F-35 'Scores 15:1 Kill Ratio' In Realistic War Games

The F-35A has reportedly 'killed' 15 enemies for every one of its jets 'lost' during an ongoing military exercise.

The fifth-generation fighter is currently taking part in its first Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The exercise comprises very realistic aerial war games, to train US, NATO and other allied countries for real air combat situations.

And Lieutenant Colonel George Watkins, 34th Fighter Squadron commander, told Defense News that during its current incarnation, Red Flag 17-1, F-35s have flown 110 sorties. He said:

"It's a much more difficult adversary that we are fighting against here as a team than we would have fought against a year and a half ago, when I was here last." 

"They have stepped up the number of red air that we're fighting — the number of aggressor aircraft that are fighting against us — the amount of jamming and stuff that they're providing against us, the skill level of the adversary that they are trying to replicate, as well as the surface-to-air missile threat."

He added that 13 F-35s have been facing fourth-generation 'enemies', with around 24 capable of being in the air simultaneously, and which can 'regenerate' three or four times after being shot down. 

And despite the 15:1 kill ratio, Lt Col Watkins defended the failure to achieve a perfect record, saying this shouldn't happen on a training exercise:

"If we didn't suffer a few losses, it wouldn't be challenging enough, so we'd have to go back and redo it. So there are some threats out there that make it through because of their sheer numbers and the advanced threats that they're shooting at us. So we have had one or two losses so far in our training. That's good for the pilots." 

He added that the F-35 will be more lethal once it reaches full combat capability.

The fighter is currently limited to internal missiles, but is expected to be able to carry a full load of weapons — including external stores — as early as next year. 

Britain plans to buy 138 of the jets for the RAF and Royal Navy, with the first due to be in service by 2018. They'll fly from the country's new aircraft carriers.

More: RAF Jets Put Through Paces at Exercise Red Flag