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

DSCA Notice for the Korean F-35 Bid released

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2013 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress March 29 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Korea for 60 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $10.8 billion.

The Government of the Republic of Korea has requested a possible sale of (60) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft. Aircraft will be configured with the Pratt & Whitney F-135 engines, and (9) Pratt & Whitney F-135 engines are included as spares. Other aircraft equipment includes:
Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence/Communication, Navigational and Identification (C4I/CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS); Full Mission Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming center; F-35 Performance Based Logistics. Also included: software Development/integration, aircraft ferry and tanker support, support equipment, tools and test equipment, communication equipment, spares and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $10.8 billion.
Click to expand...

http://www.dsca.osd.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2013/Korea_13-10.pdf
 
From FlightGlobal:
US reveals details of F-15SE, F-35A bids for South Korea.

[...]
For the potential F-35 sale, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) says that South Korea could order 60 conventional A-model aircraft and associated support equipment for $10.8 billion. There would also be provisions for spares including nine additional Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofans. The package would also encompass training-including simulators.
[...]
Boeing's F-15SE Silent Eagle offering is a somewhat more complicated bid because it is a hybrid of a direct commercial sale and government-to-government US foreign military sale (FMS). As such the DSCA notification to Congress is only for certain equipment that would have to be sold to South Korea to support the Silent Eagle sale.
Equipment that would be sold under the auspices of the US government FMS programme include 60 Raytheon-built active electronically scanned array radar (AESA) radars, but it is not specified if those are APG-63 (V)3 or APG-82 sets. Additionally, the F-15SE sale would include 60 digital electronic warfare systems (DEWS), 60 Lockheed AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pods, 60 Lockheed AN/AAS-42 infrared search and track systems and other ancillary hardware. The estimated cost of the FMS portion of the sale would be $2.41 billion according the DSCA.
"We do feel we have the lower cost, better value bid here," a Boeing official says, but the company did not say how much the direct commercial sale portion of their bid would cost.
[...]
While he does not rule out the possibility that South Korea will opt for the Typhoon, Raymond Jaworowski, an analyst with Forecast International, says the contest will most like come down to a battle between the F-35 and the Silent Eagle. "The F-15 and the F-35 are the frontrunners," he says. "South Korea has previously bought US fighter aircraft and it seems likely that's the way they'll go for this buy."
In the Silent Eagle's favour is the fact that South Korea already has the older F-15K Slam Eagle in service. "The commonality factor will come into play," Jaworowski says. "On the other hand, the F-35 is more and more becoming the dominant fighter on the market." Other factors that play in the F-35's favour are the fact that Japan has already ordered the stealthy fifth-generation jet and growing threats in the region.
But given the state of the South Korean tender, "I think at this point it's too early to predict between the F-35 and the F-15," Jaworowski says.
Click to expand...
 
From Dutch paper NRC: Dutch JSF test aircraft to be 'parked', participation in flight training on hold.

My translation:
4 april 2013, 20:21

No JSF testflights until decision to buy

The two Dutch Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) test aircraft will be parked. This is to last until the Cabinet has taken a decision on the replacement of the F-16, Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (VVD) writes in a letter (pdf) to the Tweede Kamer [lower house of representatives].
Hennis is currently working on a vision for the future of the armed forces. That vision is the basis for the government's decision on the purchase of the JSF, to be taken later this year. The coalition parties are divided: the VVD wants to buy the JSF, the PvdA does not.
So far, the development of the airplane has already cost the Netherlands 1.2 billion euros. Last summer the current coalition partner PvdA submitted a motion to cease all involvement in the fighter. In the coalition agreement it was decided to first formulate a vision. Until then, the aircraft will be parked, the minister writes.

Limited flights by American pilots
The United States and Great Britain have recently started flight training for the F-35, as the JSF is officially called. No Dutch personnel is taking part in this. During the period that the Dutch test aircraft are parked, they will be flown in a 'limited' way by American pilots. This is needed to keep the aircraft airworthy, Hennis said.
The Netherlands has ordered two test aircraft. The first aircraft is already finished, the second aircraft will be delivered this summer. Hennis said earlier that manufacturers of aircraft other than the JSF are also welcome to tout their products.
Click to expand...
 
Letter from Dutch Minister of Defence to Dutch Parliament (pdf):

Datum 4 april 2013
Betreft Nederlandse testtoestellen

In mijn brief van 8 februari jl. (Kamerstuk 26 488, nr. 309) heb ik toegezegd u voorafgaande aan het algemeen overleg over de vervanging van de F-16, gepland voor 25 april a.s., nader te informeren over de Nederlandse testtoestellen ten behoeve van de operationele testfase. De vaste commissie voor Defensie heeft mij op 15 februari jl. tevens om een update verzocht (kenmerk 26488-309/2013D06535).
Nederland heeft voor de deelneming aan de operationele testfase van de F-35 twee testtoestellen verworven. Het eerste toestel is reeds gereed, het tweede wordt in de zomer van 2013 geleverd. In de brief van 8 februari heb ik uiteengezet dat Defensie zal onderzoeken welke opties er zijn voor het gebruik van de testtoestellen in de komende periode, omdat de operationele testfase volgens de huidige planning in 2015 zal aanvangen. Ik kan u melden dat het kabinet heeft besloten de toestellen te stallen tot er een besluit is genomen overde vervanging van de F-16 in samenhang met de visie op de toekomst van de krijgsmacht. Gedurende de stalling van de toestellen zal door Amerikaanse piloten beperkt met de toestellen worden gevlogen om ze luchtwaardig te houden. Dit besluit zal met het Joint Program Office (JPO) worden uitgewerkt en contractueel worden vastgelegd. Als de kosten bekend zijn, zal ik u daarover nader informeren. De kosten zullen ten laste worden gebracht van de projectreservering Vervanging F-16.
U verzocht mij ook in te gaan op de personele gevolgen en de ontwikkelingen bij de andere partnerlanden. De Verenigde Staten en het Verenigde Koninkrijk zijn onlangs begonnen met de vliegopleiding voor de operationele testfase. Daaraan neemt geen Nederlands personeel deel.

DE MINISTER VAN DEFENSIE
J.A. Hennis-Plasschaert
Click to expand...
Translation:
Date April 4th, 2013
Subject Dutch test aircraft

In my letter of 8 February (Papers 26488, # 309) I promised to further supply you, prior to the general consultation on the replacement of the F-16, scheduled for April 25, with more information about the Dutch test aircraft earmarked for the operational test phase. On 15 February the Standing Committee on Defence has also asked me for an update (attribute 26488-309/2013D06535).
The Netherlands have acquired two test aircraft for participation in the operational test phase of the F-35. The first aircraft is already built, the second will be delivered in the summer of 2013. In the letter of 8 February I explained that Defence will examine which options are available for the use of the test aircraft in the coming period, because the operational test phase is currently scheduled to commence in 2015. I can report that the government has decided to store the aircraft until a decision is made for replacement of the F-16 in conjunction with the vision of the future of the armed forces. During storage of the aircraft U.S. pilots will conduct limited flights in the aircraft to keep them airworthy. This decision will be negotiated with the Joint Program Office (JPO) and contractually committed. If the costs are known, I will provide further information. The cost will be charged to the project reservation Replacement F-16.
You asked me to provide information about the personnel consequences and developments in the other partner countries. The United States and the United Kingdom have recently begun pilot training for the operational test phase. No Dutch personnel will take are taking part in it.

THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE
J.A. Hennis-Plasschaert
Click to expand...
 
The DoD finally released their 2014 numbers today. Here is what I found.

1. Procurement

The F-35s are getting cheaper (barely) even though the numbers are the same as last years (19/6/4) for F-35-A/B/C.

Here is the breakdown (RED is where component was more expensive than previous year)

Change_zps76cf17dd.jpg


Some sites are reporting a 4% increase in procurement cost. This is unrelated to the Flyaway and is due to a new RCS verification facility, higher costs for Simulators, Post-SDD development costs, etc.

2. Upgrades

While the USAF has had upgrade costs in the budget for a year now, the USN has now joined in adding LRIP upgrade costs to the budget. They has also broke it down to a Block specific number. The 2B upgrade costs a few hundred thousand (software only) and the 3i upgrade (to include hardware Tech Refresh2) costs $4.6 million per F-35. Concurrency costs are not included in the above numbers.

http://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/budget/
http://www.finance.hq.navy.mil/fmb/14pres/BOOKS.htm

The Schedule for Block 4 was also released for the first time:

Block4Schedule1_zps446a2e3d.jpg
 
From Flightglobal:
MROAM: F135 blade crack traced to casting process - P&W


By: Stephen Trimble Palm Beach

A Pratt & Whitney analysis has narrowed the likely cause of a turbine blade crack on the F135 in February to a fault in the casting process, says Bennett Croswell, president of the military engines division.

The analysis indicates that the Lockheed Martin F-35 engine blade cracked despite being made correctly according to the blueprint for making the part, Croswell says. That finding points to a flaw in the casting process itself.

"There may be features in the castings that are allowed by the blueprint, but now we've learned that those features we should not allow," Croswell says.

P&W can either change the process used to make the casting of the turbine blade or simply throw out any blade that shares similar features of the one that cracked.

"It may be as simple as culling those blades that have that feature," Croswell says.

P&W is finalising an analysis of which option would be most affordable, and that report will be submitted to the joint programme office at the end of June.

The 4.2mm (0.17in) crack led to a relatively brief fleetwide grounding of the F-35 after it was discovered on 19 February. The crack developed on a third-stage turbine blade of the AF-2 prototype, which was routinely operated in conditions beyond the flight envelope as part of the test programme.
Click to expand...
 
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been under fire from budget hawks and acquisition reformists because of repeated delays and soaring cost. The latest hitch in its development was a malfunctioning tail hook that failed to properly grab deck cables when the aircraft landed on aircraft carriers.

The tail hook has been completely redesigned and officials are confident it will work when tested later this year. With its physical components completed, the program now hinges on software development and integration, which will be the final challenge for engineers of the most expensive, complex weapons system the United States has ever fielded. “We are now in the meat of this program,” said Vice Adm. David Dunaway, commander of Naval Air Systems Command, said April 10 at the Navy League’s annual Sea Air Space symposium at National Harbor, Md. “We’ve come a long way to get here. We’re now to the part that is really important. This is where the rubber is going to meet the road and we’re going to succeed or we’re going to fail.” Two F-35Bs have completed at least 8,000 hours of flight testing. Lockheed has delivered 58 aircraft to date. Thirty of those were delivered last year and another 36 are scheduled for calendar year 2013. The F-35A is a conventional takeoff-and-landing variant designed for the Air Force. It will be flown from land bases with full-length runways.

The F-35B variant, which is capable of short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL), will replace the Marine Corp’s Harrier jump jet and is designed to operate from amphibious assault ships. It is also the most complicated and expensive of the three variants because it has a pivoting rear engine and a vertical-lift fan behind the cockpit that allows STOVL. The third version of the aircraft is the F-35C, will become the Navy’s primary carrier-based aircraft. The Department of Defense plans to buy 2,443 aircraft. The United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands,Australia, Canada, Norway, Denmark, and Turkey are part of the development program; Israel, Singapore and Japan also plan to purchase the aircraft. Development efforts now are focused on the software that will run the aircraft, integrating all of its various functions — intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, flight controls, ordnance delivery, target acquisition — into a complete weapon system. Rear Adm. Randolph L. Mahr, deputy program executive officer for the F-35, said “ We’re not going to focus on the past. What’s past is done. In 2001, the United States government made a choice on which aircraft to develop and we’re going to bring it across the finish line,” Mahr said. The Marine Corps will receive an operational aircraft in summer of 2015, Mahr said. “Put it on your calendars,” he said. “The United States Marine Corps is holding us to that date. The United States Air Force is right behind them. Our partner nations are right behind them.”

Software testing is scheduled for completion in 2017, with operational testing in 2018. Lorraine M Martin, executive vice president for F-35 at Lockheed Martin said the company has driven “stakes in the sand” at those dates and is committed to staying on schedule. Brig. Gen. Mark R. Wise, commander of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory said the first planned deployment of an operational F-35B is scheduled for 2017, but did not say where the jet would be sent. The Marine Corps wants to buy 353 F-35B jets. It will augment that order with 67 F-35Cs, equating to a total order that will outfit 18 active duty squadrons and two reserve squadrons, Wise said. Mahr said the complexity of the F-35 is a necessary and welcome symptom of modernization. But the military cannot absorb ballooning life cycle costs that complexity might entail, he said.

“The F-35 A, B and C are more complicated than the aircraft we’re replacing, but they cannot be more expensive to operate,” he said. “The operating cost of the F-35 … will be in line with the operating cost of legacy aircraft.” Mahr said the military’s relationship with Lockheed Martin and engine builder Pratt & Whitney and their subcontractors was improving and that the companies are aware of the government’s need to restrain cost growth. Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, program executive officer for F-35, recently criticized industry for failing to perform tasks within budget. Those failings stain the program, constantly reminding military officials that inefficiencies will not be forgiven in the future, Mahr said.

“We all have a long way to go putting the failings of the past and the problems the program has had behind us,” he said. “Judge us by where we go from here." Despite development woes, the F-35 is flying now and Marine Corps officials are learning how it will be deployed in future conflicts.

There are currently five F-35 bases in the United States. A sixth will be established at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Another will be established next year at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, in South Carolina, which will be the primary training venue for pilots from the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy. Before it is introduced to active units and deployed with the military around the globe, the military’s existing platforms have to be configured to work with the F-35, said Rear Adm. Mark Darrah, assistant commander for research and engineering at Naval Air Systems Command. Integration with Navy ships is a major concern, given that the F-35B and F-35C will be flying off L-class amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers, respectively. To accept the F-35B, which is capable of short takeoff and vertical landing, big-deck amphibious ships had to have a thermite coating painted on their decks in spots where the plane will land. Without the special coating, the heat from the aircraft’s downward-facing engines could melt the ship’s deck, he said. “Air-ship integration is key,” Dunaway said. “The F-35 has to fit in to the carrier air wing and into the [Marine air-ground task force. We have to have affordable aircraft and we have to have sustainable aircraft.”

 
Try putting a link with the story next time Bobby. I took the liberty for you. ;)

Naval Services Tout Progress in F-35 Program
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=1108
 
First Aust fighter aircraft in production
Max Blenkin, AAP Defence Correspondent
From:AAP
April 03, 2013 3:52PM

AUSTRALIA'S first two F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft are progressing down the US production line and approaching the stage where they will be recognisably aircraft rather than a collection of components.

David Scott, Lockheed Martin's director of F-35 international customer engagement, said the two, designated AU-1 and AU-2, were on schedule for delivery in the US in 2014.
He said the wings were under construction at the Lockheed Martin plant in Forth Worth, Texas.

Forth Worth is also constructing the forward fuselage, while the centre and aft fuselages are under construction at separate Northrop Grumman and BAE plants.
"Those two airplanes will come together through the mate-and-delivery process and be delivered to the Commonwealth in the middle of next year," he said.

For JSF flight training to start, Australia will need qualified pilots and maintainers. JSF flight training is a six-month course, already under way for the first US pilots at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The first Australian JSF pilots will likely start training at Eglin later this year.

JSF is an advanced stealth combat aircraft set to be the principal combat aircraft for the US, Australia and other nations out to mid-century. Australia is looking to buy up to 100 at a cost of $16 billion.
But so far the government has committed to buying just two. JSF has been repeatedly criticised for running late, costing too much and unlikely to deliver all the promised advanced capability.

Mr Scott, in Australia for talks on JSF with defence and industry, acknowledged development had taken longer and cost more than forecast in 2001.

But since the program was "re-baselined" in 2010, it had remained on or ahead of schedule.

He said the US Air Force and US Marines were buying JSF, as were five of eight JSF program partner nations including Australia, along with two others Japan and Israel.

"Even in very difficult economic times that are challenging in most countries, the commitments are being made to F-35 because it is viewed as an essential capability, a breakthrough capability and one that is rapidly maturing and will be available very soon," he said.
Click to expand...
 
Seems like a long shot, but here it is... last paragraph is good for a chuckle.

United Arab Emirates is taking an interest in the F-35
http://www.worldtribune.com/2013/04/12/united-arab-emirates-is-taking-an-interest-in-the-f-35/
 
Marines Set New IOC Date For F-35B: 'Combat Ready' In Summer Of 2015<blockquote>The Marine Corps plans to declare the F-35B ready for initial operations as soon as July 2015, the service's top general told lawmakers today -- a new target date that roughly tracks with delays in the Joint Strike Fighter program following the addition of two years to the aircraft's development schedule last year. Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps and the first aviator to lead the service, also told the House Armed Services Committee during a hearing today that the Marine Corps plans to deploy the first operational squadron of JSFs in fiscal year 2017. "If something happens around the world" before fiscal year 2017, Amos said, "this will be the only fifth-generation aircraft America has that is ready to go in an operational squadron."

Last year, as part of a wider move to implement the recommendations of a sweeping two-year technical review of the Joint Strike Fighter program, the Pentagon's acquisition executive waived the statutory requirement for the military services to declare the dates by which their respective F-35 variants would be ready for initial operations. That waiver was granted to allow the service chiefs additional time to recalibrate their IOC plans. The FY-13 Defense Authorization Act requires the service chiefs to disclose their schedules for declaring IOC for their F-35s by June 30.</blockquote>
 
JSF Model to Study Electromagnetic Effects
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued April 17, 2013)

The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, today unveiled a full-scale model of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) which DSTO will use to study the effects of electromagnetic compatibility and interference on the aircraft.

Called Iron Bird, the Australian-built model will be tested under simulated electromagnetic conditions during the acquisition and through-life sustainment of the JSF.

The study is a significant part of ensuring the protection of the JSF against electromagnetic environmental effects such as lightning and static discharge which can impair the performance and safety of aircraft.

The JSF is a fifth-generation aircraft with highly complex electronics, sophisticated software and a structural airframe made of composite materials. This exposes the aircraft to electromagnetic interference from both naturally occurring phenomena and man-made sources, including telecommunication transmissions and radar. The impact of these interferences needs to be well understood and appropriately managed.

DSTO has developed world-class expertise in the investigation of electromagnetic radiation impact on aircraft and is engaged directly with the United States JSF Joint Project Office to undertake this study using the Iron Bird model.

The data captured will help in providing potential reductions in the cost of owning the JSF fleet and enhancing the aircraft’s capability.

The DSTO test methods provide a rapid, cost-effective means of assessing and monitoring the JSF’s ability to withstand electromagnetic exposure and minimise any impact on its systems and performance. The research will support the verification for compliance and airworthiness certification for the JSF aircraft.

Australia’s first two F-35As are due to be delivered to a United States-based training facility during 2014‑15 when Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilot and maintainer training will commence on the aircraft.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is part of Australia's Department of Defence. DSTO's role is to ensure the expert, impartial and innovative application of science and technology to the defence of Australia and its national interests.

-ends-
Click to expand...
 
MADL integrated and sharing data with airborne F-35s for the first time.

Notice that it performed well at ranges that far exceeded the spec.

SAN DIEGO --- The Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) waveform developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) was successfully demonstrated in a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program flight test, validating an eight-year development effort to advance communication among fifth-generation aircraft.

MADL is a high-data-rate, directional communications link. It allows coordinated tactics and engagement to bring significant operational advantages to fifth-generation aircraft operating in high-threat environments. MADL is a key capability provided by Northrop Grumman's F-35 integrated communications, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics.

The F-35 CNI avionics flying onboard two Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft established the MADL link between two airborne platforms for the first time. Data passed between aircraft via MADL was correlated with data from other F-35 sensors by Lockheed Martin's fusion system to form a simplified situational awareness picture on the cockpit displays.

"During the flight tests, MADL functioned reliably with excellent range at multiples of required specifications while demonstrating ability to network fifth-generation fighters," said Mike Twyman, vice president and general manager of the Defense Systems division for Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "This success is a significant achievement for the F-35 program and enabling joint aerial concept of operations."

The MADL flight test is an important element of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Block 2 software release, which provides advanced mission systems capability at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and other training and operational locations. At Edwards, MADL joined the CNI Link-16 and Variable Message Format network waveforms already in flight test on F-35 aircraft.

Northrop Grumman's integrated CNI system provides to F-35 pilots the equivalent capability of more than 27 avionics subsystems. By using its industry-leading software-defined radio technology, Northrop Grumman's design allows the simultaneous operation of multiple critical functions while greatly reducing size, weight and power demands on the advanced fighter. These functions include Identification Friend or Foe, automatic acquisition of fly-to points, and various voice and data communications, including MADL, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Defense Joint Requirements Oversight Council for use on all low-observable platforms.
Click to expand...
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/144510/northrop-madl-data-link-flies-on-f_35.html
 
Pentagon sees Singapore's decision about buying F-35s by summer

4:25pm EDTWASHINGTON (Reuters)

Singapore has shown "tremendous interest" in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter developed by Lockheed Martin Corp and will likely decide by this summer whether to buy the new warplane, the Pentagon's F-35 program chief said on Wednesday.

Air Force Lieutenant General Christopher Bogdan told a subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he expected Singapore to decide by this summer whether to join the multinational fighter plane program.

He said he was also cautiously optimistic that South Korea could decide to buy the radar-evading F-35 in its 60-fighter competition, with a decision expected there in June.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
Click to expand...
 
Government Asks Parliament for Authority to Ordering First Six Aircraft in the Main Contract
(Source: Norwegian Ministry of Defence; issued April 26, 2013)
(Issued in Norwegian only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

“We have waited a long time. Now we will begin the final purchase of combat aircraft to replace the F-16 from 2017, after nearly 40 years of service to Norway. This is a further and very significant step in the comprehensive modernization of the Armed Forces,” says Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen, after the government on Friday asked Parliament to approve the order for the first six F-35 aircraft in the so-called main contract.

“Of the six we will order now, four will land on Orland by the end of 2017, and will be the first of the new aircraft that we actually get home to Norway. The other two aircraft will be left to strengthen our training capacity in the United States as we transition from F-16 and F-35, before they too are brought home.

“This is a complicated puzzle that we have worked hard to get to, but we think we have reached the optimal plan for how to do this,” says the Minister.

Updated procurement plan

The Minister referred to the new procurement plan for the F-35 which has been made to follow up a core element in the long-term plan for the defense sector, approved by Parliament in June 2012.

The procurement will be conducted over a number of years to relieve the burden on the defense budget and the overall state budget during the acquisition period.

The government is now planning that Norway will receive six aircraft annually from 2017 and to 2024, to acquire 48 aircraft. This is in addition to the four planes that will be delivered in 2015 and 2016.

“What has been important for us is that the procurement will be carried out without putting a great pressure on the government and the military's ability to follow up other initiatives and investments.

“There we get with this plan, and we have completed the transition from F-16 to F-35 in a good way. Therefore, we are now going to parliament,” said the defense minister.

The Ministry of Defence has followed the debate on the technical development of the F-35 carefully and believes that the time is ripe to move forward with the Norwegian procurement.

“There will always be technical challenges in a project like this, and they must continue to work with going forward, especially on the software side. None of the challenges we face are prohibitive, and it currently has identified solutions to all known technical problems. We therefore believe that we have a good basis for booking aircraft now,” says the defense minister.

More than just fly

For everything to be ready to start training and operation of aircraft when they come to Norway, a number of other investments in relation to the aircraft will also start now. Therefore, the government is also now asking for other parts of the contract, aside from the actual aircraft, including weapons integration, training, simulators, braking parachutes and more.

“We will continue to come back to Parliament for authorization for each new order, but we must now also begin efforts to acquire equipment to operate and train with the new aircraft. Therefore, the amounts in this bill are comprehensive,” says Strøm-Erichsen.

Progress in industrial cooperation

The Defense Minister is satisfied with the progress of industry collaboration on the F-35. An important milestone was passed when it was decided that the so-called APEX ammunition made by Nammo would be integrated onto the F-35. A number of other Norwegian suppliers have secured contracts, even before Norway bought plane.

The board of the multinational program recently accepted that the Norwegian-developed Joint Strike Missile (JSM) will be integrated into the F-35, once this will be fully funded. Kongsberg and the Armed Forces are continuing negotiations on this program.

“I plan to come back to Parliament later this year with more information about the status of development of the JSM and the measures the government is planning ahead.

“This missile is very important primarily because it helps to cover key operational needs, but it also affects the value creation we are working to achieve for Norwegian industry as a result of this major investment.

“The multinational consensus is therefore good news for both the military and industry,” says defense minister.

Facts about the Norwegian procurement of the F-35:
• Norway will acquire up to 52 combat aircraft of the F-35 to ensure that the Armed Forces in the future will be able to fulfill their tasks in the best possible way.
• The contract is estimated to cost 62.6 billion kroner at 2013 prices. Overall Norwegian cost estimates have been stable since 2008.

• The first four F-35s will be used for training of Norwegian personnel. The first two of these will be delivered in the United States in 2015, and the remaining two in 2016.

• The government now goes to Parliament for the authority to order the first six aircraft in the main contract, with four to be delivered in Norway in 2017.

-ends-
Click to expand...
 
More ;D :

Prime Minister and Minister for Defence – Joint Media Release – 2013 Defence White Paper: Air Combat Capability

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Defence Stephen Smith today announced the steps the Government has taken to strengthen Australia’s air combat capability.

]The 2013 Defence White Paper highlights the strategic importance of a potent and flexible air combat capability to control Australia’s air approaches and support operations in the land, sea and air environments.

Emerging advanced air combat and air defence capabilities within the region, together with the proliferation of modern electronic warfare systems, will make the air combat tasks of controlling the air, conducting strike and supporting land and naval forces increasingly challenging.

Australia’s air combat capability is a vital part of our national security framework and the Government will not allow a gap in our air combat capability to occur.

As a prudent measure to assure Australia’s air combat capability through the transition period to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the Government has decided to retain the current 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets (one operational squadron) in their current air combat and strike capability configuration.

The Government has also decided to acquire 12 new-build EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft instead of converting 12 of Australia’s existing F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft into the Growler configuration. 12 Growler aircraft will enhance significantly the ADF’s electronic warfare capability and, together with the JSF and the Super Hornet, will form a formidable air combat force capable of controlling both the air and electronic environments.

A decision on replacing the Super Hornets with additional JSF aircraft will be made closer to the withdrawal of the Super Hornets, which is not expected until around 2030.

The 2009 Defence White Paper outlined the Government’s commitment to acquire JSF and announced approval for the purchase of the first 14 JSF aircraft at a cost of around $3.2 billion. Of these, Australia is contractually committed to two, which will be delivered in the course of 2014 to 2015 in the United States for testing and training purposes.

Due to challenges and delays within the JSF Program, the United States restructured the JSF Program last year, deferring the acquisition of 179 aircraft and providing US$15 billion less in funding over the next five years. Australia aligned itself to this schedule in the 2012-13 Budget. While the US remains committed to the JSF, procurement has been slowed to complete more testing and make developmental changes before the purchase of aircraft in significant quantities.

The Government remains committed to acquiring the fifth-generation JSF aircraft, with three operational squadrons planned to enter service beginning around 2020 to replace the F/A-18A/B Hornet aircraft.

Australia’s Super Hornet aircraft, the delivery of the Growler electronic attack aircraft and the supporting KC-30A air-to-air refuelling aircraft will ensure the continued potency of Australia’s air combat system in projecting decisive air power in the defence of Australia and its interests.
Click to expand...

In brief, the Government anounced that there would be no change to the extant F-35 timeline, and that the first squadron of F-35s will be in Australia in 2020 and that the three operational squadrons of F-35s would replace the F-18A/B fleet.

The Prime Minister reiterated that Australia was committed to the F-35. Minister Smith, in response to questions, stated that they now had greater confidence in the JSF Program after the recent restructure under the leadership of VADM Venlet and LTG Chris Bogdan.
 
F-35 AF-25 delivered to Eglin AFB, has initial release of Block 2A software. More releases of Block 2A software to follow.
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/eglin-afb-receives-its-first-block-2a-f-35-385643/
 
From The Guardian: Navy carrier jets 'can't land in hot weather'
The hi-tech jets that will be flown from the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers cannot land on the ships in "hot, humid and low pressure weather conditions", a report warns today.The version of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) that has been bought for the £5.5bn carriers is still in development but currently cannot land vertically – as its predecessor the Harrier jump jet could – in warm climates without jettisoning heavy payloads, the National Audit Office says.
Though the Ministry of Defence insists the problem will be overcome by the time the first carrier is ready for service in 2020, it is one of a number of concerns pointed out by the NAO over a project that has been bedevilled by delays and cost increases.
[...]
Click to expand...
More at the link.

NAO's report on Carrier reversion decision.
[...]

19 The Department will have to actively manage technological risks to the cost-efficient delivery of Carrier Strike in adverse weather conditions.

The STOVL variant is unable to land vertically on to a carrier in hot, humid and low pressure weather conditions without having to jettison heavy loads. The Department advised decision-makers of this risk but stated that it is confident that the solution it is developing, called Ship-borne Rolling Vertical Landing, will be ready by 2020 (paragraph 3.10).

[...]

3.10 An important enabler of the UK’s STOVL Carrier Strike capability will be the ability to conduct Ship-borne Rolling Vertical Landings (SRVL). This landing technique will be necessary where a conventional vertical landing is less likely to be possible without jettisoning large weapons or fuel load when in hot, humid or low pressure weather conditions. At present the technology is not proven with redesigns required to the carrier deck and aircraft software. The capability will be required for operations by 2020 and the Department included a provision to complete development as part of the cost of reverting to STOVL. The Department is confident it will develop the technique within the required timescale.

[...]
Click to expand...
 
F-35 Fighter Takes Another Step Forward
(Source: U.S Air Force; issued May 9, 2013)

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --- The Air Force took another step forward with its newest fighter jet when an advanced F-35 Lightning II landed at the service's lead training base, home to the largest fleet of F-35s worldwide.

The new stealth fighter kicks off a major training effort at the F-35 schoolhouse on an aircraft with unmatched capabilities.

The F-35 is the military's newest stealth fighter jet. Students from all military branches who are learning to fly the plane go through the schoolhouse at Eglin, including some from international services.

In addition to a few design improvements, the major difference between the new aircraft and others is sensors and software.

For example, pilots for the first time will begin training on a capability that gives them a 360-degree view around the jet.

Sensors that act like highly sophisticated cameras that can detect heat and other information are embedded in the front, sides and back of the F-35.

When in use, the pilot basically can see everything around them near and far, a capability not found in any current military fighter, said F-35 instructor pilot, Major Jay Spohn.

The system was designed to see other aircraft, people on the ground, missile launches, and more, and share that information with other aircraft and command centers on the ground.

Other new capabilities include a weather tracker and an enhancement of a system known as ALIS, or autonomic logistic information system, which transmits aircraft health and maintenance information and makes use of a portable computer planeside for the maintainer.

"This system is a game changer," said Senior Master Sgt. Eric Wheeler, production superintendent, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit. "It combines real-time data collection and trouble shooting in one system, eliminating the need for carting out stacks of binders and paper forms to the jet, as well as having to dual annotate once on paper and again later in the office on a computer."

The latest system software, which has a better user interface and enhanced capability to download, is another step along the track in fixing problems in less time, which can be critical in time of conflict, Wheeler said.

The new F-35A will share the skies over Eglin's training ranges with the Navy VFA-101 flying squadron here, which is slated to get their first two F-35C aircraft later this month along with another United Kingdom F-35B assigned to the Marine Corps VMFAT-501 flying squadron, scheduled to arrive here in about a month.
Click to expand...
 
quite a rare pic I think
 

Attachments

  • 32-31-35.jpg
    32-31-35.jpg
    86.8 KB · Views: 532
Joint Strike Fighter
(Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued May 10, 2013)

It has been reported that a National Audit Office (NAO) report into the decision to revert to the STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) version of the Joint Strike Fighter for the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers means that the UK's carrier strike capability will be delayed by two years, until 2022, and that the Lightning II jets will not be able to land vertically in adverse weather.

In fact, by 2020 the UK will have operational carrier strike capability and the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft will be able to land on HMS Queen Elizabeth in various weather conditions.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The NAO supports the decision to switch to the short take-off and vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter in the face of escalating costs. Not only did it save £1.2 billion, it also means that by 2018 we will have fifth-generation stealth jets flying off the new Queen Elizabeth Class carrier.

"The decision to act quickly, once more information was available, is evidence of the department's decisive efforts to keep our equipment budget in balance while delivering state-of-the-art capability for our Armed Forces.

"The department does not consider that the phased introduction of 'Crowsnest' undermines the delivery of carrier strike capability. Crowsnest will enter service in 2020, at the same time as HMS Queen Elizabeth, and the helicopter-based radar system will be fully operational by 2022.

"Until then, its maritime surveillance capabilities will be augmented by other platforms and systems, including the state-of-the-art radar on the Type 45 destroyers, working together in a layered defence."

-ends-
Click to expand...
 
"F-35B performs first vertical take-off"
by Dave Majumdar on May 13, 2013 2:23 AM

Source:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/05/f-35b-performs-first-vertical.html

Sources say that test pilots at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, performed the first Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) vertical take-off on 10 May.

The US Marine Corps' short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant has always had a requirement to perform vertical take-offs right from the outset of the JSF programme. However, the capability is not emphasized because the F-35B would not be able to carry a tactically significant payload in that configuration. Operationally, the USMC envisions its F-35Bs performing short rolling take-offs carrying a full load of ordnance and fuel and only performing a vertical landing once the aircraft returns to the amphibious assault ship or expeditionary airfield.

The concept of operations is similar to those currently flown by the USMC's Boeing AV-8B Harrier II squadrons. Though the Harrier is often touted as a vertical take-off and landing machine, it normally flies a similar short take-off and vertical landing profile for the overwhelming majority of its missions.

The original X-35B prototype demonstrated the ability to take-off vertically in 2001.
Click to expand...
 
On Breakingdefense, formerly AOLdefense: The Ford-Class Carrier, The F-35C and 'Spider Web' War At Sea

In it, Rear Admiral Bill Moran, Director of Air Warfare on the Navy staff shares his views on new developments. At the end of the interview:
But let me close by circling back to the future of the air wing for the next 20 years and the value we see in the F-35C.

We are buying all production aircraft currently. We see the coming of the Ford and the coming of the F-35 as highly synergistic for the fleet and its operation as a sea base. And with the F-35C must come Block 3F capability, which has a fully enabled set to operate the weapons we use at sea, multi-ship integration and a host of other very important capabilities important to how we expect to operate in the future. We are not going to accelerate the number of production airplanes until we get to Block 3F which will give us the capability that we need to operate off the carrier.

Once we marry up F-35C with key capability investments in the Super Hornet, E-2D, [EA-18G] Growlers, and a mix of unmanned capabilities, we will continue to have an air wing that can dominate in any environment.
Click to expand...
 
F-35: Sequester May Cost Air Force 5 More F-35As; Air Guard, Modernization At Risk
http://breakingdefense.com/2013/05/15/f-35-sequester-may-cost-air-force-5-more-f-35as-air-guard-modernization-at-risk/
 
Aviationweek reports today: F-35 Training Capability Slowly Expanding
Pilot training on the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter at Eglin AFB, Fla., is gathering momentum with the qualification of U.S. Air Force instructor pilots to perform aerial refueling with the F-35A.
Lt. Col. Lee Kloos, commander of the 58th Fighter Squadron at the Eglin Integrated Training Center (ITC), on May 14 became the first non-test pilot to conduct an aerial refueling in the F-35.
The milestone allows aerial refueling to become a standard part of the syllabus at Eglin and also enables training missions to be extended. “It will help with the number of pilots we can graduate,” he says.
“This week we will qualify all 12 instructors and then include aerial refueling in the Block 1B syllabus for all new pilots,” Kloos says. “It is taking time, but little by little aircraft’s capabilities are coming on.”

In recent months, the ITC has been cleared to conduct training missions using the F-35’s internal electro-optical targeting system and simulated weapons, Kloos says.
Through April 30, 44 pilots had been qualified on the F-35 at Eglin, including two from the U.K., and 1,700 training hours flown, says Mary Ann Horter, Lockheed Martin vice president for F-35 sustainment.
Aircraft are currently loaded with Block 1B software, which provides an initial training capability only. Block 2A, also for training only, is on track for delivery in October, she says.
Click to expand...
Some older stuff:
- Flightglobal reports on 9 May 2013: Eglin AFB receives its first Block 2A F-35A
The US Air Force's 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida, received its first Block 2A configuration Lockheed Martin F-35A on 6 May.
Click to expand...

- Code One, 7 August 2012: F-35 Flight Test Update 8:
2 March 2012: Lockheed Martin test pilot David Nelson flew the first test flight with Block 2A software loaded on F-35A AF-3. Block 2A is enhanced training software that enables initial data link communication and more mature aircraft systems integration. The two-hour flight at Edwards AFB, California, marked AF-3 Flight 96.
Click to expand...
To recapitulate:
- first F-35 flight with Block 2A software: 2 March 2012
- first delivery to Eglin AFB of F-35A with Block 2A software: 6 May 2013
- training at Eglin currently uses Block 1B software
- Block 2A software scheduled for delivery on October 2013 (retrofit of Block 2A to aircraft delivered before AF-25?)
 

Similar threads

Please donate to support the forum.

Back
Top Bottom