F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

[nandu]

F-35 vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire

The jet that's supposed to make up more than 90 percent of America's combat aviation fleet may have become a lot easier to shoot down.

Lockheed Martin, makers of the Joint Strike Fighter, has been under huge pressure to stabilize the jet's skyrocketing costs. Production prices have nearly doubled on what was supposed to be an "affordable" fighter. R&D money is up another 40 percent. Some analysts predict the program could run as much as $388 billion for 2,400 jets.

So Lockheed decided "to trim 11 pounds and $1.4 million from each aircraft by removing shutoff valves for engine coolant and hydraulic lines and five of six dry bay fire-suppression systems," according to InsideDefense.com.

But those cuts made it much harder for the Joint Strike Fighter to withstand a hit from an anti-aircraft weapon. "When you have something full of fuel under high pressure, some of it very hot, flowing close to hot metal parts and 270 VDC electrical components, your shutoff and check valves and fire suppression in the dry bays (places fuel will spray into) are your only defense," a knowledgeable observer notes.

Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department's chief weapons tester, recommended in a letter to Congress last month "that these features be reinstated." The amount saved by trimming these components, he noted, would be more than made up, if just two aircraft were lost.

"Live-fire ballistic testing has demonstrated that the JSF is vulnerable," added Lt. Gen. George Trautman, the Marines' deputy commandant for aviation.

Now, one of the JSF's now selling points was that it wouldn't have to worry to much about taking on anti-aircraft fire; the jet would be so stealthy that the ground-to-air guns would never find it. But according to a report published by Air Power Australia, the plane is easier to spot than originally advertised. In fact, it is "demonstrably not a true stealth aircraft."

Locheed says a recent "technological breakthrough" has fixed all that: a fiber mat that can blend stealthy qualities right into the composite skin of the aircraft.

And in an e-mail to Danger Room, Lockheed spokesman John Kent basically said the Pentagon tester was all wrong about the plane's vulnerability.

"Rigorous combat analysis revealed that the survivability improvements afforded by the engine fuses and fire extinguishing features were very small," Kent wrote. "These changes were thoroughly reviewed by the F-35 Operational Advisory Group and approved through the joint JSF Executive Steering Board, which includes membership from all nine JSF partner counties. All agreed that the weight saved by the elimination of these components would be better utilized in maintaining the performance capabilities of the aircraft. The present design meets the JSFPO's expectations for vulnerability."

Well, yeah. That's true. "With the exception of a 30mm high-explosive incendiary round typically associated with light anti-aircraft artillery," Trautman wrote. Like the kind Russia has, and sells all around the world.

http://idrw.org/?p=2027#more-2027

 

[AJSINGH]

There is no export version of F-22. F-35 is projected to cost $140 million according to latest GAO estimates. Nearly the same flyaway price of an F-22.

140 million , which country will but this aircraft ?i mean i know that some countries have placed orders ,howver 140 million is not " affordable"

 

[nandu]

Lockheed marks 1st supersonic flight by STOVL F-35B

Four months after completing the first vertical landing, the Lockheed Martin F-35B flight test fleet also has surpassed the sound barrier.

A 10 June test flight flown by US Marine Corps Lt Col Matt Kelly powered the BF-2 short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (STOVL) variant to Mach 1.07 at 30,000ft.

The flight test demonstrates a key upgrade for the F-35B's two customers - the USMC and the UK Royal Navy. Their AV-8B and GR-7 Harriers, respectively, can land vertically, but lack supersonic speed.

It's the first time a STOVL aircraft has achieved supersonic speed since the Lockheed X-35C prototype in 2001 completed the heralded "X-flight" in the competition for the Joint Strike Fighter contract.

Overall, BF-2 has become the third aircraft in the F-35 flight test fleet to beat Mach 1.0. The first non-production test aircraft, AA-1, completed one test flight that registered multiple sprints across the sound barrier. The conventional takeoff and landing AF-1 variant also has flown supersonic.

Though 13 June, Lockheed has completed 111 test flights against 103 scheduled as the flight test programme continues to rebound from a rough year in 2009.

The supersonic flight by BF-2 also checked off 21 unique test points, or more than twice the expected average of 10 per sortie. As of last week, the number of test points completed had fallen slightly behind schedule.

The first naval variant - CF-1 - joined the test fleet on 6 June, but the maiden flight flight of the ninth test aircraft - AF-3 - is slightly delayed, Lockheed says.

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...rks-1st-supersonic-flight-by-stovl-f-35b.html

 

[Patriot]

Lockheed: F-35 Can Compete On Cost

Jun 18, 2010

By Graham Warwick

Lockheed Martin is aggressively countering the belief that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is becoming unaffordable, claiming its cost will be competitive with the latest F-16s and F/A-18s — if planned production rates are achieved.

"If we secure the production volume to drive down the learning curve, we expect the acquisition cost to be approximately comparable to a similarly equipped [F/A-18E/F] or F-16 Block 60," CEO Robert Stevens said during a media event near Washington June 17.

The company is projecting a unit recurring flyaway (URF) cost of "about $60 million" (in 2010 dollars) for the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A, including engine. This compares with the $80 million URF estimate by the Pentagon's Cost Analysis and Program Evaluation (CAPE) group, says Steve O'Bryan, vice president F-35 business development.

Lockheed's definition of URF is not used by the Pentagon to measure F-35 costs. Instead it uses average procurement unit cost (APUC), which includes associated military construction and is an average across all three JSF variants. The CAPE estimates the APUC has increased by more than 80% since the program began in 2001, to $92.4 million (in 2002 dollars). Cost growth forced the Pentagon to recertify the F-35 program in May (Aerospace DAILY, June 3).

Lockheed's assertion is based on contracted costs for the first three lots of low-rate initial production (LRIP), plus the negotiated price for the fourth lot — a "handshake agreement" which is expected within two weeks. O'Bryan says the aircraft price is 20% below the CAPE estimate for LRIP 3 and will be "at least 20%" below for LRIP 4.

"Similarly equipped" is an important caveat, as the price of the F-35 includes the radar, targeting pod, electronic warfare system, jammers, helmet-mounted display and other equipment not included in unit costs for the F-16 and F/A-18, O'Bryan says.

Lockheed expects to achieve its $60 million price goal for the F-35A around the end of LRIP in 2016-17, based on the assumption that production will achieve its targeted rate of between 120 and 200 aircraft a year, including production for international partners. "It depends on the ramp rate," he says.

International customers will pay a price "at or below the unit recurring flyaway cost" for an F-35A, O'Bryan says. The short-takeoff and landing F-35B and F-35C carrier variant will be more expensive than the A-model, he says.

From the initial two-aircraft production lot to the negotiated price for the 32-aircraft LRIP 4, Lockheed has reduced the air-vehicle cost by 50%, Stevens says. The price does not include the F135 engine, which is purchased separately from Pratt & Whitney.

"With adequate production volume and ramp rate, the [fifth-generation] F-35 will be very competitive on price tag with fourth-generation aircraft in production today," he says.

Whereas the first three lots were cost-plus, LRIP 4 is being negotiated as a fixed-price incentive contract, two years earlier than originally planned. Stevens says this underlines the company's confidence in its cost estimates.

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin







http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2010/06/18/01.xml&headline=Lockheed: F-35 Can Compete On Cost&channel=defense

 

[Patriot]

US mulling Japanese participation in F-35 fighter: report
Washington may allow Tokyo to participate in the project even without assurances from Japan that it will procure the F-35
Published on ASDNews: Dec 29, 2009

TOKYO, Dec 29, 2009 (AFP) - The United States is considering allowing Japan to take part in a multinational project to develop the F-35 next-generation stealth fighter, a press report said Tuesday.

Washington may allow Tokyo to participate in the project even without assurances from Japan that it will procure the F-35, Kyodo News reported, quoting sources from both governments.

The move is intended to clear the way for Japan to introduce the F-35 as its future mainstay fighter as countries not participating in the joint development would not be allowed to acquire it at an early date, Kyodo said.

Tokyo's participation would be limited to developing components to be provided exclusively to its air defence force as Japan bans weapons and arms-technology exports, Kyodo quoted the sources as saying.

The F-35 is being jointly developed by the United States, Australia, Britain and other countries, Kyodo said.

It is due to be ready for operational use in the mid-2010s. Countries involved in the joint development are expected to be able to acquire the fighter on a preferential basis, the report added.

Japan initially aimed to acquire the US F-22 stealth fighter to replace its aging F-4EJ fighter fleet, but US law prohibits exports of the F-22 and the United States has announced a plan to halt production of the model.

Japan has also studied other models such as the F/A-18 and F-15FX, produced by the United States, and the Eurofighter, produced by a consortium of European manufacturers, as possible replacements for its fighter fleet, Kyodo said.


by Hammoud Mounassar




http://www.asdnews.com/news/25285/US_mulling_Japanese_participation_in_F-35_fighter:_report.htm

 

[nandu]

Ninth F-35 joins flight test fleet

Nine of the original 14 F-35 flight test aircraft have flown after the debut on 6 July of the fourth conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant known as AF-3.

The 42-min sortie began at 18:20, local time, outside Lockheed Martin's final assembly plant in Fort Worth, Texas, with company test pilot Bill Gigliotti at the controls. Area storms stopped the flight short, Lockheed says.

After first flight of the fourth short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant BF-4 in April, AF-3's entry into the flight test programme means two aircraft are now dedicated to mission systems testing.

Mission systems onboard the F-35 include the APG-81 radar, electronic warfare suite, distributed aperture system and electro-optical targeting system.

First flight of AF-3 had been expected several weeks ago. Lockheed attributed at least part of the delay to several components that failed at temperatures below specification.

Since February, a programme restructuring has added three more jets to the flight test programme, including one developmental carrier variant and two STOVL variants borrowed from operational units.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/07/08/344183/ninth-f-35-joins-flight-test-fleet.html

 

[youngindian]

Tories defend untendered $16B jet purchase

OTTAWA - The government defended its decision Friday to spend at least $9 billion for the latest generation of fighter jets — one of the biggest military purchases in Canadian history — without a single competing bid.


The Liberals and a former public servant who once headed the purchase project say the massive F-35 Joint Strike Fighter purchase should have been subjected to competitive tenders.

"I'm questioning the hypocrisy that now soars higher than this aircraft," MacKay said in rebutting Liberal criticism that the contract was not competitive.


He noted that the previous Liberal government launched Canada's involvement in the project a decade ago.

The total value of the contract is expect to rival the amount spent by the Conservatives four years ago when they rolled out a series of high-profile military purchases of transport planes, helicopters and armoured trucks.


Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose repeatedly refused to say how much the maintenance contract would be worth after being pressed by reporters.

For his part, all MacKay would say is that previously reported estimates of that were incorrect.


The overall cost is expected to soar to $16 billion when a 20-year maintenance contract is factored in.

The 65 new jets would replace the Air Force's aging fleet of CF-18s that recently underwent a $2.6 billion upgrade.


MacKay said those airframes will be 40 years old by the time they need another upgrade in 2020 and it made more sense to invest in new aircraft.

"We need to ensure our fighter-aircraft fleet remains the best in the world to meet the threats of the 21st century," MacKay told a splashy news conference featuring a mock-up of the jet as a backdrop.


MacKay had assured Parliament there would be a competitive process for the selection of new planes, but cabinet decided to go with an untendered contract.

The government committed $9 billion to buy the 65 planes from Lockheed Martin, and the first aircraft is to be delivered by 2016, said a statement from the Defence Department.


But the overall cost is expected to soar to $16 billion when a 20-year maintenance contract is factored in.

"We're very pleased with the decision and are committed to supporting the government of Canada in moving forward with the F-35 Program Integration," Lockeed Martin executive vice president Tom Burbage said in a statement.


Steven Staples of the Rideau Institute, a defence think tank, said the sorry shape of the economy made this the wrong time to buy these jets.

"These are 'Flying Cadillacs' that are not needed for the defence of Canada, and are unaffordable," Staples said. "The government should wait until national finances are in better shape, and use resources for other priorities, such as fixed wing search and rescue."

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says he would put the deal on hold if he were elected prime minister.

Ignatieff is calling on the House of Commons defence committee to reconvene as soon as possible to examine what he calls the Tory government's "secretive, unaccountable decision to proceed with this contract."

He says the non-transparent, non-competitive contract to build the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is not a good idea considering the Conservatives are also looking at cuts to Veterans Affairs.

Newly released polls conducted for the Defence Department late last year suggest Canadians are generally quite supportive of increased military spending.

The survey conducted by the Strategic Counsel for the government indicated 74 per cent of Canadians surveyed support "significant government investment" in the Canadian Forces.

But the numbers drop when it comes to big-ticket items. Only 54 per cent of those surveyed said buying ships, aircraft or vehicles is a good use of public funds, while 25 per cent disagreed and 19 per cent weren't sure.

That represented a drop of eight points from the 62 per cent of Canadians who supported those purchases just a few months earlier in September 2009.

The numbers get worse for the Defence Department when respondents were asked if the government "gets good value for money when making major equipment purchases."

Just 26 per cent agreed with that sentiment and 44 per cent disagreed.

The survey of 1,000 adult Canadians was carried out between December 10 and 15, 2009. The results are considered accurate to within 3.1 per cent 19 times out of 20.

The Liberals want a committee to question other potential bidders and procurement experts to determine whether a sole-sourced contract gives maximum value to the government and taxpayers.

A previous Liberal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin to develop the Joint Strike Fighter, but did not commit Canada to buy the aircraft.

The senior public servant who oversaw the Defence Department's initial involvement in the Joint Strike Fighter more than a decade ago said the federal government is abusing the sole-source procedure.

Alan Williams, the former assistant deputy minister of material, said such an expensive, complex project needs to go through an open, transparent bidding process.

There have been too many sole-sourced deals, he said, citing the purchase of 17 C-130J Hercules transports, battlefield helicopters for the military and heavy-lift transport planes.

"Don't get me wrong, I think the JSF is a marvellous aircraft; absolutely state-of-the-art, but there needs to be an open competition," Williams told The Canadian Press.

Ottawa has already invested $160 million with Lockheed Martin in order to be part of the development phase of the stealth-capable fighter.

But Williams, who brokered the deal in late 1999, said that doesn't commit the air force to actually buying the plane and argued it was seed money for economic development. Canadian aerospace companies have landed $275 million worth of contracts to manufacture components.

The fighter jet saga mirrors the controversy that engulfed the decade-plus process to replace Canada's 1960s era fleet of Sea King maritime helicopters.

In 1993, the Liberals tore up a Conservative-inked contract for about $5 billion for a new fleet of ship-borne helicopters to fulfil a campaign promise. Jean Chretien branded the EH-101 helicopters "Cadillacs" during the election campaign that ended two consecutive governments of Tory rule, most of it under Brian Mulroney.

Chretien spent 10 years in power without ever replacing the rusted out Sea Kings, which sapped morale in the Air Force and Navy, and proved more costly when new helicopters were eventually purchased.

With the Liberals now wanting to put the brakes on the Joint Strike Fighter project, unfavourable parallels are now being drawn with the delays attributed to the Sea King replacement under Chretien.

Liberal MP Marc Garneau has rejected that comparison, saying there is time to study the Joint Strike Fighter deal because the current fleet of CF-18s don't need to be replaced for another seven years.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100716/national/jet_fighters

 

[nandu]

Joint Strike Fighter: Jet that's a 'spy in the sky'

Pilot's guide to the Joint Strike Fighter

As the most expensive defence project ever undertaken starts to come to fruition, the BBC has been given exclusive access to the world's most advanced fighter jet, the Joint Strike Fighter or F-35.

Development of the next generation of warplane is already over budget and behind schedule.

Hidden in a hangar at the US Navy's Patuxent River Air Base, in Maryland, away from prying eyes and shaded from the intense sun, US and British ground crew made the final preparations before the plane took to the clear blue skies.

RAF and Royal Navy personnel are already working alongside American crews as they conduct the final trials before it goes into production.

There's nothing particularly unusual about the Lockheed Martin JSF's appearance. It looks like a modern jet fighter. It's what you can't see that makes it so special - its software and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Squadron leader Steve Long is the first RAF pilot to fly the single-seat plane.

He says he can't believe his luck. He's like an enthusiastic boy who's just been given a very expensive toy.

Sitting in the sleek cockpit he explains the plane's uniqueness. He says the obvious advantage of the aircraft is its stealth - or low visibility. It's like a well known brand of lager - it can reach parts of the world that others cannot.

But there's much more.

The JSF is also a spy in the sky. It can gather information from space, land and other aircraft - and then transmit that information to commanders on the ground.

The pilot has a "god's eye" view at of the battlefield. Sqn Ldr Strong shows how, at the press of a button, he can activate a camera underneath that enables him to see right through the plane.

As for flying, he says its almost "brainless". The plane knows how to go into a hover better than the best Harrier pilot. Instead of jockeying with levers the pilot is left focusing on its warfighting role.

Even someone with little flying experience - like me - could land the plane on an aircraft carrier. Admittedly in my case it was done on a simulator.

Jonathan Beale uses a simulator to land the Joint Strike Fighter

But does Britain really need this kind of plane, and can the country afford it? Those are questions now being addressed by the Strategic Defence and Security Review, currently under way. Many defence experts see the Joint Strike Fighter programme as vulnerable to cuts.

The cost has already rung alarm bells in Washington. The Americans - who expected the planes in 2010 but are now looking at delivery in 2012 - plan to buy 2,450 aircraft at a cost of more than $320bn (£210bn). That represents almost half of the Pentagon's annual budget.

The US's costs are greater because they are ordering three different versions of the plane - one for the US Airforce that can land and take off on a conventional runway, one for the US Navy that can be catapulted off their large aircraft carriers, and one for the US Marine Corps that - like the British version - will have a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability.

'Cold war legacy'

Britain had planned to buy around 150 aircraft for the RAF and Royal Navy. But with each plane costing at least £70m - compared with the £30m price tag expected a decade ago - that number is likely to fall.

The British defence industry, alongside the RAF and Navy, is mounting a vigorous campaign to back the project.

Lockheed Joint Strike Fighter Each plane costs at least £70m

They point out that although Britain is only paying for about 4% of the costs, it stands to gain about 15% of the business. More than 100 British companies are involved in developing the plane.

BAE Systems is getting the lion's share. At its factory in Samlesbury they are building the aft fuselage for every plane produced. So, the argument goes, cuts in production would hurt British business.

The question of whether Britain really needs it can only be answered in the context of the government's military ambitions.

A stealth strike fighter is a polite term for an offensive weapon. The JSF is an aircraft that could be used to enter enemy airspace undetected in, say, a country like Iran.

Sqn Ldr Long doesn't mention Tehran, but he does say that this is the kind of plane you would need if you "want to be a credible threat or to rattle a sabre".

But does buying it make any sense when the Ministry of Defence is having to contemplate cuts of 25%?

The Joint Strike Fighter's electronics and intelligence-gathering software

Defence analyst Paul Beaver insists it does not. He says it's a "cold war legacy-thinking plane" that is simply "too complex and too expensive".

The JSF could be the last manned fighter jet to go into mass production. Airforces around the world are increasingly turning to drones.

That said, with the Harrier Jet coming to the end of its life and with the Royal Navy requiring a short take off and vertical landing plane for its two new aircraft carriers, the likelihood is that Britain will buy the Joint Strike Fighter.

But probably not as many as the RAF and Navy had hoped.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10654822

 

[youngindian]

F-35 - take it or leave it

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/f-35-take-it-or-leave-it-1.304297

 

[youngindian]

Lockheed Says Several Parts for F-35s Are Failing.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/business/28fighter.html?_r=1

 

[nrj]

Lockheed Martin Marietta Facility Kicks Off F-35 Lightning II Center Wing Assembly Pr

MARIETTA, Ga., July 28th, 2010 -- Officials at the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] facility here formally announced the start of F-35 Lightning II center wing production operations at the plant during a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday.

Actual center wing assembly work for the multi-role 5th generation aircraft will begin July 30 in the Marietta site's massive B-1 aircraft production building. The F-35 work area will occupy more than 320,000 square feet, and the assembly activity is projected to employ more than 600 workers by 2016 as the program ramps up to full-rate production of one aircraft per workday.

The F-35 is a true international program with eight countries partnering with the U.S. to develop and produce the aircraft. Final assembly of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter takes place at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Establishing the program's center wing assembly operation in Marietta helps alleviate capacity constraints at the Fort Worth location while taking advantage of available manufacturing capacity and 5th generation aircraft production expertise the Marietta site offers.

"This is a very proud day for us in Marietta as we begin to support production of the largest military aircraft acquisition program in history," said Lee Rhyant, executive vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Martin Marietta site. "We have state-of-the-art facilities, and our workers have the skill, the dedication and even the 5th generation fighter expertise to build this critical component. We're ready to support the F-35 now and in the future; it's time to get to work."

According to Larry Lawson, executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 program for Lockheed Martin, the Marietta center wing assembly operation will play an important role in meeting customers' needs for an affordable, high-quality product.

"Marietta's available facilities, tooling and worker experience with the F-22 are key enablers for F-35 program production," said Lawson. "The operations here will help us realize greater efficiencies, deliver quality and meet F-35 production rates."

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, advanced sustainment and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 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 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44.5 billion.

Source

 

[Patriot]

Northrop delivers complex composit structure for F-35 fighter jets

EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA (BNS): A prototype of the center fuselage for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program known as a destructive test article has been delivered.

Turkish Aerospace Industries
, Inc. (TAI), a major international F-35 Lightning II supplier to Northrop Grumman Corporation, has delivered the prototype of its first major structural element for the jet's center fuselage, which Northrop Grumman produces for F-35 industry team leader Lockheed Martin.

"This delivery is another major step by TAI to demonstrate its commitment to the success of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program," said Muharrem Dortkasli, TAI's president and chief executive officer.

Lockheed Martin's F- 35 Lightning II

The Turkish company is slated to produce inlet ducts to support both the current production of center fuselages on Northrop Grumman's F-35 assembly line in California and the 400 complete center fuselages that it will be produced in Turkey.

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, advanced sustainment and lower operational and support costs.




http://www.brahmand.com/news/Northrop-delivers-complex-composit-structure-for-F-35-fighter-jets/4703/1/24.html

 

[Patriot]

Israeli Lightning F-35I

Israel to get 20 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Stealth Fighters for $2.75 Billion (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

Israel's defense minister Lt. General (Ret) Ehud Barak has given the go-ahead to a $2.75 billion purchase of 20 Lockheed Martin F-35I Lightning II fighter jets. The new fighter will be provided along with an integral support package, sustaining the aircraft through its service life. The decision has yet to pass the approval of the Israeli government. The purchase will be funded by U.S. military aid to Israel. Israel originally planned to buy 75 such planes, with an initial option of 25 aircraft. According to Israel MOD sources, the flyaway cost of these aircraft will be $96 million, but this cost reflects only the net platform price.


The expenses including the preparation of the new squadron, initial infrastructure, logistical and support package is expected eventually to exceed $150 million per plane. Given the additional integration cost of locally developed Israeli systems planned for integration into this highly complex aircraft, the cost is expected to rise significantly for the fully equipped F-35Is in following years. Furthermore, for these enhancement and adaptations Israel may have to rely on local currency funding, unlike the aircraft acquisition program that will be funded entirely by the annual U.S. aid amounting over $2 billion per year.
How Much it Really Costs?

What Price In July this year Canada has ordered 65 F-35As fora total amount of C$9 billion, reflecting a flyaway cost of $138 million. According to Lockheed Martin, the Canadian F-35A is configured as the least costly version of the aircraft offered at a cost of US$60 million per aircraft. The remaining amount reflect training, logistics and support costs. Israel is expected to opt for one of the more expensive versions of the stealth fighter, therefore it was priced slightly above the average cost of the F-35A (US$92.5 million). The manufacturer Lockheed Martin is offering the new fighter with turnkey life cycle support program. Although the cost and specific details of these support packages has not been announced yet, given the high readiness level required by the IAF, U.S. analysts have determined the estimated life cycle cost of the aircraft could reach up to $380 million.

Israeli pilots will begin training on the new aircraft by 2014 and the first aircraft are expected to arrive in Israel by 2015. The first squadron could become operational in less than two years at one of the Israel Air Force (IAF) southern air bases. Four Israeli pilots have already flew in the F-35 simulator in the U.S.A. The F-35 cockpit and avionics are not strange to the Israelis. Elbit Systems is the supplier of the advanced Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS), which provides the pilot's primary interface with the aircraft.

The decision marks the culmination of a debate within the Israel defense establishment about the high cost of the program. Some argued that committing such a large portion of the annual defense budget to a single acquisition program is not justifiable, and that Israel should seek less costly alternatives for the modernization of its air force, especially, given the changing priorities of Israel's defense. Others claim that the fielding of the world's most advanced fifth generation aircraft creates an important deterrence, while maintaining the IAF qualitative edge over its regional opponents. Another issue was the inclusion of indigenous Israeli systems in this Fifth Generation fighter aircraft.

The initial F-35I will represent standard F-35A models. However, the F-35I acquisition agreement is opening opportunities for the installation of Israeli systems in future production batches. These opportunities will also open the aircraft for marketing Israeli systems to other air forces, reflecting an opportunity worth several billions of dollars for the local industry. Maj. General (ret) Udi Shani, Director Israel of Israel MOD has stated that the acquisition agreement also includes a framework for buyback purchasing from the Israeli industry worth $4 billion. The introduction of Israeli components, systems and technologies into the world's newest fighter plane will also open a potential market opportunity worth about $5 billion among the aircraft users.
New Opportunities for Israeli Systems

The airframe, subsystems and components for the current models of the F-35 – the land based F-35A, Carrier model F-35C and Short TakeOff Vertical Landing (STOL) F-35B are all contracted, but some of the weapons systems are yet to be decided, and open future opportunities for the Israelis. Among these are the air/air missiles – the types currently considered for the F-35 are the U.S. made AIM-9X, and AMRAAM, and European ASRAAM and Meteor. The Israelis could opt for the Stunner missile (Python 6) under development under a joint venture between Rafael and Raytheon.

The Stunner will provide a common missile that could replace both AIM-9X and AMRAAM with a single missile. The missile is currently in development a surface-to-air missile, due for first deployment in 2013. Its specifications have already been set to enable carriage and operation by the F-35. Another weapon considered for the aircraft is the Spice guided weapon. These weapons will be instrumental for the stealth fighter's 'first day' missions, where the networked-stealth fighters are expected to be penetrate and destroy enemy air defenses, paving the way for other strike fighters in their missions against airfields, air defenses, and enemy fighters, to achieve air supremacy. Currently RAFAEL is offering a 2,000 lb and 1,000 lb versions of the Spice, all these weapons can be fitted within the F-35's internal weapons bay. The 500 lb version of the Spice, currently in development, could introduce multiple weapon carriage capability for the F-35, along with a full load of air-to-air missiles.

Communications systems will introduce another opportunity for the Israeli industry. To integrate within the Israeli command and control system the F-35I will have to carry suitable datalinks, satellite communications terminals and air to ground radios, to ensure integration with the IAF network centric system. The IAF may have to settle with the baseline systems, designed to maintain the aircraft low-observability. Yet the integration of local protocols and waveforms is mandatory for the long run, either on individual aircraft or over manned or unmanned support systems which could also offer interesting solutions for air forces facing the same challenge.

Another opportunity for the F-35 community is the employment of a new escort jammer developed by Israel. Israeli EW systems are often offered with full access to the Electronic Warfare techniques generator, while U.S. jammers often rely on highly classified operating modes restricting the export of such systems. If the Israeli stand-off jammer can be adapted to the F-35 stealth platform, it could provide an important capability that could be highly attractive for many F-35 users. The standoff 'escort' jammer is under development as part of collaboration between IAI/Elta and Rafael could, could be adapted for the F-35, it could offer an attractive capability which is currently unavailable for export.

 

[Patriot]

Norway defers some F-35 orders by two years

Norway has pushed back orders for 16 of 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters by two years to 2018, but reaffirmed its commitment as a "serious and credible partner" in the programme.

The Norwegian defence ministry announced on 25 September that it will buy four F-35s in 2016 to serve as trainers, but that the remaining aircraft planned for purchase in 2016 and 2017 will be postponed until 2018.

Oslo originally planned to order as many as 48 F-35s over the five-year period from 2016 to 2020.

The defence ministry also says Norway's industry has received contracts worth $350 million so far on the F-35 programme, and could receive $5 billion more in new deals over the life of the programme.

Despite the order deferral, the F-35 remains a "cornerstone of future defence," the defence ministry says.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force can also reach full operational capability with the F-35 before its Lockheed F-16s are retired, it says. The service currently operates 57 F-16A/Bs, delivered between 1980 and 1989, as listed in Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

 

[Patriot]

F-35 Flights Suspended | AVIATION WEEK

Flight tests of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have been suspended following the discovery of issues with fuel-system software on all variants and with a door hinge on the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) version.

The Defense Department says flights are suspended temporarily pending modification of software that controls the engine's three fuel boost pumps. Incorrect signal sequencing that could trigger a shut-down of all three pumps was discovered in the laboratory.

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin originally said flights were restricted to below 10,000 ft., the altitude below which boost pumps are not required, but the Pentagon says all flights were suspended earlier this week as a "routine" safety precaution.

Flights in Stovl mode were suspended last week after post-flight inspection revealed an issue with the auxiliary-inlet door hinge on test aircraft BF-1. Efforts to find the root cause of the hinge problem and identify a solution continue.

A fix for the fuel-pump issue has been identified and is being tested. Software modified to correctly align the pump sequencing is to be loaded on to aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and Edwards AFB, Calif., test centers beginning Oct. 5.

"The impact to the flight test schedule is unknown at this time," Lockheed spokesman John Kent says. While testing of the conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) F-35A and F-35C carrier variant (CV) remain ahead of plan for the year, Stovl testing is significantly behind schedule.

Four Stovl F-35Bs at Patuxent River completed only 19 flights in September against a plan of 28, for a year-to-date total of 141 compared with 181 envisioned.

Testing of two CTOL F-35As at Edwards is ahead of schedule, with 17 flights in September against a plan of 18, for a year-to-date total of 114 compared with 53 envisioned.

The F-35C did not log any of the five planned flights in September as aircraft CF-1 remains in final finishing, Kent says, but CV testing is ahead of schedule for the year with 14 flights logged against nine planned.

Overall, the F-35 test program has logged 269 flights so far this year, against a planned 243, but September was the first month this year that the program did not meet or exceed its goal, with 36 flights compared with 45 planned.

Testing remains on track to achieve the 2010 goal of 394 flights, Kent says, but Lockheed already has acknowledged that Stovl testing will not meet its targets for the year, and initial at-sea testing planned for March 2011 will be delayed (Aerospace DAILY, Sept. 17).

Photo: Lockheed Martin

 

[Patriot]

Wasp Serving as JSF Test Platform - ASDNews

During the experiment, Wasp was disconnected from shore services and rested about 20 feet off the pier

Norfolk - As part of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) testing process, a team from Norfolk Naval Shipyard's (NNSY) Engineering and Planning department inspected spaces onboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) Sept. 7-14 in an effort to account for the ship's total weight.

The week-long data-gathering project culminated with what is known as an "inclining experiment" Sept. 14, in which the 17 person NNSY team conducted a series of measurements in approximately 1,600 spaces to determine Wasp's current weight and center of gravity.

To accomplish such a large undertaking, the team broke up into smaller groups, each tackling the spaces of a specific ship's division. The groups were escorted by Sailors from the division they were inspecting, and they determined what changes have occurred within a given space since the ship was last measured in 1990. The NNSY personnel then determined how much weight the ship normally contains in that given space versus what would be there when the ship deploys.

"It's a lot of spaces, and they're up and down as well," said Allen Lester, a naval architect with the team. "We started in a pump room [at the bottom of the ship] and ended up on the 0-7 level [at the top]."

Lester's team mate, naval architect Bobby Griffin, noted that the process of getting to, and into, each space has been made immeasurably easier thanks to a cooperative and knowledgeable crew who cut a lot of time off the whole process.

During the experiment, Wasp was disconnected from shore services and rested about 20 feet off the pier. Tugs were on hand to keep the ship in place, but backed off and let the ship drift during each measurement.

"We took the draft readings, and from that we determined how much the ship weighs. We also have three inclinometers which measured the attitude of the ship," Whitaker said. "We had 28 concrete blocks on the flight deck: half on port, half on starboard. From there we moved the blocks around a number of times to get different readings to help determine what the center of gravity for the ship is."

Each of the docking blocks weigh in at 18,000 pounds, and are nearly the size of a compact car. The entire process helped determine what impact shifting loads from various aircraft and equipment on the flight deck will have on the ship's center of gravity.

Wasp Damage Control Assistant, Cmdr. Todd Mencke, said the purpose of the inclining experiment was to determine the success of a recent fuel compensation tank installation, and to provide data needed for upcoming JSF modifications.

"It's to verify the ship's stability, providing accurate information after the fuel compensation tank installation, and in preparation for the JSF," said Mencke.

Wasp was selected this year to be the test platform for the F-35B Lightning II, the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the JSF. The ship will undergo a series of modifications and assessments through the coming months as it prepares to be the first ship to carry the new fighter.

Source : US Navy

 

[Patriot]

F-35s resume flight operations, but problems persist

By Stephen Trimble

A software glitch grounded the Lockheed Martin F-35 test fleet for at least four days and the short take-off and vertical landing mode remains barred due to an unresolved mechanical problem.

Lockheed lifted a grounding order on 5 October after installing a software fix that prevents a BAE Systems-supplied fuel boost pump system from potentially failing in flight. The grounding order was announced on 1 October, but F-35s had not flown since 28 September.

The F-35B STOVL fleet has been cleared to resume conventional flights, and Lockheed officials expect the type to resume tests shortly.

Lockheed has also discovered the root cause of a problem with a hinge on an auxiliary air inlet door immediately aft of the F-35B's lift fan. The company describes the cause as a "durability issue involving a bearing-retention feature in the door's forward hinge".

A solution is being installed "immediately", Lockheed says, but STOVL flights are ruled out until the modification clears airworthiness certification.

Although the grounding was brief, the combination of the two issues increases pressure on the flight-test schedule.

Lockheed has committed to completing 394 flight tests in 2010, which is down from more than 1,200 flights originally scheduled this year. To date, nine aircraft in the test fleet have accumulated 270 flights, surpassing the plan by at least 25.

The bulk of the flight-test sorties have been logged by the F-35A conventional take-off and landing variant, with 115 flights completed, compared with at least 54 planned through 5 October.

The STOVL fleet has struggled to overcome a series of reliability problems. Four F-35Bs have logged 141 flights to date, or 40 fewer than scheduled.

Even before the grounding order, the programme's sortie rate had started to slow down. September was the first month this year when the flight-test fleet fell short of the total number of planned sorties, with only 36 of 45 planned flights completed.

The programme now has less than 90 days to complete 124 flight tests to remain on track by the end of the year. Lockheed also has other commitments to meet. At least two more flight-test aircraft - BF-5 and AF-4 - are due to complete first flight before the end of the year.

 

[Patriot]

Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak Approves an initial buy of 20 F-35A Stealth Fighters for $2.75 Billion. Photo: Lockheed Martin

Israel will be the first country to receive the F-35 through the United States government's Foreign Military Sales process. beginning in 2015.

In August 2010 Israel's defense minister Lt. General (Ret) Ehud Barak has given the go-ahead to a $2.75 billion purchase of 20 fifth Generation, stealth F-35I Lightning II fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. About a month later, on September 19, the Israeli government approved the procurement authorizing local currency budgeting necessary for the preparation of infrastructure. On October 7, Israel's Ministry of Defense Director General (Maj. Gen. Ret.) Udi Shani signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the procurement of the F-35 aircraft. The acquisition of the planes will be funded by U.S. military aid, over eight years. The new fighter will be provided along with an integral support package, sustaining the aircraft through its service life. The decision has yet to pass the approval of the Israeli government. The purchase will be funded by U.S. military aid to Israel. Israel originally planned to initially buy of 25 aircraft. The current decision trims this initial buy by five aircraft. According to Israel MOD sources, the flyaway cost of these aircraft will be $96 million, but this cost reflects only the net price of the platform.

The expenses including the preparation of the new squadron, initial infrastructure, logistical and support package is expected to eventually exceed $150 million per plane. Given the additional integration cost of locally developed Israeli systems, planned for integration into this highly complex aircraft, the cost of future batches is expected to rise significantly for the fully equipped F-35Is in following years. Israel's future plans are to buy 75 F-35Is. Furthermore, for these enhancement and adaptations Israel may have to rely on local currency funding, unlike the aircraft acquisition program that will be funded entirely by the annual U.S. aid amounting over $2 billion per year.

Israeli pilots will begin training on the new aircraft by 2014 and the first aircraft are expected to arrive in Israel by 2015. The first squadron could become operational in less than two years at one of the Israel Air Force (IAF) southern air bases.

The initial F-35I will represent standard F-35A models. However, the F-35I acquisition agreement is opening opportunities for the installation of Israeli systems in future production batches. These opportunities will also open the aircraft for marketing Israeli systems to other air forces, reflecting an opportunity worth several billions of dollars for the local industry. Gen. Udi Shani has stated that the acquisition agreement also includes a framework for buyback purchasing from the Israeli industry worth $4 billion. The introduction of Israeli components, systems and technologies into the world's newest fighter plane will also open a potential market opportunity worth about $5 billion among the aircraft users. Read the full article on today's Defense-Update.com.

 

[Patriot]

JSF To Develop Landing Technique For U.K. Carriers

While the future of the U.K. Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers is uncertain, Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $13 million contract to incorporate shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) capability into the F-35B for the U.K.

SRVL will increase the payload that the F-35B can bring back to the carrier by 2,000-4,000 lb. above what is possible with a Harrier-style vertical landing, reducing the need to dump unused weapons or fuel before recovery.

The maneuver involves landing at a slow forward speed so that some wing lift is available to supplement lift provided by the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) propulsion system.

The two Queen Elizabeth Class carriers are designed around the STOVL F-35B. The ships are already under construction and planned for service entry in 2016 and 2018, but threatened by the new U.K. government's strategic defense review.

Development of the recovery technique by the Joint Strike Fighter team, Qinetiq and the U.K. Defense Science & Technology Laboratory required several potential safety hazards to be overcome, says Richard Cook, BAE Systems SRVL project lead. He spoke at last week's International Powered Lift Conference in Philadelphia.

These included risks of the aircraft hitting the stern of the carrier on approach; the deflected main engine nozzle striking the deck on touchdown; exceeding the gear strength; and insufficient stopping distance after touchdown.

The result was development of a flexible SRVL maneuver in which the pilot flies a constant Earth-referenced glideslope to touchdown on the moving deck, at which point the aircraft de-rotates and brakes.

The maneuver uses a shipboard visual landing aid called the Bedford Array. This is an array of lights on the deck centerline that provides a glideslope indication stabilized for ship heave and pitch.

The lights illuminate based on ship motion to provide a stabilized aimpoint for the pilot. This array is used in conjunction with a special velocity-vector symbol and glideslope scale on the pilot's helmet-mounted display.

Aligning the helmet symbology with the aimpoint provided by the lights on the deck allows the pilot to clear the ship's aft ramp and touch down at the planned point with the specified descent rate, Cook says.

Flight tests of the SRVL were conducted on the French Navy carrier Charles de Gaulle using the Vectored-thrust Aircraft Advanced Control testbed Harrier, which was programmed with F-35B's control laws.

Cook says the U.K.'s threshold and objective bring-back payload goals are "conditionally achievable" with SRVL, with further development required through flight trails of the F-35B and tests with the first Queen Elizabeth carrier.


















http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2010/10/15/03.xml&headline=JSF%20To%20Develop%20Landing%20Technique%20For%20U.K.%20Carriers&channel=defense

 

[Neil]

Lockheed gets funds for UK F-35 landing modification

Lockheed Martin has received a $13 million contract to incorporate a shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) capability with the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B, with the work to be performed on behalf of the UK.

The US Navy announced details of the Joint Strike Fighter award on 6 October, just two weeks before the UK's coalition government will disclose the details of its Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) process. This has assessed the nation's long-term military requirements, including major equipment acquisitions such as the F-35 and two future aircraft carriers.

Lockheed will be the main recipient of work under the new deal, with a 58% stake. BAE Systems will get 35% and Northrop Grumman 7%, the US Department of Defense says, with work to be completed by October 2013.

Developed by the UK, the SRVL technique will enable the F-35B to return to an aircraft carrier's deck carrying more weapons or fuel than possible when making a vertical landing.

Approaches would typically be flown at 60-70kt (111-129km/h) and with a flight path angle of 6-7°. An algorithm is used to calculate the optimum approach profile for given sea conditions, while the best landing point will be highlighted by using deck lighting.

Qinetiq has supported previous development work, including the use of its VAAC Harrier demonstrator aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious

A research simulator installed at the UK Ministry of Defence's Boscombe Down site in Wiltshire has also been used to model the SRVL performance of the F-35B with the UK's 65,000t Queen Elizabeth-class future aircraft carrier design.

The US Marine Corps has also shown interest in potentially using the SRVL technique with its own F-35B fleet.

The UK should receive its first of three test examples of the F-35B next year. It has previously outlined a Joint Combat Aircraft requirement for up to 138 production examples for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, but the SDSR could potentially reduce this number in the face of massive budgetary pressure.

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...s-funds-for-uk-f-35-landing-modification.html