F-35 Lightning II
When the most senior U.S. military officer admits that the largest defence procurement program in history has affordability issues, then you can bet that the situation is dire. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has even put forth the likelihood that at least one variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter may be cancelled, and total numbers reduced. Even if the F-35 eventually meets reasonable cost ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Canada’s new multibillion-dollar stealth fighters are expected to arrive without the built-in capacity to communicate from the country’s most northerly regions a gap the air force is trying to close. A series of briefings given to the country’s top air force commander last year expressed concern that the F-35’s radio and satellite communications gear may not be as capable as that of the current CF-18s, which recently went through an ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
The Navy and Marine Corps Team made more remarkable naval aviation history today as the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) test aircraft BF-2 landed safely on USS Wasp’s (LHD-1) flight deck, the first at sea vertical landing for the Marine Corps’ F-35 JSF version. Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Fred Schenk landed BF- 2 at 3:12 pm. “It was exactly like we predicted,” said Schenk. “But that’s because of ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
With flight envelope expansion for ship trials completed, four F-35B test pilots started expeditionary airfield (EAF) building up to field carrier landing practice (FCLP) Sept. 14. EAF and FCLP testing is part of the pilot certification process for landing aircraft on an amphibious deck, to ensure pilots are adequately prepared for the inherent danger in operating aircraft in a maritime environment. Four test pilots are scheduled to participate in initial ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye delivered the following opening statement at today's subcommittee markup of the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Appropriations bill.
"Today, the Subcommittee meets to make recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Appropriations Bill. Last week the full Committee agreed to an allocation for the defense bill ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Australia and Canada share a common concern that the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will be delayed, possibly requiring acquisition of an expensive interim air combat capability. To present a united front, Australia and Canada will now conduct top level talks on procurement and capability issues of mutual concern. As well as JSF, that will also touch on submarines, with both Australia and Canada experiencing big problems on maintaining submarine ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 Joint Program Office authorized the return to flight operations for Lockheed Martin F-35 developmental test aircraft. This follows the reinstitution of ground operations for these aircraft August 10. An Air Force Safety Investigation Board continues to review the circumstances that led to the failure of an Integrated Power Package (IPP) aboard AF-4, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant assigned to Edwards AFB, Calif., on August 2. The ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Aug
18
A tough sell for Australia
The top salesman for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter JSF program, Mr. Burbage, is in Australia to brief Defence stake holders. Mr. Burbage still parrots the notion that the aircraft can be had for $65 million (average) each over the life of the program. Given all the evidence, this is just wishful thinking. This flies right over the heads of the usual suspects; unnoticed. Or is it that ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 Joint Program Office authorized a return to ground operations for the F-35 developmental test aircraft today. This is the first step in returning the F-35 fleet to full flight operations. A precautionary suspension of both ground and flight operations for the program was issued Aug. 3. An Air Force Safety Investigation Board convened Aug. 4 and is reviewing the circumstances that led to the failure of the Integrated ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 fleet is grounded while the joint programme office investigates the cause of a failure in the aircraft’s electrical system during ground tests.The failure occurred on an F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) test aircraft, numbered AF-4, but the precautionary grounding applies to all 20 F-35s that had reached flying status, according to a JPO statement. “Once the facts are understood, a determination will be made when ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II test jets made considerable flight test progress during the first quarter of 2011, conducting 199 test flights versus a plan of 142 flights. Additionally, the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant logged six times more vertical landings in the first quarter than in all of 2010. The test program remained ahead of plan despite the grounding of various test fleet aircraft for 4-15 days during ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Jul
28
The USMC and the F-35C
The Lockheed Martin F-35C for the Marines makes little sense the sine-qua-non of Marine Aviation is first and foremost support the 0311 Rifleman. Tethering the Marine tactical fixed wing to a CBG, which may or may not be available as needed, or a long airfield, which again may or may not be available, rather than deploying the emerging three dimensional F-35B capability makes little technological sense-let alone tactical sense. Since all ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
The Department of Defense’s first F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter touched down at its new home here July 14, marking a major milestone in the nation’s military history. Upon arrival, the jet officially became part of the Air Force inventory. It now belongs to the JSF training unit, the 33rd Fighter Wing. Flying it in was Lt. Col. Eric Smith of the 58th Fighter Squadron, the first Air Force ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 integrated test force, along with the aircraft launch and recovery engineering team at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL), completed the first jet blast deflector (JBD) test on the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, July 8.The test was completed at JB MDL using the F-35C test aircraft designated ‘CF-2.’ The testing collected data on the effects of F-35C engine exhaust on fleet-representative 4- and 6-panel JBD units and the flight ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
