F-35 Joint Strike Fighter News, Videos and pics Thread

[FORBIN]

Presumably to Eglin

From icy tundra to scorching desert, the

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has been tested to survive in any climate

 

[Brumby]

The U.S. May Build 500 Jets Before Finding Out If the F-35 Works

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I believe the basis of this article came from a leaked 2015 DOT&E report which is due for release anytime.

Tests of how Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 will perform in combat won’t begin until at least August 2018, a year later than planned, and more than 500 of the fighter jets may be built before the assessment is complete, according to the Pentagon’s test office.

“These aircraft will require a still-to-be-determined list of modifications” to be fully capable, Michael Gilmore, the U.S. Defense Department’s top weapons tester, said in his annual report on major programs. “However, these modifications may be unaffordable for the services as they consider the cost of upgrading these early lots of aircraft while the program continues to increase production rates in a fiscally constrained environment.”

The Defense Department plans a fleet of 2,443 F-35s for the U.S., plus hundreds more to be purchased by allies, including the U.K., Italy, Australia and Japan. The costliest U.S. weapons program, at a projected $391 billion, the F-35 is being produced even as it’s still being developed, a strategy a top Pentagon official once called “acquisition malpractice.”


Despite the plane’s many problems, “F-35 production rates have been allowed to steadily increase to large rates,” Gilmore said in his annual report to congressional defense committees.

Buying More
The Pentagon wants to increase the number of F-35s purchased for the U.S. to 92 annually by 2020 from 38 last year. The number jumps to 120 a year when foreign sales are included. For this year, Congress added 11 aircraft to the 57 requested.

 

[Brumby]

2015 DOT&E Report - Public Response Statement

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The independent program review from the OSD Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) is an annual occurrence, and the process was executed with unfettered access to information and with the full cooperation of the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO). There were no surprises in the report; all of the issues mentioned are well-known to the JPO, the U.S. services, international partners and our industry team.



Once again, the annual DOT&E report points out the progress being made by the program. This includes the U.S. Marine Corps declaring Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in July 2015. The USMC declared IOC with Block 2B software because it provides increased initial warfighting capability. Marine F-35s have the necessary weapons to conduct close air support, air interdiction and limited suppression/destruction of enemy air defense missions. Currently Marine F-35s can carry the following weapons internally in stealth mode – the AIM-120, GBU-32 JDAM, and GBU-12 Paveway II. When the developmental program is complete in the fall of 2017, all F-35 variants will be able to carry more than 18,000 pound of munitions internally and externally.

2015 ended with more than 150 operational (fleet and operational test) and 18 developmental test jets operating at 10 U.S. locations and the Italian Final Assembly and Checkout (FACO) facility in Cameri, Italy. Together, the entire fleet has flown more than 48,000 hours.

The program delivered 45 aircraft in 2015 – the most aircraft delivered in one year in program history. These deliveries included the first international delivery from the Italian FACO, and bring the overall operational delivery total to 154. Along with Italy, Norway took its first delivery in 2015. Five partner nations - Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom - along with the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, now fly the F-35. Israel and Japan will take their first deliveries in 2016.

Pilot and maintainer training increased substantially in 2015. More than 250 pilots including the first two for Australia, Italy and Norway respectively entered training. More than 2,800 maintainers are qualified to service the jet, with a majority graduating from the F-35 Aircraft Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida.

Although the DOT&E report is factually accurate, it does not fully address program efforts to resolve known technical challenges and schedule risks. It is the F-35 Joint Program Office’s responsibility to find developmental issues, resolve them and execute with the time and budget we have been given. Our government and industry team has a proven track record of overcoming technical challenges discovered during developmental and operational testing and fleet operations, and delivering on program commitments. A few recent examples of issues that are resolved include the F-35C tailhook, the F135 engine rub, and F-35B STOVL Auxiliary Air Inlet door. The F-35C has now “caught the wire” more than 200 times at sea, the engine rub fix is incorporated on the production line and delivered engines are being retrofitted, and the F‑35B has performed more than 1,000 vertical landings safely.

Currently, mission systems software and the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), are the program’s top technical risks. Disciplined systems engineering processes addressing the complexity of writing, testing and integrating mission systems and ALIS software have improved the delivery of capability, although challenges remain. There is more work to accomplish in both mission systems software and ALIS before the end of the development program.

Continuing on 2015’s results, Block 3i software was released for flight test in May 2015 to support the U.S. Air Force IOC declaration later in 2016. Coding for the final development software block (known as 3F) was completed in June 2015 and the software has been released for flight testing. Additional updates are planned throughout the year with 3F tracking for completion by the end of the System Development and Demonstration Program (SDD) in the fall of 2017 in order to support U.S. Navy IOC in 2018 and the start of IOT&E. Throughout testing, interim software test builds are provided to both the developmental test and operational test teams allowing them to experience the software as early as possible to provide feedback to our teams. As of Dec. 31, the program completed 80 percent of SDD test points and is on track for completion in the fourth quarter of 2017.

At the completion of the F-35 SDD program, the objective is to deliver full Block 3F capabilities (Mission Systems, Weapons & Flight Envelope) for the Services and International customers. The F-35 program will continue to closely coordinate with the JSF Operational Test Team (JOTT) and DOT&E on key test planning and priorities to successfully meet key SDD program milestones and objectives.

The flight test program made significant progress in maturing the capability of the aircraft during 2015. For example, the program:

- Completed the third F-35B sea trial aboard the USS Wasp and the second F-35C sea trial aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for a total of five sea trials since 2013.

- Completed six-months of climatic response testing at the McKinley Climatic Lab at Eglin AFB, Florida. During these tests, the jet operated in ranges from 120 degrees to minus 40 degrees and various ranges of humidity and weather conditions.

- Completed F-35A 3F software high angle of attack and performance testing and continued envelope expansion for all variant 3F software.

- Achieved aerial refueling certification with the Australian tanker (KC-30A) and Italian tanker (KC-767), including night operations.

- Completed GAU-22 25mm ground gun fire testing and began airborne testing on the F-35A.

- To date, completed 90 weapon separations - GBU-12, GBU-31, GBU-32, AIM-120, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, U.K. Paveway IV, and first F-35 AIM-9X. This includes 18 for 18 successful live fires of AMRAAM, JDAM, and GBU-12s.

- To date, completed 17 Weapon Delivery Accuracy events (GBU-12, GBU-31, GBU-32, and AIM-120)

- To date, successfully verified F-35 low observable stealth signature 146 times with both flight test and operational jets.

These accomplishments prove the basic design of the F-35 is sound and test results reinforce our confidence in the ultimate performance the U.S. and its partners and allies value greatly.

As a reminder, the F-35 program is still in its developmental phase. This is the time when issues are expected to be discovered and solutions are implemented to maximize the F-35’s capability for the warfighter. While the development program is 80 percent complete, we recognize there are known deficiencies that must be corrected and there remains the potential for future findings. Our commitment to overcoming challenges is unwavering. The Joint Program Office will continue to work with the F-35 enterprise to make corrections and improvements as quickly as possible. At the completion of the F-35 development program, the objective is to deliver full Block 3F capabilities (Mission Systems, Weapons & Flight Envelope) for the Services and International customers. We thank the DOT&E for their assistance as we remain focused on developing, delivering and sustaining the world’s finest multi-role 5th generation aircraft.

 

[FORBIN]

A must USMC Aviation Plan 2016

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Changes in the transition plan to the F-35, from the 2015 to the 2016 edition. The order in which sqns convert is changed and a ramp up a little more fast for F-35C units.

And Block 4.1 desired for 2019.

 

[Jeff Head]

2015 DOT&E Report - Public Response Statement

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Of course all of the systems are not completely checked out yet...and they were never intended to be before the US produced quite a few aircraft.

If you look over the life of aircraft like the F-14, the F-18, the B-1B, etc. and all that was added to them in terms of capability of the years...NONE of them "worked" completely until after a lot of aircraft were purchased.

The US has simply pushed some of that development into the early stages of procutrement in this case.

There is also no doubt thet the F-35s "work."

Soon 200 of them will be flying and capable of doing a lot of things. They just are developing more and more of their capabilities as they go.

There'ss nothing new in that really...just the order that the F-35 is exercising it for certain functionality.

In the end...I am willing to be anyone here that it works out and that the F-35 becomes the most prolific, widely used, 5th generation strike fighter available.

 

[Brumby]

Of course all of the systems are not completely checked out yet...and they were never intended to be before the US produced quite a few aircraft.

If you look over the life of aircraft like the F-14, the F-18, the B-1B, etc. and all that was added to them in terms of capability of the years...NONE of them "worked" completely until after a lot of aircraft were purchased.

The US has simply pushed some of that development into the early stages of procutrement in this case.

There is also no doubt thet the F-35s "work."

Soon 200 of them will be flying and capable of doing a lot of things. They just are developing more and more of their capabilities as they go.

There'ss nothing new in that really...just the order that the F-35 is exercising it for certain functionality.

In the end...I am willing to be anyone here that it works out and that the F-35 becomes the most prolific, widely used, 5th generation strike fighter available.

In principle I support your reasoning that based on development cycles as in the past, what the F-35 is going through is simply what may be expected of any program. However there is also one of degree that although it may not make the F-35 program unique, it does present a much higher risk profile than other past programs in case of failure. Firstly is the scope and attempt to integrate multi platform. Secondly is the level of complexity in avionics and sensor technologies being pursued and the importance of making it work to ensure program deliverables. Whilst the confidence in the airframe is high, the corresponding confidence level in the software is not at the same level simply because it is estimated to be 1 and 1/2 years behind schedule. Unfortunately the way the project plan and testing regime is structured, no one knows for sure until 3F is delivered whether the sensor suite and weapons integration will work as advertised. The F-35 program is heavily weighted towards the software and herein lies the risk unlike previous programs. The positive thing about software development though is that given enough time, all problems are solvable.

 

[Jeff Head]

The positive thing about software development though is that given enough time, all problems are solvable.

Precisely.

I am very, very confidant that the F-35 program is going to be a sterling success.

Time will prove that statement right...despite naysayers, and despite problems they will undoubtedly experience along the way.

 

[FORBIN]

USMC F-35B Block 2B are in fact very few capable for operations no surprising a IOC more " political " as operationnal despite in USMC only one Combat Sqn have do transition on ex F/A-18D,
USAF with her F-16 can wait in more the first F-35A Sqn is a re activated unit in addition and US fighters have very good airframes then the US Air power don' t decrease which is the main.

Let' s fixed it but each time F-35 have a little problem many buzz sometimes stupid ! and others fighters have problem also, Su-35S recently need modifications, Chinese also get problems especially with engines but they say nothing...

The Block 3i would be the first mature block really the Block 4 with majority of weapons, a Block 5 also announced.

JPO: F-35 report shows ‘no surprises’

The annual review of the F-35’s Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) contains ‘no surprises’ according to the Joint Program Office (JPO) in Washington DC. The review by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation was released on Monday 1 February but over the past days sparked reports about the F-35 being ‘not ready for unsupported combat’.

Critical reports say the F-35 is still suffering from many deficiencies in the aircraft’s current block-2B software, as well as in the ‘combat ready’ block-3F software that should lead the F-35 to an Inititial Operation Capability (IOC) with the US Air Force later in 2016. The problems would make the aircraft vulnerable to current threats in combat. Remarkable, since the United States Marine Corps (USMC) declared IOC for block-2B configured F-35Bs in July 2015.

In a statement, F-35 Program Executive Officer Chris Bogdan says ‘all of the issues mentioned are well-known to the JPO, the US services, international partners and our industry team.’ Currently, mission systems software and the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) are regarded as the program’s top technical risks.

Updates
Coding for block 3F sofware was completed in June 2015 and the software has been released for flight testing. The software sees continued updates, according to Bogdan. Additional updates are planned throughout 2016 and 2017. High angle of attack test flights have been performed with the 3F software and the flight envelope is being expanded further.

A problem in the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine that caused a

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, has been fixed. The solution has been implemented on the production line.

Bogdan points out the F-35 program is still in its developmental phase. “This is the time when issues are expected to be discovered and solutions are implemented to maximize the F-35’s capability While the development program is 80 percent complete, we recognize there are known deficiencies that must be corrected and there remains the potential for future findings.”

When the developmental program is complete in the fall of 2017, all F-35 variants will be able to carry more than 18,000 pound of munitions internally and externally.

Fact and figures
The statement also list some interesting fact and figures. Combined, the 150 operational F-35s and 18 developmental test jets have flown more than 48,000 hours since introduction of the type. In 2015, over 250 pilots including the first two for Australia, Italy and Norway entered training. More than 2,800 maintainers are qualified to service the jet, with a majority graduating from the F-35 Aircraft Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida.

Furthermore, the naval F-35C variant has now “caught the wire” more than 200 times at sea and the F‑35B has performed over 1,000 vertical landings.

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[Air Force Brat]

USMC F-35B Block 2B are in fact very few capable for operations no surprising a IOC more " political " as operationnal despite in USMC only one Combat Sqn have do transition on ex F/A-18D,
USAF with her F-16 can wait in more the first F-35A Sqn is a re activated unit in addition and US fighters have very good airframes then the US Air power don' t decrease which is the main.

Let' s fixed it but each time F-35 have a little problem many buzz sometimes stupid ! and others fighters have problem also, Su-35S recently need modifications, Chinese also get problems especially with engines but they say nothing...

The Block 3i would be the first mature block really the Block 4 with majority of weapons, a Block 5 also announced.

There ya go, and the F-35 is ready to go, like my old Daddy used to say, "Go with what you Got", it still holds true, the F-35 is far more advanced and combat ready than ANY OTHER 5th Gen save the F-22. Underestimate its capabilities at your own peril!

 

[Jeff Head]

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​

The Royal Navy has said their new strike fighter will make its UK debut later this year.

The F-35B Lightning II stealth jet which will fly from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers is due to appear at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in July.

Royal Navy personnel are currently testing and evaluating the new jets as part of 17(R) Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The F-35B will be flown by the United States Marine Corps and, as well as a flypast, will demonstrate the vertical landing capability of the new jet.

The UK government recently announced plans to speed up the purchase of 24 of the combat aircraft, a decision that will see two front-line squadrons – 809 NAS and 617 Squadron RAF – operating from the UK’s two new aircraft carriers by 2023.

The F-35B’s appearance will be the latest in a long list of military aircraft that have made their UK debut at RIAT.

These have included the F-14 Tomcat in 1976, the MiG-23 in 1991, the Typhoon in 1995, the V-22 Osprey in 2006 and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force Kawasaki P1 in 2015.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “No doubt, the sight of F-35s in the sky will be quite common for future generations but this summer, all those who attend our air show will enjoy a first glimpse of that future.”

“I am sure many people will want to join us to witness this piece of aviation history being made.”

The Air Tattoo is staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust.

...and the beat goes on.