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

[bobbymike]

From One Generation to the Next

Le Bourget, France—The fifth generation F-35 strike fighter is on pace to cost the equivalent of fourth generation fighters, Steve O'Bryan, Lockheed Martin vice president for F-35 program integration, told reporters here on Wednesday. "We are on a path to reduce the aircraft's cost . . . to what is in about 2020 about $85 million" in then-year dollars factoring inflation, he said during his media briefing at the 50th Paris Air Show. "In today's US dollars, that is about $75 million. We believe that is on par with any fourth generation airplane," he added. O'Bryan said this estimate is the recurring unit flyway cost, which includes the airframe, engine, all missions systems, and any concurrency expenditures. "This is the US government estimate," he noted. Every F-35 production contract that Lockheed Martin has signed thus far has been under the US government's cost estimate, said O'Bryan. For example, the most recent contract—for the fifth batch of low-rate initial production—"was 3 percent below that estimate," he said. "Both Lockheed [Martin] and the US government expect that trend to continue," he said. From the time of LRIP 1 to LRIP 5, "we have dropped the price of the airplane by over 50 percent," said O'Bryan during his June 19 presentation.

 

[GTX]

Lockheed, Mitsubishi Heavy Sign Deal for F-35 Assembly
(Source: Reuters; published June 19, 2013)

PARIS --- Lockheed Martin Corp has signed a contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd to begin work on a final assembly and check-out plant for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Japan, it said on Wednesday.

Steve O'Bryan, Lockheed vice president on the F-35 program, announced the contract agreement at the Paris Airshow. He declined to give details on the value of the contract.

A similar facility built in Italy to assemble F-35 jets in Europe cost an estimated 800 million Euros ($1.1 billion).

-ends-

 

[GTX]

Fokker Secures Next Order for F-35 Aircraft Valued at 40 million Euros
(Source: Fokker; issued June 19, 2013)

PAPENDRECHT, Netherlands --- Fokker Elmo has secured an additional contract from Lockheed Martin for the delivery of additional Electrical Wiring & Interconnection Systems, valued at 40 million euro’s. Under this contract, Fokker Elmo will be responsible for the manufacturing of electrical systems for the next batch of aircraft.

Fokker Elmo’s production of the F-35 electrical wiring systems involves employment for 150 specialists at Fokker Elmo. The company has been working with Lockheed Martin for the F-35 since 2002.

Hans Büthker, COO of Fokker Technologies and President of Fokker Elmo is ‘very pleased to sign this contract during the Paris Airshow, following the recent milestone of the delivery of the 100th shipset to Lockheed Martin, this underscores the value of the Dutch industrial participation in the F-35 in terms of employment, knowledge and innovation”. The contract was signed in the presence of Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Mr. Henk Kamp.


Fokker Technologies is the group name for four specialized Fokker Business Units: Fokker Aerostructures, Fokker Elmo, Fokker Landing Gear and Fokker Services. Fokker Technologies develops and produces advanced structures and electrical systems for the aerospace and defense industry, and supplies integrated services and products to aircraft owners and operators. The group achieved a turnover of € 769 million in 2012 with 4,950 employees.

-ends-

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35C CF-07. new pics

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35A AF-28 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn was at the controls for the first flight of F-35A AF-28 (US Air Force serial number 10-5016). The flight occurred on 19 June 2013 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas.

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35C CF-8 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti was at the controls for the first flight of F-35C CF-8 (US Navy Bureau Number 168735). The flight occurred on 20 June 2013 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas.

 

[GTX]

F-35 Is Backbone of Air Force's Future Fighter Fleet, Welsh Says
(Source: US Air Force; issued June 20, 2013)

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The Air Force's most advanced strike aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II, is a vital capability that the nation needs to stay ahead of adversary technological gains, the Air Force chief of staff told a Senate panel here, June 19.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Defense, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said air superiority is critical to the nation's security and how the U.S. military plans to fight.

"The air superiority this nation has enjoyed for 60 years is not an accident and gaining and maintaining it is not easy," Welsh said. "It requires trained proficient and ready Airmen and it requires credible, capable and technologically superior aircraft. I believe the F-35 is essential to ensuring we can provide that air superiority in the future."

The F-35 is an unprecedented fifth generation fighter combining stealth technology with fighter speed and agility, fully integrated sensors and network enabled operations, and state-of-the-art avionics. However, design issues and production costs have put the F-35 program in real jeopardy.

Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall told the committee he believe those concerns have been addressed.

"The department's and my focus has been on the efforts to control costs on the program, and to achieve a more stable design so that we could increase the production rate to more economical quantities," Kendall testified. "Indications at this time are that these efforts are succeeding."

The Air Force intends to use a portion of the proposed fiscal 2014 budget to support current defense strategic guidance and modernization programs like the F-35.

"Potential adversaries are acquiring fighters on par with or better than our legacy fourth generation fleet," Welsh told the committee. "They're developing sophisticated early warning radar systems and employing better surface to air missile systems, and this at a time when our fighter fleet numbers about 2,000 aircraft and averages a little over 23 years of age -- the smallest and the oldest in the Air Force's history."

Welsh said America needs the F-35 to stay a step ahead and to "make sure the future fight is an away game and to minimize our risk to our ground forces when conflict inevitably does occur."

"The F-35 is the only real, viable option to form the backbone of our future fighter fleet," he said. "The F-35 remains the best platform to address the proliferation of highly capable integrated air defenses and new air-to-air threats."

-ends-

 

[GTX]

F-35 – ‘cautiously optimistic’ at the tipping point for programme

"We’re not declaring victory just yet” said Lockheed Martin’s VP Steve O’Bryan of the new “cautiously optimistic” (as described by Pentagon procurement chief) outlook that infuses the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project. However it was clear in a presentation to the aviation medai at Le Bourget that things were now starting to go in the troubled fighters direction – the good news said O’Bryan meant the programme was at ‘a tipping point’. With 65 F-35s now flying, flight testing is ramping up quickly, with 50% of all flight tests done in the past 12 months.

In addition, both the US Government and the GAO had confirmed that concurrency was starting to pay off – and the flyaway cost (including engines) was dropping. In 2020 the US Government estimates that a F-35 will cost some $85m each or less than half of the 2009 initial examples cost. Adjusted to today’s dollars the 2020 price would be $75m each.

However, O’Bryan was frank in admitting that challenges still persist – especially in the software. The F-35 computer software has around 8.6million lines of code (in comparison an F-22 has around 2million). While 88% of the code is now flying, the remaining 12% is the most difficult part, explained O’Bryan as it integrates existing simpler functions and capabilties together into a whole.

Source

 

[seruriermarshal]

US Navy Fleet Squadron receives 1st F-35C JSF

Release Date: 6/22/2013 3:37:00 PM

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 received the Navy's first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft from Lockheed Martin today at the squadron's home at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The F-35C is a fifth generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.

The F-35C will enhance the flexibility, power projection, and strike capabilities of carrier air wings and joint task forces and will complement the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which currently serves as the Navy's premier strike fighter.

By 2025, the Navy's aircraft carrier-based air wings will consist of a mix of F-35C, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers electronic attack aircraft, E-2D Hawkeye battle management and control aircraft, Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) air vehicles, MH-60R/S helicopters and Carrier Onboard Delivery logistics aircraft.

VFA 101, based at Eglin Air Force Base, will serve as the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron, training both aircrew and maintenance personnel to fly and repair the F-35C.

www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=74982

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35B BF-32 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn was at the controls for the first flight of F-35B BF-32 (US Navy Bureau Number 168730). The flight occurred on 21June 2013 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas.

VK-12 VMFA-121 MCAS YUMA

Ordered from LRIP4 BF-32 with Block 2.A Mission Systems.

 

[seruriermarshal]

The second production U.S. Navy F-35C carrier variant takes off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth en route to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., June 25, 2013. The aircraft will be used for pilot and maintainer training.

 

[seruriermarshal]

Third F-35 for the UK Arrives at Eglin Air Force Base

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 26, 2013 – The third Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35B Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) Lightning II for the United Kingdom arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., yesterday where it will be used for pilot and maintainer training. U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Roger Hardy piloted the aircraft known as BK-3 (ZM137) on its 90-minute ferry flight from the Lockheed Martin F-35 production facility at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

“Today’s arrival of BK-3 is the latest step in delivering the F-35’s unprecedented capability to UK Defence,” said Group Captain Harv Smyth, the UK’s Joint Strike Fighter National Deputy. “With each passing day, our ‘Lightning’ programme is maturing. In less than a year, we have taken ownership of our first three aircraft and begun both pilot and engineer training. The ‘Lightning’ truly represents a turning point for U.K.’s Combat Air capability and will dramatically increase our ability to defend national sovereignty interests and ensure security around the globe.”

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, headquartered in the U.K. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to declare Initial Operational Capability with the STOVL in 2015.

The program’s more than 500 British suppliers will build 15 percent of each F-35 produced. U.K. industry is responsible for numerous F-35 components including the aft fuselage, fuel system, crew escape system and more. Key F-35 suppliers in the U.K. include BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Martin-Baker, SELEX, Cobham, Ultra Electronics, UTC Actuation Systems and Rolls-Royce. Over the next 40 years, U.K. industry will continue to play a vital role in the F-35’s global production, follow-on development and sustainment, bringing strong economic benefits to the country and generating tens of thousands of jobs.

 

[BioLuminescentLamprey]

Israel will be first partner to use the F-35. IOC in 2018.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_06_26_2013_p0-591841.xml&p=1

One of the advantages of the F-35 is the aircraft’s ability to fly long-range missions with internal weapons, accelerate faster and maintain higher speed, compared to current F16s or F-15s or any of the opposing force combat aircraft (flying with internal fuel).


To further extend the F-35’s range, Lockheed Martin is exploring an innovative concept from Israel, of using unique drop tanks, developed by Elbit Systems Cyclone. Designed in a similar concept to the F-22 under-wing drop tanks, these tanks, each containing 425 gal. of fuel, will use special attachment pylons that would completely separate from the wing, regaining full stealth capability after separation. An additional 900 gal. of fuel will significantly extend the F-35I range, enabling the IAF to operate its new stealth fighter at the “outer ring” of operation without mandatory aerial refueling.

Other good stuff in the article.

 

[Arjen]

From defense-aerospace.com:
Italy Government Coalition Averts Split Over F-35 Jet Purchase (excerpt) + Italy Pays $200.3M for Each of its First F-35s

The literal translation of the motion’s language is “Regarding the F-35 program, the government commits itself not to proceed with any further acquisition if Parliament has not ruled on the issue.”
This means that, while the government has avoided a vote to pull out of the program, and while Parliament has approved acquisition decisions made to date, it will subject future decisions to much closer scrutiny.

Italy Pays $200.3M for Each of its First F-35s


(Source: defense-aerospace.com; published June 27, 2013)



PARIS --- On June 26, just before the Parliamentary debate, the Italian newsletter Analisi Difesa published a very interesting analysis of what Italy has paid to date for the F-35 aircraft it has ordered. The figures it published were obtained from confidential sources it did not better identify.
It should be noted that these figures do not include R&D costs already paid by Italy, nor the €800m+ cost of building and setting up the Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Cameri, near Turin.
As of mid-June, Italy’s total procurement payments stand at €396.4 million, with another €516 million falling due by Dec. 31. Also coming due this year is a €60.3 million payment for long-lead items on future orders for 7 additional F-35As and the first F-35B STOVL aircraft, for a total of €972.7 million.
This is what this amount has paid for, according to Analisi Difesa:
- LRIP 6: three F-35As for the air force:
Since this order was approved in 2009, Italy has paid €323 million for the three aircraft and their engines and €26.5 million euros for logistic support. Two other payments (an additional €45 million for the aircraft and €68 million for support) come due by Dec. 31, 2013.
In all, Italy will have paid €462.5 million for the first three (LRIP 6) aircraft it is buying, which works out to €154.1 million per aircraft ($200.3 million at current exchange rates).
This is 58% more than the €97.9M unit price that Gen. Claudio Debertolis, Italy’s National Armaments Director, provided to Parliament in December 2012.
In a general discussion of F-35 costs, not specifically related to Italy, Lockheed Martin spokesman Benjamin J. Boling told Defense-Aerospace.com June 25 that aircraft “costs continue to decrease with each successive LRIP lot.” Unit costs for the F-35A had decreased from $78.7 million reported in 2011 to $76.8 million in 2012, he said quoting the Selected Acquisition Reports (SAR) released by the Pentagon.
- LRIP 7: 3 F-35As for the air force:
In 2011, Italy signed an order for Lot 7 long lead items (€47.4 million). Two more payments fall due by December: one for the aircraft and their engines (€314 million) and one for logistic support (€89 million).
- LRIP 8: Italy is buying 4 F-35As in this lot:
In 2012, Italy paid €38.1 million for Lot 8 long-lead items.
- LRIP 9: Italy is buying 3 F-35As and one F-35B for the navy in this lot:
Earlier this year, Italy paid €22.2 million for Lot 9 long-lead items.

To sum up, by December 2013 Italy will have paid €973.2 million towards its first 14 F-35 aircraft, with a similar amount to be paid in future years. This works out to an average of about €138 million (or $179 million) per aircraft.

As we have said before, we recognize that dividing total contract cost by the number of aircraft is an imperfect way of computing average unit costs, but it is the only method available given the way that the Pentagon releases contractual information relating to the program.
-ends-

The numbers calculated by Analisi Difesa can be compared to the numbers quoted in the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Request.

 

[BioLuminescentLamprey]

Found this at F16.net (full disclosure that I didn't do any legwork. Just how I like it.)

http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/June%202013/June%2028%202013/In-for-the-Long-Burn.aspx

Pratt & Whitney is gearing up for ground tests later this year of a demonstrator engine featuring technology that would increase the performance of the company's F135—the engine that powers the F-35 strike fighter, said Bennett Croswell, president of the company's military engines sector. The XTE68/LF1 powerplant, developed under Air Force Research Lab sponsorship, has "an improved hot section" compared to the F135 that would provide "about a 5 percent increase" in thrust if applied to the F135, Croswell told the Daily Report during an interview in Paris earlier this month for the Paris Air Show.

More thrust can't hurt. P&W is also offering a 5% fuel burn reduction option.

 

[seruriermarshal]

Dutch F-35A F-002 on her maiden flight Photo by davechng

 

[seruriermarshal]

More Dutch F-35A F-002 photos

 

[seruriermarshal]

KC-10 with F-35B

 

[Arjen]

Stuff that has been hiding behind a pay wall on Inside Defense is now being reported by Aviation Week:

More F-35 Delays Predicted
By Bill Sweetman
Source: Aviation Week & Space Technology

July 01, 2013

Less than two years after a new Pentagon leadership team adopted a new integrated master schedule (IMS) for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program—which in 2010 plans was to have been declared operational by now—the latest plan is at risk, according to the Defense Department's chief weapons-tester.

Software required to meet the Marine Corps' limited initial operating capability (IOC) date is already expected to be eight months late relative to the August 2011 IMS, Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E) told the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee on June 19. Radar and electro-optical system snags have delayed weapons integration, consuming all the margin built into weapons testing. Buffet and transonic wing-drop “continue to be a concern to achieving operational combat capability.”

The root of the software delays is that the program has been forced to add tests at a rate that more than offsets better-than-scheduled testing performance. The main causes, Gilmore says, are the helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) and regression testing—which ensure that changes have not caused problems in areas previously vetted. Regression testing alone has already forced the addition of 366 test points in 2013.

Flight-testing of Block 2A, the last non-combat software release, started in March 2012 with the goal of finishing in February, but was only 35% complete at the end of May. The Marines' IOC software release, Block 2B, was to be delivered for flight-test in August, according to the IMS, but is now not expected before April 2014, only six months before the due date for completing those tests. These have to be finished before the program can perform an operational evaluation in 2015 that must be completed before the Marine IOC, set for July-December 2015.

Sacrificing Block 2B capabilities to meet the schedule is not an attractive option, Gilmore notes, because even full Block 2B aircraft will “likely need significant support from other (fighters) . . . unless air superiority is somehow otherwise assured and the threat is cooperative.”

The Block 3i configuration, the basis of the Air Force's planned IOC date (August-December 2016) is also under tight schedule pressure, Gilmore explains. It is wedded to significant changes to the radar, and to the electronic-warfare and communications-navigation-identification processors (not just the integrated core processor, as reported earlier). Lot 6 F-35s, which start deliveries in 2014, include this new hardware and cannot fly without 3i software. “Maturing Block 3i hardware and software will be a significant challenge in the next 12 to 18 months,” Gilmore warns.

The DOT&E adds that “the most significant source of uncertainty” regarding what combat capability the JSF will provide in 2018 is that the program has to deliver an operational Block 3i while concurrently developing Block 3F, which is intended to meet the key performance parameters set in 2001.

Lockheed Martin says it is “confident that we are on track to meet the software development schedule” and says that prime software design for Block 3F is 41% complete.

Results of tests on the long-troubled HMDS are “mixed, according to comments from the test pilots,” says Gilmore's report. For instance, software to reduce the effects of jitter have done so—but at the cost of introducing another instability, described as “swimming” of the symbology. The fix to light leakage or “green glow” requires the pilot to perform “fine-tuning adjustments” of display brightness as ambient light changes.

Another threat to schedule is weapons integration, which Gilmore characterizes as “very slow.” Synthetic-aperture radar modes have provided inaccurate coordinates, and the electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) has had difficulty maintaining tracks. These problems had to be remedied before weapons tests could proceed.

Some radar and EOTS issues have been fixed, but all the margin built into the IMS, for both Block 2B and 3F weapons testing, has been used up before a single guided-weapon test has been performed. Gilmore writes: “The final Block 3F weapon integration tests are likely to be completed in late 2017, instead of fall 2016. This will make beginning operational testing of Block 3F in January 2018 a challenge.”

Current weapons-test goals include a guided AIM-120 test in November 2013—dependent on fixing software deficiencies—a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb test in October and a Joint Direct Attack Munition guided test in December.

Buffet and transonic roll-off—wing drop in high-speed turns, associated with asymmetrical movements of shock waves—still affect all variants of the JSF, despite control law changes. The program will conduct flight tests this year to assess the problem, but has now reached a limit on what can be done with control laws, Gilmore reports. Further changes would degrade maneuverability or overload the structure.

Earlier DOT&E reports have been critical of the F-35's ability to tolerate accidental or combat damage, and the new report follows that pattern. Gilmore observes that lightning-tolerance testing is yet to be completed and that even then, the fighter's airframe will have to be inspected after known lightning strikes—including skin penetration—because it does not use lightning-tolerant fasteners, Conventional fasteners were selected to save weight. Lockheed Martin says that inflight lightning protection has been approved and the critical design review is closed, with more tests due later this year. On the ground, the current plan is that ground crews will purge the fuel systems of parked aircraft with nitrogen, repeating this process as often as once every 24 hr.

Gilmore also notes that the prognostic and health monitoring system, currently, is unable to provide timely detection of combat damage to the F-35B lift-fan system, which “might fail catastrophically before the pilot can react” during transition to vertical landing. Lockheed Martin comments that “in the remote chance of a failure, the pilot would auto-eject.”

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35B BF-29 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn was at the controls for the first flight of F-35B BF-29 (US Navy Bureau Number 168727). The flight occurred on 29 June 2013 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas."

 

[Arjen]

Via defense-aerospace, Gilmore's opening statement to the Senate Appropriations Committee: http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/ht-defense.cfm?method=hearings.download&id=69ee98b4-d073-4b00-8732-403dd92d29db

[...]
None of the analyses conducted to date, by the Program Office or discussed in this testimony, have accounted for the effects of sequestration. Reduced funding for test resources and infrastructure while the F-35 is in development—such as reductions or elimination of funding for the McKinley lab, the test chambers, and support aircraft—will only add to the pressure to either extend SDD or accept reductions in capability. Additionally, reductions in developmental testing, which I understand are being considered by the Program Office, without the appropriate matching reductions in capability, will not remedy this situation. This approach would likely result in significant discoveries in operational testing and cause the program to extend until the discoveries are diagnosed and remedied.
[...]
The first build of Block 2B software was delivered to flight test in February 2013, and, as of the end of May 2013, 54 of 2,974 Block 2B baseline test points—less than 2 percent—had been completed. As of the end of April 2013, 303 of 1,333 total planned baseline mission systems test points for the year with all versions of software had been accomplished. An additional 532 added (or “growth”) points were flown to evaluate discoveries and for regression testing, which is 2.5 times the growth allotted in flight test plans through the end of April 2013. If this trend in added testing is maintained throughout Block 2B development, completing flight test by October 2014, as reflected in the program’s current plans, will not be possible.
Additionally, mission systems software development and delivery to flight test have lagged behind the plan reflected in the program’s integrated master schedule. The final Block 2B software configuration is now forecast to be delivered to flight test eight months later than expected by the current integrated master schedule—a delay from August 2013 to April 2014. The delay adds to the challenge of completing 2B flight test by October 2014, which is necessary to support an operational evaluation of Block 2B capability planned now to be conducted in calendar year 2015.
[...]
Block 3i software is needed for Lot 6 (and beyond) production aircraft equipped with this new hardware to be able to fly. Initially, Block 3i capability will be more limited than the Block 2B capability that will be concurrently fielded. This is because the timeline to develop, test, and clear Block 3i for use in production aircraft next year requires that Block 3i start with an early Block 2B version in lab tests very soon this year; thus, the capability provided in Block3i will lag Block 2B by about six months. Maturing Block 3i hardware and software will be a significant challenge in the next 12 to 18 months. Simultaneously, the program will need to make progress on Block 3F development. The ability of the program to successfully execute this concurrent software development is the most significant source of uncertainty regarding what combat capability the JSF will actually provide in 2018.
[...]
A Concept Demonstrator Aircraft engine test in FY05 showed that the engine could not tolerate ingestion of fuel leak rates representative of damage from a larger gun projectile impacting at low-altitude, high-speed and high-engine thrust - a type of encounter that might be expected on a close-air support mission.
The program made no design changes in response to these test results. This vulnerability, accepted by the program leadership, remains in the final, production engine design. The implications of this vulnerability are exacerbated by the program’s previous decision to remove a fuel tank ballistic liner during its weight-reduction efforts, saving 48 pounds. The ballistic liner could have reduced threat-induced fuel leakage to levels this single-engine aircraft can tolerate. A follow-on ballistic test is planned to re-evaluate vulnerability to fuel ingestion.
F-35B lift system live fire testing showed the system is tolerant to selected single missile fragments. The single fragment-induced damage to the lift fan produced in this test did not degrade the overall propulsion system performance. Nonetheless, analysis predicts that fragment-induced damage could result in more severe effects that could lead to catastrophic lift system failure (e.g. more than 25 percent lift fan blade loss leading to fan disintegration) as a consequence of certain engagements. To preserve the test article for future engine tests, such engagement conditions were not tested.
[...]

 

[GTX]

Pilot and Maintainer Training
(Source: BAE Systems; issued July 2, 2013)

Third jet for the UK arrives at Elgin Air Force Base.

The third Lockheed Martin F-35B Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) Lightning II for the United Kingdom arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., yesterday where it will be used for pilot and maintainer training.

Delivering the F-35

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Roger Hardy piloted the aircraft known as BK-3 (ZM137) on its 90-minute ferry flight from the Lockheed Martin F-35 production facility at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

“Today’s arrival of BK-3 is the latest step in delivering the F-35’s unprecedented capability to UK Defence,” said Group Captain Harv Smyth, the UK’s Joint Strike Fighter National Deputy. “With each passing day, our ‘Lightning’ programme is maturing. In less than a year, we have taken ownership of our first three aircraft and begun both pilot and engineer training. The ‘Lightning’ truly represents a turning point for U.K.’s Combat Air capability and will dramatically increase our ability to defend national sovereignty interests and ensure security around the globe.”

F-35 Lightning II

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, headquartered in the U.K. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to declare Initial Operational Capability with the STOVL in 2015.

Contribution to industry

Collectively, some 500+ UK companies are involved in the F-35 Lightning II programme, building 15 per cent of each F-35 produced. Over the next 40 years, UK industry will continue to play a vital role in the F-35’s global production, follow-on development and sustainment, bringing strong economic benefits to the country and generating tens of thousands of jobs.

Our role

We bring military aircraft expertise that is key to the development and manufacture of the F-35 Lightning II. Along with being responsible for the design and delivery of the aft fuselage and empennage for each of the three F-35 variants, BAE Systems also plays a key role in other areas including vehicle and mission systems, life support system and prognostics health management integration.

-ends-

 

[Arjen]

AINonline: UK Will Try To Boost F-35B Landing Weight

July 5, 2013, 12:50 PM

Senior British military officials confirmed that the UK will conduct shipboard rolling vertical landing (SRVL) trials on the F-35B version of the Lockheed Martin Lightning II stealth combat jet. The SRVL technique would allow the aircraft to land at higher weights than is currently possible in the VTOL mode. The F-35B has faced weight problems, leading to concerns that it could not “bring back” to its aircraft carrier a useful weapons load that has not been expended in combat. The British have done nearly all the previous research and simulation on SRVLs.

More at the link.

 

[seruriermarshal]

A F-35 Bravo Lightning II lands at Cherry Point for maintenance with the Fleet Readiness Center East July 9.

 

[seruriermarshal]

AF-33 (part of LRIP-5) made FF in July 6th

Photo by ACESFULL

 

[GTX]

F-35 Pilot Cadre Grows To 100 As Training Ramps Up At Eglin Air Force Base
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued July 11, 2013)

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.--- Maj. Robert Miller became the 100th pilot to fly the Lockheed Martin (LMT) F-35 Lightning II when he took to the skies above Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., for a training flight on July 9.

Miller's 90-minute familiarization flight included normal operations for aircraft handling and landings in an F-35A fighter. The flight followed academic and simulator instruction at Eglin Air Force Base's Integrated Training Center, which provides pilot and maintainer training for the three F-35 variants.

"It was great to get airborne today. The jet handles well and is very easy to fly. I'm looking forward to testing the combat capabilities of the F-35 over the next few years at Edwards," said Miller.

Miller, currently assigned to the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., has spent 11 years in the Air Force and has flown more than 1,300 hours in the F-16, including 369 combat hours. He joins an experienced cadre of F-35 pilots among the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, the United Kingdom and industry.

"Maj. Miller is representative of the highly-trained pilots populating the F-35 community," said Col. Todd Canterbury, commander of Eglin's 33d Fighter Wing. "This milestone is significant because it shows the program is maturing rapidly and highlights the successful implementation of a world-class training program and development of the F-35 Lightning II for the combat air forces. We are excited to have produced the 100th F-35 Lightning II pilot."

The joint service partners at Eglin Air Force Base have flown 2,292 F-35 hours and have 28 aircraft assigned, representing the largest fleet of F-35s in the world. Approximately 100 pilots and 2,200 maintainers will be qualified annually through the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Training System at the base to support initial operational capability targets. The Lockheed Martin training system is also operational at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries.


Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 118,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

-ends-

 

[GTX]

Taiwan Makes Pitch for Purchase of F-35 Fighter Jets
(Source: China News Agency; published July 11, 2013)

WASHINGTON --- A delegation from the Taiwan-US Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association of Taiwan's Legislature said Wednesday in Washington that Taiwan wants to purchase advanced F-35 fighter jets that best suit its defense needs.

Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator and Association Chairman Lin Yu-fang briefed reporters in Washington after the delegation's meeting at the Pentagon with David Helvey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, to discuss Taiwan's needs for advanced defense weaponry.

The delegation members, in their capacity as the Republic of China (ROC) lawmakers, also met with Gregory Kausner, deputy assistant secretary of state for regional security and arms transfers, at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Washington Headquarters, according to Lin.

The lawmakers said Taiwan needs more advanced fighter jets and submarines to enhance its defense, and also needs to gain more international space.

Lin said Taiwan will continue to push for the purchase of F-35 fighters from the U.S. but should also consider buying a reasonable number of F-16C/D jets to replace Taiwan's aging F-5s, which are expected to be phased out in the next few years.

When the United States agreed to upgrade Taiwan's current fleet of F-16A/B fighter jets in September 2011, it effectively ruled out the sale of the next-generation F-35s, according to Lin.

It would be ideal if Taiwan could purchase the new fighters, which are capable of vertical and short take-off and landing, Lin said.

But even if the U.S. approves the sale, the global waiting list is so long that it would take 15-20 years for Taiwan's order to be delivered, he added.

While in Washington, the delegation also met with members of the U.S. Congress including Sen. Benjamin Cardin, chairman of the East Asian & Pacific Affairs Subcommittee, and Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Earlier in New York, the delegation met more than a dozen of the permanent representatives to the United Nations of Taiwan's allies at the U.N. headquarters.

-ends-

 

[seruriermarshal]

Lockheed Martin Delivers 100th Targeting System for F-35

Orlando, Fla., July 12, 2013 – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently delivered the 100th Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) for the F-35 Lightning II. EOTS provides affordable, high performance multifunction targeting to the F-35’s full spectrum of military operations.

EOTS is the first sensor that combines forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track functionality to provide F-35 pilots with situational awareness and air-to-air and air-to-surface targeting from a safe distance. This technology allows aircrews to identify areas of interest, perform reconnaissance and precisely deliver laser and GPS-guided weapons.

“F-35 pilots can use the imagery to determine exactly where to strike while staying out of harm’s way,” said Ken Fuhr, director of fixed wing programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Delivering our 100th F-35 EOTS is one step closer to ensuring all F-35 pilots can perform their missions and return home safely.”

Lockheed Martin is currently producing EOTS under the seventh low-rate initial production contract. Planned production quantities for the F-35 exceed 3,000 aircraft with deliveries through 2030.

Key components of EOTS are manufactured at the company’s Ocala, Fla., and Santa Barbara, Calif., facilities. In addition to EOTS, Lockheed Martin also manufactures the low observable window for the aircraft at the company’s Orlando, Fla., facility.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is a 2012 recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for performance excellence. The Malcolm Baldrige Award represents the highest honor that can be awarded to American companies for achievement in leadership, strategic planning, customer relations, measurement, analysis, workforce excellence, operations and business results.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 118,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

 

[Arjen]

From Aviation Week:
Italian final assembly and checkout facility starts operations, opening ceremony canceled.

Internal politics in Italy have prompted Alenia Aermacchi and Lockheed Martin to dash long-held plans for a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Italian final assembly and checkout (FACO) facility for the stealthy F-35 fighter.

[...]
the companies recently decided not to conduct such a conspicuous event, in light of past political wrangling over the expensive F-35 program in Italy, according to program officials. They requested anonymity because of sensitivity over the decision.

[...]
The defense ministry constructed the facility to allow for long-term maintenance, repair and overhaul of the single-engine fighter. The government hopes Cameri will become a regional maintenance facility for aircraft in Europe and Israel, providing aerospace jobs for decades.

The first F-35 to roll off that assembly line is slated for delivery to Amendola Air Base in Italy in 2016.

More at the link

 

[seruriermarshal]

New Data Link Enables Stealthy Comms
Jul. 14, 2013 - 04:36PM |
By AARON MEHTA

WASHINGTON — Pentagon officials have long identified the F-35 joint strike fighter as key to the future of America’s defense, in large part due to stealth capabilities that should allow the plane to travel in contested environments that older fighters would struggle to penetrate.

The problem is, these planes need to talk to each other without sacrificing stealth. To tackle that problem, the F-35 has incorporated Northrop Grumman’s Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), a system that’s undergoing testing in the California desert.

MADL is a digital waveform designed for secure transmission of voice and data between F-35s, with the potential of linking F-35s to ground stations or other aircraft, Northrop said.

Think of the system as a computer. The communications, navigation and identification (CNI) system on an F-35 can manage 27 different waveforms, including MADL. The data comes through the antenna, is turned into digitized bits, and is crunched by the on-board systems to get the relevant information to the pilots.

The system will be included in the 2B software package that the US Marine Corps’ F-35B jump-jet variant and the US Air Force’s F-35A conventional version will use when they reach initial operating capability in 2015 and 2016, respectively. It also will be included in all international versions of the jet. The US Navy’s F-35C carrier variant is expected to reach IOC in 2019 with the block 3F software, which will incorporate MADL and other capabilities.

What makes MADL more than just a communications tool is its ability to connect with other planes and automatically share situational awareness data between fighters. The more planes in the network the greater the data shared and the more comprehensive a picture is formed.

Picture a group of jets flying in formation. The pilot farthest to the right will have a different situational awareness picture than the pilot on the left. But once they’re networked, all the information is automatically shared among the pilots.

Prior to takeoff, planes would be designated with partners to form the network. When a plane gets within range, the network is automatically created.

“Like on your computer, your network into the local area, we’re building that network in the sky and it’s keeping up with all the dynamics and spatial changes,” said Bob Gough, director of CNI technology and programs at Northrop. “MADL has the smarts to keep up with all of that and keep the network in place so they can share the same data.”

Gough declined to say how close jets need to be to trigger the network link, but did say tests have shown “very fast” acquisition times once within range.

Live flight system tests at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., began late last year and have continued throughout this year. Initially, the tests involved networking a pair of planes, but recently, test pilots began regularly flying four-plane networks. Those tests are proceeding smoothly, said Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office.

“MADL testing is performing as planned,” DellaVedova wrote in an email. “Development of the advanced data link is currently tracking to deliver the phased capability expected by the end of development.”

The system is designed for plane-to-plane communications only, something Gough expects to continue in the near term. But he did not rule out experimenting with data transfer to other terminals.

“We have postulated MADL terminals on ships and we have built a MADL test ground station, so it could be done,” he said. “But it’s more about the logistics of where F-35s will be flying and how close to the ground they would be. It would be mission-scenario dependent, but it’s all technically possible.”

In the long term, Northrop hopes to expand the technology to other fifth-generation planes. That’s not a new idea; in 2008, MADL was slated to go on the F-22 Raptor fighter and B-2 bomber. But it never went on those jets, something the former Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, blamed on the technology’s lack of maturity during congressional testimony in 2009.

“We believe as the flight test program matures, it will be more likely” to end up on other platforms, Gough said.

That could include using MADL to communicate between fifth-generation fighters like the JSF and fourth-generation fighters, such as an F-16. Gough said he hopes to begin research on fifth-to-fourth generation data transfers “as soon as” next year.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130714/DEFFEAT01/307140011

 

[Arjen]

Interesting bit near the end:

[...]
The system is designed for plane-to-plane communications only, something Gough expects to continue in the near term. But he did not rule out experimenting with data transfer to other terminals.

“We have postulated MADL terminals on ships and we have built a MADL test ground station, so it could be done,” he said. “But it’s more about the logistics of where F-35s will be flying and how close to the ground they would be. It would be mission-scenario dependent, but it’s all technically possible.”
[...]

 

[Mike Pryce]

First UK F-35B unit to be RAF 617 Squadron - The Dambusters:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dambusters-to-be-first-lightning-ii-squadron

 

[Triton]

http://youtu.be/WpOWcULvZUc

 

[seruriermarshal]

Northrop Grumman Delivers Center Fuselage for Italy's First F-35 Lightning II, Enabling Increased International Participation

2013-07-23T05:00:00-0700

PALMDALE, Calif. – July 23, 2013 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) delivered the center fuselage for Italy's first F-35 Lightning II to the newly commissioned Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility at Italy's Cameri Air Base July 12. This on-time delivery to Lockheed Martin enables the first assembly of an F-35 aircraft at the FACO facility and increases international participation on the F-35 program.

The center fuselage, AL-1, will be integrated into a conventional takeoff and landing variant of the F-35, and represents the first of 90 center fuselage sections that will be delivered to the Italian FACO facility for Italian aircraft.

"We started working on AL-1 in September 2012, when it was inducted into our Integrated Assembly Line [IAL] at our Palmdale facility," said Michelle Scarpella, vice president of the F-35 program for Northrop Grumman. "It's the 115th center fuselage we've completed here in Palmdale, and marks another program milestone, as we continue to stand up and grow international F-35 participation."

The IAL maximizes robotics and automation, providing additional assembly capability while meeting engineering tolerances that are not easily achieved using manual methods. The IAL is central in producing the F-35's center fuselage as well as increasing the program's affordability, quality and efficiency. Currently, there are 35 center fuselages in flow on the IAL, including some for Australia and additional ones for Italy; deliveries have already been made to Ft Worth for final assembly and delivery to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Set on 101 acres in Italy's Piedmont region, the FACO facility at Cameri will be one of a kind in Europe. With 22 buildings, more than a million square feet of covered work space, 11 final assembly workstations – including four outfitted for electronic mate and assembly – and five maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade bays, the FACO at Cameri is positioned to serve as a new hub for the Italian aerospace industry.

As a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 industry team, Northrop Grumman performs a significant share of the work required to develop and produce the aircraft. In addition to manufacturing the F-35 center fuselage, Northrop Grumman designed and produces the aircraft's radar and other key avionics including electro-optical and communications, navigation and identification subsystems. Northrop Grumman also develops mission systems and mission planning software, leads the team's development of pilot and maintenance training system courseware, and manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies. In 2012, the company delivered 32 center fuselages and is on track to exceed 2012 delivery quantities in 2013.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

 

[seruriermarshal]

AF-41, Lockheed Martin’s 100th Airframe, first F-35 designated for Luke AFB

We couldn’t resist sharing with the world a few of the most recent photos of AF-41, Lockheed Martin’s 100th F-35 Airframe and first F-35A that will be delivered to Luke AFB. Enjoy!

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35 Test Aircraft Transferred to the Netherlands
The Hague, Netherlands // July 25, 2013

On July 15, 2013, the first of two Dutch F-35 test aircraft was transferred by the U.S. government to the Dutch Ministry of Defense. It is also the first F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) delivered to an international partner in the F35 program.

This is the English translation of the Dutch Ministry of Defense press release issued earlier today.

The Netherlands ordered this aircraft in 2009 for participation in the operational test phase of the F-35 program. After the aircraft had been fully checked, it was officially transferred to the Dutch Ministry of Defense. This took place at the flight-line of Ft. Worth, in the United States.

At that, the Netherlands took possession of the aircraft and will now be responsible for maintenance and safety. Therefore, some Dutch defense employees will follow a technical training, after which they will supervise maintenance works by the Americans and the respective accounts. By now, the production of the second test aircraft ordered in 2011 is finalized, and that aircraft is still going through some test and acceptance flights. Expectations are that the first test aircraft will be flown within some days by an American pilot to the U.S. air force base in Florida where the aircraft remains stored until a decision has been taken on the replacement of the F-16 in connection with the memorandum on the future of the Netherlands Armed Forces. During that period of storage, the aircraft will be used for technical ground tests.

https://www.f35.com/news/detail/f-35-test-aircraft-transferred-to-the-netherlands

 

[GTX]

Further to the images above:

100th Jet In Final Production; First F-35 Bound for Luke
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued July 25, 2013)

FORT WORTH, Texas --- The 100th Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the first aircraft destined for Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Ariz., has entered the last stage of final assembly. This conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, known as AF-41, is scheduled to arrive at the base next year.

During final assembly, the aircraft structure is completed, and electrical and hydraulic systems are added. Additionally, these systems are tested in preparation for fuel systems checks and engine runs. The final steps prior to acceptance by the Air Force include a series of checkout flights leading to the aircraft entering the service’s F-35 fleet. AF-41 is one of 126 F-35s in various stages of production worldwide.

In June, the Air Force announced its decision to increase the number of squadrons at Luke AFB to six with 144 aircraft, which will make it the largest F-35 base worldwide. In addition to training U.S. pilots, Luke will also serve as an F-35A International Training site. Currently, Luke’s economic impact on the state of Arizona is $2.17 Billion. With 14 F-35 suppliers in the state of Arizona, the program has an additional economic impact of $98Million.


Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation's net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

-ends-

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35A AF-34 First Flight

Photo by davechng

 

[seruriermarshal]

Northrop Grumman Delivers 100th Communications, Navigation and Identification System for F-35 Lightning II

SAN DIEGO – July 29, 2013 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered its 100th AN/ASQ-242 communications, navigation and identification (CNI) system to Lockheed Martin Corp. for integration into the F-35 Lightning II.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=20108 .

"The CNI system is a critical part of the F-35 mission systems suite, and we're proud of the excellent performance of the AN/ASQ-242 in flight tests and ongoing pilot and maintainer training activities," said Mike Twyman, vice president and general manager of the Defense Systems division of Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "This milestone underscores our commitment to advanced design, quality manufacturing, affordability and supportability.

"By incorporating lessons learned from previous programs and early F-35 low-rate production lots, we're delivering highly robust and reliable CNI systems that demonstrate extensive fifth-generation fighter capabilities. The Northrop Grumman team is focused on continuous improvement, lot to lot, for schedule, quality and cost as we prepare for high-rate F-35 production," said Twyman.

Northrop Grumman's integrated CNI system provides F-35 pilots with the capability of more than 27 avionics functions. 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 capabilities include Identification Friend or Foe, precision navigation, and various voice and data communications, including the Multifunction Advanced Data Link, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Defense Joint Requirements Oversight Council for use on all low-observable platforms.

As a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 industry team, Northrop Grumman performs a significant share of the work required to develop and produce the aircraft. In addition to developing and producing the AN/ASQ-242 CNI system, Northrop Grumman produces the center fuselage; designed and produces the aircraft's radar and electro-optical subsystem; develops mission systems and mission planning software; leads the team's development of pilot and maintenance training system courseware; and manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, headquartered in the U.K. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to declare Initial Operational Capability with the STOVL in 2015.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

http://www.northropgrumman.com/MediaResources/Pages/NewsArticle.aspx?art=http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/xml/nitf.html?d=10042066

 

[seruriermarshal]

F-35A AF-30 First Flight

"Lockheed Martin test pilot Al Norman was at the controls for the first flight of F-35A AF-30 (US Air Force serial number 10-5018). The flight occurred on 27 July 2013 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas. Photo by Carl Richards"