F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

[Neil]

'Code crisis' overshadows Turkey's planned purchase of F-35 jets

A "code crisis" has erupted in Ankara that could threaten Turkey's participation in a US-led project to produce F-35 fighter jets, further complicated by the presentation of a bill to Turkey for an additional $4 billion to offset the growing costs of the project.The Turkish side in this $16 billion project has repeatedly knocked on America's door to ask for the flight codes for the fighter jets into which so much money has been invested. However, the Pentagon has rejected these demands on the part of Turkey

America's refusal to turn over the codes belonging to the jets and to share the software technology used in their production is making Turkey nervous.

Though Ankara plans at this point to purchase around 100 of these fighter jets, there is the awareness in the Turkish capital that without the codes in question, possession of the jet planes will only be partial. There are assertions at hand that the F-35s will be controllable from outside sources, that they may be defenseless against electronic warfare and that no changes will be able to be made to their software. At this point, diplomatic circles claim the UK will be withdrawing from the consortium was formed to realize the project for these same reasons.

Currently, Turkish bureaucrats and the government are trying to decide on a definitive stance to adopt in this matter. As for the ultimate fate of the F-35s in question, it will become clear at a meeting scheduled for April 13 in the US. Turkey is to be represented at this critical meeting by the undersecretary for the defense industry (SSM), Murad Bayar.

Turkey is one of a group of countries designated as production nations for the F-35, which has been designed to be the "hunter of the future." Along with Turkey, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Australia, the US, and Canada are all a part of this project. A budget of $10 billion has been earmarked in the Turkish Treasury for this project, whose first fighter jet is slated to be presented to Turkey some time in 2015.

Although there has been no F-35 turned over to Turkey yet, an bill for an extra $4 billion, based on higher than predicted costs for the building of the planes, was presented to Ankara. In fact, taking into consideration logistics as well as other costs, the total cost to Turkey is now said to be likely to reach $16 billion. The SSM has already gone to the Treasury to ask for the extra cost to be covered, following requests from the General Staff.



http://idrw.org/?p=1021

 

[Someoneforyou]

Kongsberg receives order worth MNOK 125 for parts to F-35
4 april 2011

KONGSBERG has received an order worth MNOK 125 for rudders and vertical leading edges to the F-35 Lightning II – Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

The order is part of the framework agreement signed in 2008. This order includes delivery to 32 aircrafts in the LRIP 5.

Accumulated, KONGSBERG has received orders for a total of 82 aircrafts, demonstrating that the production in Norway for the F-35 program is well underway.


Source: Kongsberg Gruppen

 

[Someoneforyou]

F-35C CF-1 Catapult Hookup
UNITED STATES - 6 APRIL 2011

PATUXENT RIVER, Md., April 6th, 2011 -- Navy F-35 flight test aircraft CF-1 approaches the TC-7 catapult at Naval Air Station Patuxent River March 22. With U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matt "Opie" Taylor at the controls, CF-1 completed functional checks and performed the first test hookup of the F-35C to the catapult. The test team also investigated an issue discovered during a preliminary fit check with the launch bar where it did not lower far enough to engage flight deck hardware for the catapult hook up. That test resulted in an improvement made to the launch bar so it will have a greater range of motion.

The overall ship compatibility test phase, including catapult launches, is scheduled to begin this year. Shipboard testing of the F-35C aboard a CVN-68 class aircraft carrier is scheduled to take place in 2013. The F-35C Navy variant and F-35B Marine Corps variant are undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River in preparation for eventual delivery to the fleet.

Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[Someoneforyou]

F-35 ejection system completes testing
7 april 2011

The pilot ejection system for F-35 aircraft has been certified as ready for flight following testing by a British industry team led by BAE Systems UK.

The system will be used on all variants of the more than 3,000 F-35 Lightning II aircraft slated to be produced.

"Achieving this certification marks the culmination of several years' hard work across an integrated team and across a range of functions," said Chris Garside, BAE Systems' chief engineer on the F-35 program. "It's a major achievement.

"The system has consistently performed as expected through a progressive series of tests. The escape system standard that underwent the final tests is now being implemented into the production aircraft."

BAE Systems is a prime sub contractor to Lockheed Martin of the United States on the F-35 program, responsible for the design and delivery of the aft fuselage and empennage for each F-35 variant, as well as key areas of the vehicle and weapon systems, in particular the fuel system, crew escape, life support system and prognostics health management integration.

BAE said the ejection system had been tested to its limits, with the ejection seat and mannequin launched at speeds of more than 600 mph down a test track.

"Ejecting from an aircraft like F-35 typically takes no more than three seconds from the time the ejection handle is pulled to the pilot being on a parachute," BAE Systems' Test Manager Rick Whittaker said. "You can imagine how quickly everything happens. Incredibly, during the tests up to 900,000 measurements were recorded every second."


Source: United Press International Inc.

 

[Someoneforyou]

Norway buys four F-35 jet fighters
Norway - 8 april 2011

The Norwegian Defence Minister Grete Faremo has announced that the Government has decided to purchase the first four F-35 jet fighters for delivery in 2016.

The four aircraft will cost altogether NOK 4.8 billion, and will be used for training purposes.

The training of Norwegian military pilots will take place in the US, prior to the main delivery of the 56 F-35 jets on order. The delivery of these is scheduled for 2018.

The order for the four training aircraft announced Thursday, will have to be approved by Parliament (Stortinget).


Source: The Norway Post

 

[p2prada]

Wow. That's over $200Million for each aircraft. Initial price and will reduce after some time.

 

[Neil]

didnt Israel get 20 aircrafts for 2.7billion dollars- that is 96 million $ each... and that too not being part of the development programme and all the training and stuff included....

 

[Neil]

New F-35 Cost Concerns Emerge

LOS ANGELES — The embattled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is facing the threat of $3 billion or more in higher costs related to taxes and tariffs on components and subassemblies traveling around its international supply network.

In addition to parts from more than 1,100 primary suppliers across the U.S., elements of the F-35 are shipped to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems from other manufacturers in the nine major partner countries. As parts transit through the complex supply chain, becoming incorporated into larger subassemblies or traveling directly to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth final assembly line, they cross international borders and are potentially subject to taxes and tariffs.

"Every country would like to collect, but nobody wants to pay for it," says Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin F-35 executive vice president and general manager. In some cases, parts will travel to the future Alenia Aeronautica final assembly site in Italy, where all European F-35s (other than the U.K. aircraft) will be completed, and never touch U.S. soil, he adds.

"Tariffs and VAT [value-added tax] costs could exceed $3 billion ... and it could be a lot of extra cost if we can't resolve that," Burbage warns. In an effort to avoid the financial burden, the program has formed an international working group to tackle the issue.

Speaking at the AeroDef manufacturing conference in Anaheim, Calif., Burbage says that in addition to the taxation threat, the challenge of "transforming" the program's supply chain is pivotal to the future of the F-35.

The supply chain represents 70% of the aircraft's cost, versus 60% in legacy programs such as the F-16 and F-22. As the program works toward its production target of one F-35 per day by 2016, "our success going forward lies in our ability to manage the supply chain," he says. The complexity of managing such a far-flung network has been demonstrated by Boeing's repeated delays in the 787 program.

In the F-35's case, aircraft that currently occupy a final completion position on the assembly line for 40 days will move through in just four days once production has ramped up.

Overall, an aircraft will travel along the moving line from start to finish in 22 days at the one-per-day rate, while total time from components arriving to complete aircraft at the "fuel barn" will be 33-35 days, Burbage says. At that build pace, any delays in receiving supplies on time can quickly upset the production flow.

Even after the most recent restructuring of the program and the slowdown in development of the F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) version, managers still aim to deliver 2,324 aircraft by 2025. However, to ensure this target is met, the entire supply line must remain in lockstep.

As well as reliable parts delivery, the F-35 faces three other major cost challenges: trying to achieve stability in demand, accuracy in capacity planning, and dealing with what Burbage describes as the "forces of evil — bureaucracies and policy." The impact of inaccurate capacity planning, as well as its effect on overhead , "has been one of the biggest challenges so far."

The challenges are particularly acute for some suppliers that provide parts for the Stovl variant, which is "going through a pause right now," Burbage says, referring to the Defense Department's imposed probationary slowdown on F-35B procurement. These companies have gone from supplying "17 to 18 units last year to two or three now, so you can imagine their challenges," he adds.



http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...05.xml&headline=New F-35 Cost Concerns Emerge

 

[Neil]

JSF Cost Predictions Rattle Foreign Customers

Customers for Lockheed-Martin's stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter—among them Canada, Israel, Britain and Australia—are shifting their mood from anxiety to paranoia over increasingly unpredictable costs.

Foreign analysts now expect JSF prices to significantly exceed even the latest Pentagon estimate, putting government officials in fiscal and political jeopardy as they try to craft a rational purchase plan for the fifth-generation warplane.

Adding new concern was congressional testimony by Lt. Gen. Mark Shackleford, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisitons, who says that "we currently expect up to a two-year delay" in fielding the first operational unit, which shifts the date to 2018. The delay is being triggered by the most recent program restructuring.

A new report by Canada's Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates that total program costs for the country's 65 aircraft will be U.S. $29 billion which means a total program (through-life) unit price tag of about $450 million per aircraft in Fiscal 2009 dollars.

For Israel, a long, list of unique requirements from the Israeli air force (IAF) has almost disappeared for the first 19 JSFs. Options for installing Israeli weaponry produced a staggering price tag, while plans to fit the F-35 with Israeli electronic warfare systems were rejected for both technological and political reasons.

Britain is concerned about the cost of F-35 upgrades because of problems during earlier collaborations with the U.S. In its Lockheed Martin C-130J program the U.K. was forced to closely integrate upgrade plans with the U.S., rather than allowing indigenous modifications at a lower price as it did in the earlier C-130K buy. British army officers told Aviation Week that the computerized air-drop system was flawed, making cargo recovery in Afghanistan more difficult and dangerous. With the F-35, the situation is expected to be even more extreme, says a British government official.

Australia has also been the victim of U.S. miscalculations in an earlier cutting-edge project. Its Boeing/Northrop Grumman Wedgetail surveillance aircraft is more than four years behind schedule as Canberra considers the F-35. The airborne early warning and control aircraft's software cost and schedule problems mirror those of the F-35.

Canada's report—"An Estimate of the Fiscal Impact of Canada's Proposed Acquisition of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter"—came out March 10. The report predicts that average unit production cost for its F-35s will be $148 million with an additional $15 million for the engine, which brings the total to $163 million per aircraft. Cost estimates given to Congress last week say the fourth low-rate initial production batch, with engines, will cost $127 million per aircraft for the F-35A, $141 million for the F-35B and $158 million for the F-35C.

Lockheed Martin is reviewing details of Canada's F-35 cost estimates. Company officials contend their estimates are based on proprietary F-35 program data and predict that each Canadian aircraft will cost $70 to 75 million when deliveries begin in 2016.

"It is not immediately obvious, given the available evidence, how the cost can be reduced to estimates predicted by Lockheed Martin over 10 years ago," the Canadian report says. "Overall, F-35 development is now five years behind the schedule set at the outset of the program, and total [development] overruns are projected to exceed $21 billion, or 60% above the original goal.Unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary, it is difficult to see prices reducing to their original estimated level," it concludes.

"It's hard to do those sorts of calculations with confidence, so there's a degree of uncertainty—which I think the report notes appropriately," says Andrew Davies, program director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and a member of the independent peer-review panel for the Canadian report. "But I think the estimates here are about as good as educated outsiders can get them using public source data."

The Canadian study also lists a number of additional opportunities for cost escalation that could inflate Ottawa's F-35 bill. Research, development, test and evaluation costs grew 40% between 2001 and 2009 while production cost increased 54%. Elimination of the F-35B that could drive up unit cost for Canada due to a smaller total buy, as could reductions in sales to the U.S. and other militaries. The integration of nation-specific weapons not cleared by Lockheed Martin and the Defense Department may lead to additional costs for Canada. The unique cost of operating and supporting a fifth-generation strike fighter is still a significant, unknown quantity. Changed circumstances at the time of mid-life upgrades and overhauls would make F-35s more expensive and dependent on availability of Lockheed Martin's workforce and facilities.

Canada's analysis goes on to contend that elimination of the alternative engine program would leave it with no competitive leverage to lower engine costs. Some U.S. lawmakers agree.

"For those who might ask the question regarding F-35 program cost, at what point does this program become unaffordable, I would respond that if you believe our nation needs a fifth-generation stealth fighter, you have no choice," says Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R.-Md.), chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on tactial air and land forces. "Having no choice but to continue to pay for F-35 development and procurement cost increases is exactly why many of us do not believe it is wise to create the same monopoly situation [for the engine] by giving a decades-long, $110 billion, sole-source contract [to Pratt & Whitney]."

Short-term savings from abandoning the F136 engine will total $2-3 billion, Bartlett contends, while the manufacturer, General Electric, says these will be $1 billion. But savings from re-competing engine buys over 40 years would save more, Bartlett says.

U.S. analysts offer their own cautionary notes. "The program continues to lag [budget and schedule] predictions," says Michael Sullivan, director of acquisition and sourcing for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. "It is not out of the woods yet."

Software is another area of imperfect cost estimates. The early software development packages are projected to be two years late for each block, the result of underestimating the time and resources required, and the need for new code continues to grow. As software is rebuilt and added, "costs have grown by 40 percent," Sullivan says.

Others point to earlier disappointments with buying into advanced U.S. technology. A senior Royal Australian Air Force officer with insight into the Boeing/Northrop Grumman Wedgetail aircraft, summed up the dilemma of foreign purchasers: "It's great kit and just what we needed, but it would have been so helpful and caused us so much less pain [with the government] if we had been told up front how big that radar was going to be [3.5 tons], how long it actually was going to take [five years over schedule] and how much it was actually going to cost [more than $4 billion]."

Israel's defense establishment is divided on the question of whether to go ahead with procurement of F-35s, despite expected delays, or to postpone the program until costs and schedules are clear. Jerusalem is expected to be the first international customer for the F-35A with deliveries to begin in 2015. But recent discussions with the F-35 program and Lockheed Martin officials made it clear that there will be delays in delivery, with Israeli estimates varying from two months to two years.

The IAF's first squadron of F-35s will be almost identical to the international JSF, except for an indigenous C4I (command, control, computers, communications and intelligence) system. "The first aircraft will have the bare necessities required to go into combat," a senior IAF official told Aviation Week. "We will gradually expand their capabilities."

This is a sharp turn from the IAF's initial vision of an F-35I, equipped with Rafael's Python 5 and Spice missiles. "When we received the first F-16Is, they were almost bare as well," says the official. Those limitations have not cooled the IAF's enthusiasm for the new aircraft. The deployment of Russian-made SA-17 (Grizzly) and SA-22 (Greyhound) short-range air defense missiles by Syria is considered a genuine challenge for the IAF.

The cost to Israel will be $145 million each for 19 A-model aircraft. But there is talk of using near-term F-35 funding for other projects. "Despite the F-35's advantages, it will not be the panacea for Israel's problems and most of its tasks can be performed with similar effectiveness through existing planes with one upgrade or another," claims a February report by the Institute for National Security Studies.

However, the IAF traditionally has the upper hand over other services and with the current volatility in the Middle East it is expected to request an increase in the number of its fighting platforms. But other services, as well as the defense ministry of defense, are less eager, saying that delaying the payments for F-35s in a year or two could provide the missing funds for missile defense programs and the new armored fighting vehicle for the army.

Lockheed Martin has warned that postponing the acquisition could result in greater delays and jeopardize a controversial offset package for Israeli industry. The defense ministry, Lockheed Martin and Israeli industries are denying news reports of a Lockheed Martin pledge for $4 billion in offsets, but Israeli and U.S. officials have confirmed the amount with Aviation Week.

The Canadian JSF audit also drew Britain's attention. U.K. officials say its cost assumptions seem credible. As with Canada, they note that it has been difficult to properly assess underlying program costs. JSF concerns come as the British government is trying to adopt more realistic budget planning, with Defense Secretary Liam Fox vowing that only fully funded programs will proceed.



http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene... Predictions Rattle Foreign Customers&next=20

 

[Armand2REP]

Costs to set up the F-35 exceeded $ 56 billion

The costs of establishing an American fighter Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II for the past nine years, was 56.1 billion dollars, according to the report of the Main Control Office (GAO) U.S.. This amount has been spent as conducting research and development activities and the purchase of the first prototypes of the aircraft for testing. In this case, according to management, in general, direct development of the aircraft will cost 56.4 billion dollars, and the program will be completed in 2018 with a delay of five years to the original schedule.

The program creating the F-35 has already breached the Nunn-McCurdy statute obligating the Defense Department to close any military project, the development costs which rose by more than 25 percent compared with the original estimate. According to the GAO, the total cost of the program creating the F-35 has risen by 26 percent. Hearings regarding the closing of the program in Congress held in 2010, and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has managed to defend the project. In this program, F-35B, aircraft with short takeoff and vertical landing, was given two years to correct errors, otherwise the project will be closed.

In addition, according to GAO, about half of the 2010 objectives for the establishment of the F-35 was not completed. Among the completed tasks: 400 test flights, the first vertical landing, the first flight deck version of the F-35, preparation of 125 people onshore operating personnel, as well as contracting for the supply of the fourth installment of aircraft small-scale production (LRIP 4). Some of the plans were exceeded. In particular, the prototype of a fighter made a total of 410 test flights, and Lockheed Martin produced a 138 people staff.

Among the outstanding problems: supply 11 fighter testers (delivered eight), performing an average of 12 flights per month each prototype F-35 (an average of eight flights), the delivery of three aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base U.S. (no not supplied) and contracting for the purchase of engines of the fourth installment of series production.

Finally, the ultimate cost of fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps will be higher than originally planned. In particular, in 2016 the cost of one F-35A for the U.S. Air Force in 2016 will amount to 121.4 million dollars apiece, F-35B for the Marine Corps - $ 161 million, and F-35C for the Navy - 145 million dollars. The cost of aircraft on which the military will buy them will exceed the original estimate by almost half.

________________________________________

Those are like F-22 prices.

You can read the GAO report here...

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11325.pdf

 

[vijaytripoli]

http://www.jsf.mil/gallery/gal_photo_ce.htm

 

[p2prada]

Does some one have the time to sit and count how many orders have been placed by countries other than the US along with the number of orders reduced if possible. This is for all 3 variants.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Neil]

With F-35 delay, IAF looking at purchase of used F-15s

Fearing major delays to the Joint Strike Fighter, the IAF is exploring whether to purchase a used squadron of F-15 fighter jets from the US Air Force, as it faces a possible drop in its number of combat aircraft.

Israel decided to purchase a squadron of 20 F-35 stealth fifth-generation JSFs, which are made by Lockheed Martin, last year in a massive $2.75 billion deal, to be financed by the military assistance Israel receives from the United States.

The program has recently encountered significant development delays. Other countries, such as Turkeyand Norway, have also reportedly put their purchases of the aircraft on hold.

The F-35 is supposed to be one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world and will enable Israel to phase out some of its older F-15 and F-16 models.

According to the IAF, the plane will significantly boost Israel's deterrence in the Middle East and provide it with an edge on adversaries that operate advanced anti-aircraft systems, since it is a stealth jet that cannot be detected by existing radars.

Due to the delays, the IDF is working on a plan that includes upgrading its current fleet of legendary F-15s and F-16s that it had planned on phasing out, as well as the procurement of a squadron of used F-15s from the USAF that will serve as a "gap filler" for the IAF until the JSF arrives, now expected as late as 2018.



http://idrw.org/?p=1486

 

[Someoneforyou]

The Norwegian Government has decided to present the continued development of JSM
Norway - 12 april 2011

The Norwegian Government has decided to present the continued development phase II of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for the F-35 Lightning II – Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) - for the Parliament ("The Storting"). For KONGSBERG this represents a continuation of the JSM development until 2013, should the Storting approve it. There is consensus between KONGSBERG and the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization (NDLO) for a JSM phase II development contract worth MNOK 535. The contract will engage more than 100 employees at KONGSBERG. The JSM development started in 2008. A development contract worth MNOK 166 between KONGSBERG and NDLO was signed in 2009.

"The JSM-development contract will contribute to secure KONGSBERG and several Norwegian Defence suppliers export related to the fighter program. This confirms that the missile technology developed by the Norwegian Defence, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, KONGSBERG and its suppliers is competitive internationally and covers the operational requirements for Norway and other F-35 partner nations. JSM will be a technological joint effort that will lift a broader scope of Norwegian industry to a new level," says President in Kongsberg Defence Systems, Harald Aannestad.

JSM could generate significant work for more than 100 Norwegian subcontractors for decades. Some of the Norwegian SME`s that will be involved in JSM are:

"¢ ProPartner Defence AS
"¢ Kitron AS
"¢ Eidel AS
"¢ Natech AS
"¢ Berget AS
"¢ Kongsberg Devotek AS

In a future situation with full-scale production, the JSM program will engage more than 450 employees at KONGSBERG.

The Joint Strike Missile is a new missile designed to fill an identified operational capability gap on the F-35. JSM is a high performance, long range, stand-off missile with land- and anti-ship capabilities. JSM is the only missile under development that can be internally carried on the F-35 meeting the operational requirements. The missile can also be integrated on other platforms. KONGSBERG sees a large potential for future deliveries of the JSM to F-35 customers. Based on agreement between US Department of Defense (DoD) and Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD), KONGSBERG is invited to participate in a competition in the US Navy in their need for both ship- and aircraft based missiles.

"The JSM-development and the F-35 integration is a confirmation of KONGSBERG's leading position as a supplier of advanced missiles. This will create business opportunities for several decades. Based on the interest we have seen from the other F-35 partner nations, JSM supports KONGSBERG's growth ambitions," says President and CEO, Walter Qvam.

As part of the JSM development, new capabilities will be developed and tested and made available for upgrades of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The NSM is in production for Poland and Norway.


Source: Kongsberg Gruppen

 

[Someoneforyou]

Lockheed Martin Delivers First F-35 Full Mission Simulator to Eglin Air Force Base
UNITED STATES - 18 APRIL 2011

Orlando, April 18th, 2011 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] marked the delivery of the first F-35 Lightning II Full Mission Simulator (FMS) system to Eglin Air Force Base's 33rd Fighter Wing. Preparation and assembly is underway at the base's F-35 Integrated Training Center (ITC) for training to commence this fall.

The Joint Strike Fighter FMS includes a high-fidelity 360-degree visual display system and a reconfigurable cockpit that simulates all three aircraft variants for U.S. and international partner services. The system is the highest fidelity trainer in the F-35 pilot-training-device suite, accurately replicating all F-35 sensors and weapons deployment.

"JSF training technology brings a revolutionary new capability to the joint services," said Col. Arthur Tomassetti, 33rd Fighter Wing Vice Commander. "The smooth surface, high-resolution dome is a dramatic improvement over legacy fighter simulators. The high visual acuity and utilization of a significant amount of real aircraft parts and source code will allow us to train a wide variety of mission tasks previously not accomplished in simulators. The F-35 FMS will be our primary pilot training device, and we are anxious to start putting it to good use."

In all F-35 simulators, actual aircraft software is used to give pilots the most realistic experience and allow software upgrades in step with the F-35 development. Small group training events with pilot and maintenance instructors are currently being held at the ITC using maintenance, desktop and mission trainers.

"This is a tremendous milestone for the F-35 training team," said Joanne Puglisi, director of F-35 Training and Support at Lockheed Martin Global Training and Logistics. "We are committed to providing the next generation of F-35 fighter pilots and maintainers with the most advanced training systems in the world. The FMS is a key component in that capability."

The fully-integrated F-35 pilot-and-maintenance training center at Eglin AFB, Fla., will be home to a full spectrum of the latest courseware, electronic classrooms, simulators and flight events. A balance of skill and knowledge training is woven into the program with interactive courseware, desktop simulators and high-fidelity training devices.

Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[black eagle]

Here is another one of the same news....

F-35 Flight simulator arrives: At last!!!!

 

[Someoneforyou]

Third F-35B Aircraft Completes STOVL Mode Flight
UNITED STATES - 20 APRIL 2011

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. --- Over an Atlantic test range near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Fred "Tinman" Schenk completes the first flight of F-35B test aircraft BF-4 in short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) mode.

The flight marks growing maturity of STOVL flight with the third F-35B aircraft at NAS Patuxent River performing STOVL test missions. BF-4 is also the only mission systems test aircraft flying Block 1.0 software to fly in STOVL mode.

The F-35B STOVL variant and F-35C carrier variant are undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet.


Source: U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command

 

[youngindian]

F-35 Might not get IOC by 2016 : Vice Adm. David Venlet

Overall, the F-35 Lightning II program is making progress, but much more needs to be done before the tri-service effort can be considered truly back on track, Vice Adm. David Venlet, the program's manager, told reporters Thursday. dweVenlet said that flight testing has begun to pick up as of the beginning of the year. As well, the program's ability to manufacture aircraft is beginning to stabilize.

Still, the admiral reiterated other senior Pentagon officials' warning this year that the initial operational capability might slip past the planned 2016 date for the Air Force and Navy versions of the stealthy fifth-generation fighter jet.

"Our [Technical Baseline Review] schedule now shows development test completing in '16. Realistically, I don't see it being in '16 for Air Force and Navy," he said.But Venlet said he deferred to the service chiefs about exactly when the aircraft would be declared operational.

This year and next year, the program must demonstrate that costs are under control, with the first order of business to determine the actual cost of the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Four contract aircraft, he said.

"We're probably just approaching about the early first 10 percent of LRIP-4 production, and I'm waiting to see actuals align to the baseline," Venlet said. "Then we'll be negotiating LRIP-5."LRIP-5 will consist of 35 aircraft, he said.

Lockheed Martin, the F-35's prime contractor, is set to deliver its proposal shortly. After the government receives the contract, the program office will extensively review the proposal before negotiations begin, Venlet said. The program office also will conduct a "should cost" review.

It is important that Lockheed deliver on the LRIP-4 contract, Venlet said. Though the LRIP-4 contract is based on a fixed price, the dollar amount the government pays is allowed to rise by about 6.5 percent. If the price exceeds that amount, Lockheed is on the hook for that additional cost.

However, Venlet said the government cannot allow the company to be driven out of business by absorbing huge additional costs indefinitely, and as such, contracts for LRIP-5 could be adjusted to ensure the company has an acceptable margin. This, Venlet said, is why Lockheed's performance on LRIP-4 is so important. Venlet said, thus far, he is very pleased with the F-35's radar cross-section, which has undergone testing over ranges.
"We don't have any worries currently that [is] going to be a defective piece of the aircraft," he said.
However, other manufacturing issues are plaguing the program. There are parts shortages for the Navy's F-35C version, and some engines have had to be replaced due to quality problems.
Venlet also said the manufacturing timelines of certain parts need to be shorter. Currently, some parts take 29 months to build; he wants that down to 24 months.The other big task on the plate for the F-35 program is to build a sustainment strategy for the aircraft, Venlet said."This is really a year to focus on sustainment," he said.


http://idrw.org/?p=1619

 

[Someoneforyou]

F-35B prepares for rough seas
UNITED STATES - 27 APRIL 2001

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The F-35B moved another step forward to shipboard testing on board USS Wasp (LHD-1) this year, as F-35 integrated test force personnel used weights to simulate shipboard padeyes during an evaluation of chain down procedures on F-35B test aircraft BF-1. The team observed no points of interference and identified ways to optimize aircraft jacking techniques. Padeyes are used on ships to secure equipment to the deck during various sea states. The F-35B and F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter variants are undergoing test and evaluation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River prior to eventual delivery to the fleet.


Source: U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command

 

[Someoneforyou]

Lockheed Martin Showcases F-35 Cockpit Demonstrator During Company Visit at Teletronics
UNITED STATES - 28 APRIL 2011

NEWTOWN, Pa. --- Lockheed Martin today showcased its F-35 Lightning II mobile cockpit demonstrator to employees; federal, state and local elected officials; other Pennsylvania-area suppliers and members of the media at Teletronics, a local supplier for the F-35 program.

"The F-35 Lightning II is the world's most advanced military aircraft and is essential to protecting the security interests of the US and our allies. It is important for our supplier companies and other stakeholders to experience first-hand the F-35's superior performance capabilities and to recognize the important role they play in its creation," said Steve Callaghan, Lockheed Martin Director for F-35 Washington Operations. "The development of this fifth-generation, multirole fighter aircraft represents more than a decade of investment that will produce yields for many years to come in terms of air dominance, security and commerce, and job creation."

During today's event, attendees received an update on the status of the program and had the opportunity to "fly" the F-35 cockpit demonstrator and experience firsthand how advanced stealth, fighter agility and integrated operations make the F-35 the most capable multirole fighter in the world. The cockpit is visually and audibly interactive and provides a realistic look at the F-35's performance, air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, sophisticated sensor fusion and advanced computational capabilities.

"Teletronics employees are proud of the work they do to develop the instrumentation that monitors the performance of the F-35 structures and systems," said Mansour Radman, President and CEO, Teletronics. "Our work on behalf of Lockheed Martin continues to contribute to the good of the nation and supports the type of high-technology jobs important to Pennsylvania and the greater US economy."

Source: Lockheed Martin