I cannot really comment with authority, but I do remember the effect on ground targets after being attacked by a Hawker Hunters and their 4 Aden cannon. Out of date nowadays, but a good bit of kit in my day.

I don't know if the F35 will be able to do a vertical take off with a full weapons load, perhaps it would need to do a rolling take off like the Harrier.
 
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I'm completely out of touch regarding ordnance in use today by various aircraft (Fixed and rotary wing) so I cannot really comment with authority, but I do remember the effect on ground targets after being attacked by a Hawker Hunters and their 4 Aden cannon. Out of date nowadays, but a good bit of kit in my day.

I don't know if the F35 will be able to do a vertical take off with a full weapons load, perhaps it would need to do a rolling take off like the Harrier.

Ah the Hawker Hunter..Great plane, much better than our early (post-WWII) jet fighters like the P-80 and F-84.

Pity we didn't have any for Korea, would have made short work of the MiG-15.
 
Ah the Hawker Hunter..Great plane, much better than our early (post-WWII) jet fighters like the P-80 and F-84.

Pity we didn't have any for Korea, would have made short work of the MiG-15.

It was a very good aeroplane and very reliable. She first flew in 1951 and retired in 2014, 64 years of service.

The MIG 15 had a copy of the Rolls Royce Nene Jet engine which by the time of the Korean War was out of date, while the Hunter was fitted with the Rolls Royce Avon.

If you have enough money, you can fly in a two seater Hunter at Thunder City in Cape Town.
 
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