F-35B IOC

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Moving right along. The corps has decided that Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) based at[ Yuma Arizona, is fit for combat with 10 battle-ready F-35Bs. The Marines notified Congress of the decision 31 July and issued a statement announcing F-35B IOC. The decision comes after an operational readiness inspection earlier this month found that the “Green Knights” are fit to serve aboard an amphibious carrier if called upon.“VMFA-121 has 10 aircraft in the Block 2B configuration with the requisite performance envelope and weapons clearances, to include the training, sustainment capabilities, and infrastructure to deploy to an austere site or a ship,” Marine Commandant Gen Joseph Dunford said in the statement.



http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2015/07/31/f35-operational-marine-corps-joint-strike-fighter/30937689/
 
Congratulations! The "B" is a huge capabilitiy boost for the Marines.
For the first time they will have a ship deployed supersonic aircraft that can provide deep strike, counter air, advanced penetrating reconnaissance and advanced electronic intelligence far into highly contested territory!

Bye-bye Harrier.
 

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Nice video The road to IOC.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX03lzyOVew
 
Good info VTOLicious he sounds very confident in the F-35. I believe the air force is shooting for IOC in August.
 
VTOLicious said:
LtGen Davis answering questions in a HASC-hearing.

In the context of IOC I found the info given @ 45:28 especially interesting.

BR Michael

https://youtu.be/os5V-72I2rg
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He does sound very confident. He seemed a bit disingenuous to me when asked about remote deployments of the F35B. He stated that they had done a remote deployment and everything was fine. They did have some FOD damage to an engine but they were able to blend out the blades. The part that was disingenuous was that it supposedly couldn't be done by Marine Corp technicians. It was done by a P&W tech that was brought in.

The General knew exactly the context of the question. He could have explained and been forthright. He chose not to. It's a "sin of omission" and not worthy of a Marine General testifying before Congress. Perhaps this is the norm when trying to get a difficult program through Congress.

I'd like to assume that they will eventually let Marines do this work and this was a one-off. Does anyone have any insight into my question based on operational norms on other aircraft?
 
Blending blades can definitely be done by uniformed personnel; all it takes a file, time and attention to detail. The risky part is analysing the damage in the first place and assessing whether or not the blade can be blended, but that too can be done by personnel that have operational experience.
 
Dragon029 said:
Blending blades can definitely be done by uniformed personnel; all it takes a file, time and attention to detail. The risky part is analysing the damage in the first place and assessing whether or not the blade can be blended, but that too can be done by personnel that have operational experience.
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On top of that they'd probably want the vendor there anyway to get eyes on it.
 
sferrin said:
Dragon029 said:
Blending blades can definitely be done by uniformed personnel; all it takes a file, time and attention to detail. The risky part is analysing the damage in the first place and assessing whether or not the blade can be blended, but that too can be done by personnel that have operational experience.
Click to expand...

On top of that they'd probably want the vendor there anyway to get eyes on it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gents.
 
F-35B On Board USS America
Seven F-35Bs are on board the USS America beginning Oct. 28 until mid-November. Two of the jets are scheduled to begin the third shipboard phase of developmental test (DT-III) and five are scheduled to conduct operational testing. Learn more: lmt.co/2fuWK0N

No big news anymore. Just saw some nice pics on LMs Flickr page.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedmartin/sets/72157676041850865/with/31204585681/
 

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Well that's 1 billion + dollars (according to a post I just read) worth of F-35s sitting on a deck in the middle of the ocean. Might be more that that carrier is worth. Amazing.
 
autoeac said:
Well that's 1 billion + dollars (according to a post I just read) worth of F-35s sitting on a deck in the middle of the ocean. Might be more that that carrier is worth. Amazing.
Click to expand...

Fairly certain a deck full of Tomcats cost more than a Forrestal. (And those were even real carriers.)
 
Love to see the NGJ capability adapted to the F-35B. W/20 F-35B's, it wouldn't take much to give an ARG the punch of a carrier air wing.
 
sferrin said:
autoeac said:
Well that's 1 billion + dollars (according to a post I just read) worth of F-35s sitting on a deck in the middle of the ocean. Might be more that that carrier is worth. Amazing.
Click to expand...

Fairly certain a deck full of Tomcats cost more than a Forrestal. (And those were even real carriers.)
Click to expand...
Might be closer with, eventually, a deck full of F-35Cs, Super Hornets and associated aircraft to a "Ford" cost?
 

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