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

[Gloire_bb]

If we look at the way the US talks about Block 4/TR3 F-35, it's apparent that it is what they really want and current F-35 capability is somewhat interim. If it means a couple of years of reduced rate F-35 buys and having those F-35 buys to be radarless for a few years until the target sensor is ready, I can see how it makes sense.

Adding to that, buying full AN/APG-81 set just for 1-2 years is kinda suboptimal. It won't be much cheaper than eventual 85

Radar mounts may not be a sophisticated piece of technology, but it still requires time for the engineering to happen. If they had planned for APG-85 to be ready by a given time and designed a mount around APG-85 rather than both APG-85 and APG-81, then one can see how it isn't necessarily a technology issue but a program management issue.

+, especially on an already produced airframe. Mounts are structural, and include not just dish, but also updated backend arrangement with its cooling and cabling. It is nowhere near straighforward.

 

[TK3600]

Delay happens. Mismanagement causing no radar not even old ones is just extreme case. When did 60s China do it? When did Soviet Union do it? Europeans? This is absurd stuff. When did it last happen in US that cause fighter jet mount dead weight radar?

 

[Gloire_bb]

Delay happens. Mismanagement causing no radar not even old ones is just extreme case. When did 60s China do it? When did Soviet Union do it? Europeans? This is absurd stuff. When did it last happen in US that cause fighter jet mount dead weight radar?

F-4s had such episode off memory in late 1960s.

F-15A wasn't far from failure with it's advanced radar, but they managed to get it working more than not(actual reliability took a few years more) just in time.

Most prominent such delay in recent US history is of course AMRAAM, which left huge F-16C(and A) fleet effectively incapable of BVR until after the CW.
Now it's jokes and distant memory, back then it was almost a disaster, because all relevant migs most certainly could.

Overall it's called technical risk, there's no way around. And making a risk decision in arms race/development is of course a risk in itself. But US are heavily reliant on staying ahead of the curve(and, almost more importantly, being perveived as such) since WW2.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Delay happens. Mismanagement causing no radar not even old ones is just extreme case. When did 60s China do it? When did Soviet Union do it? Europeans? This is absurd stuff. When did it last happen in US that cause fighter jet mount dead weight radar?

China did do it for J-8I. However, it was due more to a lack of expertise/technical knowhow rather than blatant project mismanagement.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Well, the USAF now denies having the Lot 17 F-35s delivered without radar (though those units are fitted with APG-81 instead of the planned APG-85).

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[sunnymaxi]

Well, the USAF now denies having the Lot 17 F-35s delivered without radar (though those units are fitted with APG-81 instead of the planned APG-85).

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latest report ..

Marine Corps F-35Bs are set to deliver in Lot 17 without radars due to delays with the APG-85. Starting in Lot 18, all F-35s delivered to the U.S. military will be awaiting a radar.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2034701471158001777

 

[pokepara]

One, possibly two f-35s damaged.

US F-35 damaged by suspected Iranian fire makes emergency landing, sources say

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A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at US air base in the Middle East after it was struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing. Hawkins said the aircraft landed safely and the incident is under investigation.

“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins added. “This incident is under investigation.”

IRGC claims they hit it over central Iran, link has footage:

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[ACuriousPLAFan]

delete, wrong thread

 

[pokepara]

Second US F-35 reportedly hit over southern Iran, lands at UAE base

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A second American F-35 fighter jet was reportedly hit while operating in the skies over Bandar Abbas Province in southern Iran, according to reports firstly emerged from Iranian media.

The aircraft subsequently diverted and landed at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.

The aircraft subsequently diverted and landed at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. Details surrounding the circumstances of the strike, including the source of fire and the pilot's condition, were not immediately available.

 

[siegecrossbow]

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They need to start holding people accountable for this…