Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

F-35 project in Weeze – the first tools arrive
In Weeze, Rheinmetall will in future manufacture at least 400 center fuselage sections for the world's most advanced fighter jet, the F-35. Production is scheduled to begin in July 2025. Since January, heavy haulage transports from the USA have been arriving at the new plant next to Weeze Airport – a total of around 35 in all. In a few days, the installation of the Northrop Grumman machines will begin in the factory. We have captured the delivery of the very first parts, packed in packages of around 5 tons, in the video.
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Video:
View: https://youtu.be/t_2SayC1BIk?si=tqeVtCbeFYaLFdo2

Link:
Code: 
https://youtu.be/t_2SayC1BIk?si=tqeVtCbeFYaLFdo2
FYI, the airport Weeze was formerly known as RAF Laarbruch.
 
defence-industry.eu

Pistorius confirms Germany’s F-35 procurement plans, emphasises transatlantic cooperation

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed that Berlin remains fully committed to purchasing Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II multirole combat aircraft.
defence-industry.eu defence-industry.eu

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed that Berlin remains fully committed to purchasing Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II multirole combat aircraft. Speaking on 21 March to Tagesschau, Pistorius rejected any suggestion that Germany might reconsider the acquisition, stating that the United States remains a key defence partner.
 
"The Commander of the Finnish Air Force, Major General Timo Herranen, visited Lockheed Martin’s F-35 assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas, on 20 March"
That might be news.... but also, he "signed the bulkhead of Finland’s fourth aircraft (JF-504) at the assembly line."
So, the Finnish F-35 will carry codes that start from JF-501, with the "JF" prefix apparently derived from Joint Strike Fighter.

https://www.facebook.com/Ilmavoimat/posts/pfbid0NyaZEmmSdkdMzm1PA4cHrbxJhfd1fxkpJpwF7XZnMdhimBhTsLyT6ZQUXQWq4m7Yl
View: https://www.facebook.com/Ilmavoimat/posts/pfbid0NyaZEmmSdkdMzm1PA4cHrbxJhfd1fxkpJpwF7XZnMdhimBhTsLyT6ZQUXQWq4m7Yl
 
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It isn't a typo since the original article in The Times talks about them being conventional takeoff instead of the F-35B. It also discusses the use of B61 nuclear bombs, which are only certified on the A variant.

Whether The Times' sources are right or not is another matter. But it isn't exactly the first time it's been hinted that the RAF would prefer the F-35A over more Typhoons.
 
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There also seems to be an interest in having a tactical nuclear capability based on the UK, based on updates to RAF Lakenheath. I do not know if this could be connected to RAF F-35s; I did not think there can be nuclear sharing without violating NPT. Does NPT perhaps not ban transfers if the state a nuclear weapon is being transferred to is already nuclear? That would allow for tactical weapons to be jointly operated by the U.S. and UK.
 
Josh_TN said:
There also seems to be an interest in having a tactical nuclear capability based on the UK, based on updates to RAF Lakenheath. I do not know if this could be connected to RAF F-35s; I did not think there can be nuclear sharing without violating NPT. Does NPT perhaps not ban transfers if the state a nuclear weapon is being transferred to is already nuclear? That would allow for tactical weapons to be jointly operated by the U.S. and UK.
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Non-nuclear states are already part of NATO's nuclear sharing programme, that is the primary reason why Germany is buying the F-35 for instance. Technically/legally speaking the idea is that these remain US weapons maintained by US personnel so there isn't a transfer until the moment the things have to be dropped. If it ever came to that no one will be caring about the NPT anyway...
 
Broken said:
It isn't a typo since the original article in The Times talks about them being conventional takeoff instead of the F-35B. It also discusses the use of B61 nuclear bombs, which are only certified on the A variant.

Whether The Times' sources are right or not is another matter. But it isn't exactly the first time it's been hinted that the RAF would prefer the F-35A over more Typhoons.
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TBH I don’t particular trust the Times on this at all. I’ll wait for any kind of official confirmation or not.
 
Josh_TN said:
After some quick reading, Apparently the U.S./NATO interpretation of the NPT has always excluded nuclear sharing as proliferation. I had thought there was some kind of specific clause that excluded countries already hosting weapons at the time of the treaty, but there is not (‘dual key’ was secret at the time). The NATO position seems to be that this is not proliferation since they are under U.S. control, and fuck the NPT if there is a nuclear exchange. So really nothing to stop the UK from hosting US weapons again, outside perhaps some protests from CRINK.
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NATO Dual Key was 'grandfathered in' to the NPT as it was already in operation.

Broken said:
It isn't a typo since the original article in The Times talks about them being conventional takeoff instead of the F-35B. It also discusses the use of B61 nuclear bombs, which are only certified on the A variant.

Whether The Times' sources are right or not is another matter. But it isn't exactly the first time it's been hinted that the RAF would prefer the F-35A over more Typhoons.
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It's complete cobblers.

The Times has fallen for the endless RAF 'senior sources' nonsense...i.e. ex- RAF senior officers now working for LM story, again....they've been punting this around for a decade now...quite why defence hacks don't tell them to find a new bullshit story to spin I'll never know...usually its the Telegraph that falls for this story on a semi annual basis...

To put it simply there is no way the UK will switch to a small buy of F-35A from the B....particularly at SDR time...
  1. It would result in fewer operational aircraft with a 2 type fleet
  2. It would result in the F-35B fleet, and budget being immediately moved to the FAA...
  3. To maintain Carrier Strike we need c74 aircraft
  4. It would endanger upgrades to Typhoon
  5. It would endanger GCAP
  6. There are many, many other reasons...
The good news is we should be free of these stories in the near future...once the next 27 F-35B order goes in it will become apparent to all that the UK's orders for F-35 will be over....and we're all in on GCAP and Typhoon MLU. I suspect the GCAP monster and ongoing insanity in the US will even manage to make retired RAF types, and certain 'analysts', back away from F-35A buys for fear of looking even more foolish...
 
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