A few weeks ago, Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter made headlines once again when DefenseNews confirmed that the use of afterburner – an overspeed of the engine allowing high speeds to be reached – damaged the structure of the F-35B and F-35C intended for the Marines and the Navy when the plane reached supersonic speeds. The induced heat actually caused damage to the rear structure of the planes, which then damaged the sensors and removed the stealth of the device.
To correct the problem, the Pentagon had simply decided to… restrict the use of these devices at supersonic speeds, making them incapable of carrying out interceptions. “Strangely”, the F-35A version intended for the US Air Force and almost the entire export market did not seem affected by this problem, even though the three variants of the F-35 are supposed to have an engine and a similar covering. At the time, we were wondering on this difference in treatment between the naval variants and that intended for export. And, apparently, the potential customers of the F-35A are also worried.
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