F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

[cobra commando]

F135 Fan 'Blows' During F-35 Engine Trial


F135 Fan 'Blows' During F-35 Engine Trial

 

[W.G.Ewald]

A cyber espionage operation by China seven years ago produced sensitive technology and aircraft secrets that were incorporated into the latest version of China's new J-20 stealth fighter jet, according to U.S. officials and private defense analysts.

The Chinese cyber spying against the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II took place in 2007 under what U.S. intelligence agencies codenamed Operation Byzantine Hades, a large-scale, multi-year cyber program that targeted governments and industry.

Defense officials said the stolen data was obtained by a Chinese military unit called a Technical Reconnaissance Bureau in the Chengdu province. The data was then passed to the state-run Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC).

An AVIC subsidiary, the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, used the stolen data in building the J-20, said defense and intelligence officials familiar with reports of the illicit tech transfer.

F-35 secrets now showing up in China's stealth fighter - Washington Times

 

[asianobserve]

U.S. Focuses on Cheaper, More Reliable F-35 Jet: Air Force Official
Andrea Shalal
Reuters
April 2, 2014

(Reuters) - The U.S. military is working closely with Lockheed Martin Corp and other suppliers to lower the per-plane cost of the F-35 fighter jet and improve its reliability, the chief weapons buyer for the U.S. Air Force said in interview on Monday.

Assistant Air Force Secretary William LaPlante said the price of the new A-model F-35 is on track to drop from $112 million now to the mid-$80 million range by 2018 or 2019, but the program is developing plans to drive the price even lower.

The Government Accountability Office, a congressional watchdog agency, remains skeptical about those efforts, noting that the A-model jets procured in 2013 cost $124.8 million each, about $41 million above the Pentagon's target for 2019.

The U.S. military was also focused on improving the reliability of the jets, which are breaking down between flights more often than expected, he said.

The F-35 A-model was intended to cost around $50 million per plane, giving the United States and its allies a low-cost way to replace a dozen warplanes now in service. Critics say technical challenges have driven costs higher, which could jeopardize the larger orders needed to achieve lower costs in the longer term.

"There are lots of ideas on how to bring the costs lower," LaPlante said. He said the parties were looking at what specific investments could be made by industry and government to lower production costs, but gave no details.

The Pentagon is due to unveil a plan with new cost targets for the $392 billion program in early 2014.

The GAO on Monday said the program had already lowered the overall cost of developing and buying 2,457 F-35 fighter jets by $11.5 billion or 3.3 percent last year.

The Pentagon's own cost projections, due to be sent to Congress in mid-April, are expected to show a similar drop in F-35 costs, sources familiar with the issue said Tuesday.

Lockheed is developing three models of the F-35 for the U.S. military and eight countries that helped fund its development: Britain, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Turkey, Italy and Netherlands. Israel and Japan have also placed orders and South Korea this month announced plans to buy the jet.

LaPlante said the Air Force still planned to boost its F-35 orders to around 60 jets a year to achieve economies of scale and drive the cost lower. He said the service made difficult choices in its fiscal 2015 budget and five-year spending plan to protect the ramp up in F-35 production for that reason.

"The operation and sustainment cost is a bigger issue," LaPlante said. "It's the one that will say whether or not we can afford (the F-35)" in the longer run.

The Pentagon's chief weapons tester reported in January that the F-35 fleet was available for use an average of 37 percent of the time from late 2012 to October 2013, far below the minimum threshold of 50 percent and the program's goal of 75 percent. The program is aiming for 60 percent availability by 2015.

LaPlante said the effort was looking at which parts were failing more often than expected and making changes there, but improvements would take time to show up in the statistics.

"It's going to take a sustained effort," he said. "We're going to be watching this one over the next one to two years."


U.S. focuses on cheaper, more reliable F-35 jet: Air Force official | Reuters

 

[cobra commando]

Joint Strike Fighter aims to soar | UTSanDiego.com

 

[cobra commando]

Australia confirms A$12.4bn F-35 order

Australia has confirmed its acquisition of 58 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, putting the value of the deal at A$12.4 billion ($11.5 billion). "Together with the [Boeing F/ A-18F] Super Hornet and [EA-18G] Growler electronic warfare aircraft, the F-35 will ensure Australia maintains a regional air combat edge," says the nation's Department of Defence. "The F-35 will also provide a major boost to the Australian Defence Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities," it adds. The cost of the deal includes facilities, weapons and training. About A$1.6 billion will be spent on building support infrastructure at two Royal Australian Air Force bases. "The Australian defence industry has been awarded over $355 million in work and stands to win well in excess of $1.5 billion in JSF-related production and support work over the life of the programme, creating long-term advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs," the department adds. "The timing and size of specific orders will depend on the prime manufacturers meeting the agreed cost, schedule and performance requirements, as well as providing a continuing commitment to participation by Australian industry." Canberra's undertaking follows an earlier order for 14 aircraft in the conventional take-off and landing F-35A configuration.

Australia confirms A$12.4bn F-35 order - 4/23/2014 - Flight Global

 

[cobra commando]

New U.S. Stealth Jet Can't Hide From Russian Radar - The Daily Beast

 

[Shirman]

@p2prada

Some questions with bill sweetmans above link..........

My first question is :-We have all been hearing/seeing about S-500 radar discussion a (proto radar complex was displayed in Maks-2013 seen via Vitaly Kuzmin's photos), Nebo-m /55Zh6ME , a new non export only for Russia Nebo-Ume with L band radar in opposite direction and all other early warning radars but some say all these Vhf/Uhf, L band, X band radars must have a "relative 2 to 3 year tech gap with existing civilian sensor processing tech" or significantly ahead than something in Military specific arena is it true ???......For example i am saying that it is something like a p-18 radar of 1970s which after extensive upgrade package of mid 2000s for example offered by Ukraine (Ukroboronprom) and Czech rep (Retia) can threaten F-117 Nighthawk

My second question to you is F-35 was developed keeping in mind X Band radars of the future but the advancement in radar tech field today do you think Vhf/ Uhf /Ku band if developed or P band (i sincerely don't know what it is please educate me is it same or superior than L band but had some info that Ruskis will be developing a powerful radar on that band) can threaten f-35 in future...............also can you explain how to read and understand following chart with respect to its wavelength in detecting a typical stealth target / which radar band should be decisive in counter stealth role..........

 

[cobra commando]

Korea To Test F-35 JSF By
Simulator

An evaluation team from the South Korean Air Force will test Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II before signing a deal to purchase 40 of the stealth aircraft for its "next-generation" fighter jet, the nation's procurement agency said Sunday. "The 10-man team will visit the company's plant in Fort Worth, Texas Monday for two weeks of tests," said an official of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). "We will mainly check to see if anything has changed since the 2012 test." However, as in 2012, they will not be able to fly the stealth jet because they have not gained approval from the U.S.
government and instead, the test will be carried out by a simulator (a sim-flight), while a Korean pilot will follow an actual F-35 test- flight in a chase plane, according to the Korean Times. "As the F-35 is a single-seat aircraft, a pilot needs to take a six-month course to fly it alone," the official said. He added that there will be a runway test at the plant as well.

Korea To Test F-35 JSF By Simulator

 

[cobra commando]

F-35 Achieves Three Major Flight Test Milestones On Same Day · Lockheed Martin

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

RAAF chief warns F-35 fighter may not be properly integrated | idrw.org

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Asian Defence News: Canada's F-35 purchase decision expected next week

 

[cobra commando]

UPDATE 1-Pentagon sees progress on F-35 jet; software still a concern | Reuters

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Single-engine F-35 a poor choice for Canada's Arctic | idrw.org

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

F-35 Stealthier Than F-22? | idrw.org

 

[cobra commando]

Lockheed F-35 bulkhead cracks solution proposed, Pentagon says

 

[cobra commando]

BREAKING: Fire Breaks Out on F-35 at Eglin Air Force Base, Pilot Safe | USNI News

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Defense News Mobile - USAF: F-35 Fire Will Not Ground Fleet

 

[cobra commando]

Engine pieces found on runway after F-35 fire - sources

WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Engine pieces were found on the runway at a Florida air base after a Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 A- model fighter jet caught fire while preparing for takeoff on Monday, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Air Force is investigating the fire, which occurred in the rear of the plane, where the jet's engine, built by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, is located. The A-model jets have a different engine than the B- and C-model jets flown by the Marine Corps and the Navy. The sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said the discovery of the engine parts did not point to specific cause of the fire and said the investigation was continuing.
Engine pieces found on runway after F-35 fire - sources | Reuters

 

[cobra commando]

Pentagon Grounds Entire F-35 Fleet

 

[cobra commando]

Sources: Engine 'Definitely' to Blame for June F-35 Fire | USNI News