F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

BON PLAN

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Time to Put the Broken and Bloated F-35 Program to Rest?

"The F-35’s wide-ranging problems might be understandable if costs were low and the project was a bargain even with the required fixes and supply chain complications. But, asking taxpayers to shell out more money for these problem-plagued jets is like asking a middle-class family to pay for a $200,000 Lamborghini that needs to be taken to the mechanic immediately after purchase. Asking citizens to foot this bill is absurd, especially at such a difficult time.

Lawmakers desperately need to find cost savings across the federal government instead of doubling down on budget-busting boondoggles. They can start by closing the book on the disastrous F-35 program."


 

Manticore

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vampyrbladez

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The inside story of two supersonic flights that changed how America operates the F-35

IIRC they fixed the issue partially with a thermal coating from Lot 8 F 35s. It's also never reappeared despite repeated attempts to recreate it.

As justification for the decision, Winter noted that the issue was documented while the jet was flying at the very edge of its flight envelope. He also said the phenomenon only occurred once for both the B and C models, despite numerous attempts to replicate the conditions that caused the problem.
The new coating, which was introduced in Lot 8, allows the jet to withstand hotter temperatures caused by the afterburner, the documents stated. Winter characterized the material as able to withstand “what we call the thermal shock wave,” but declined to specify how the coating works or how much protection it provides.
“It may be some future advanced materials that can withstand the pressure and the temperature,” Winter said. “Then we see that, and we go, ‘Hey, look, we've got this on the book,’ [and] we do a test check to see if that new material solves that problem.”
https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...e-big-problems-for-the-f-35s-stealth-coating/

Conclusion : Don't fly the F 35 B & C out to M 1.6 for hours during normal operations. It will reduce the service life of the plane below the advertised 40 years.
 

Bhurki

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US Navy wants Sidekick internal weapons rack for F-35C to carry 6 AIM-120 air-to-air missiles



The Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2021 Unfunded Priorities List has put in a request to equip low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 15 F-35C fighters with the Sidekick internal weapons rack.

The Sidekick is a modification from Lockheed Martin to allow the A and C variants to carry up to six AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles (instead of four) in its internal weapons bay.

With the introduction of missiles like CUDA, this could mean a future payload of 4 full length medium-long range weapons ( aim 260, meteor) + 4 half length short-medium range weapons (CUDA, peregrine).
 
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scatterStorm

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Time to Put the Broken and Bloated F-35 Program to Rest?

"The F-35’s wide-ranging problems might be understandable if costs were low and the project was a bargain even with the required fixes and supply chain complications. But, asking taxpayers to shell out more money for these problem-plagued jets is like asking a middle-class family to pay for a $200,000 Lamborghini that needs to be taken to the mechanic immediately after purchase. Asking citizens to foot this bill is absurd, especially at such a difficult time.

Lawmakers desperately need to find cost savings across the federal government instead of doubling down on budget-busting boondoggles. They can start by closing the book on the disastrous F-35 program."


That's coming from nationalinterest the state owned lapdog propaganda news. That's alarming for the nations who purchased F35. No wonder Germany place confidence on tornados and F18sthan F35.
 

Bhurki

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That's coming from nationalinterest the state owned lapdog propaganda news. That's alarming for the nations who purchased F35. No wonder Germany place confidence on tornados and F18sthan F35.
Nationalinterest is more of a sensationalistic website rather than propoganda based..
As such, it hardly ever contains any info thats not copied straight from other websites, and poster makes sure to add his/her uninformed opinions.
There are more than 530 F35 already flying in various services. Believe me, if there were major problems, this project would already have been dropped by congress. The fact that it isnt, suggests otherwise.
Also,
Italian defence minister reaffirms commitment to F-35
 

Mikesingh

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Huawei 5G could block US F-35 deployments to UK: US Senator Tom Cotton

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton has warned that the UK’s decision to allow Huawei to build aspects of its 5G network could block future deployments of American F-35s.

Cotton made the comments while giving evidence to Parliament’s Defence Select Committee during a hearing discussing the security of 5G. During the debate, the topic of how allowing Huawei into the 5G network could hamper relationships across the Atlantic was addressed.

Cotton warned that the deployment of Huawei 5G technology could allow hackers from the People’s Liberation Army to track the movements of parts used for the F-35.


Huawei is up the gum tree. They've spent billions on research in 5G but are being prohibited from entry into most countries including India. The Chinese deserve this treatment. Can one trust the Chinese now? They are keeping track of their 1.5 billion people by this technology. They would do the same in other countries too as well as hack sensitive websites.

The bottom line is that the Chinese can never be trusted. Avoid them and their equipment and gadgets like the plague........ or better still, like the Chinese virus!
 

Tactical Frog

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Funny how you added the development cost into the unit price..
Procurement cost as per this slide is
$309.927B/2470 = ~ $125M
and thats for including the the B/C versions and initial Low rate procurement units which are way past us.
It is just to give an idea of the real cost of the program. I am aware that the F-35 unit cost for potential buyers like India is less lower ... but for US tax payer, this unit cost makes sense.
 

Bhurki

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It is just to give an idea of the real cost of the program. I am aware that the F-35 unit cost for potential buyers like India is less lower ... but for US tax payer, this unit cost makes sense.
Then, would you agree, Rafale costs
$63B/175 units = $360M?
$63B figure is from 2013, so expect a healthy increase there as well.
 

BON PLAN

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‘Agile’ strategy fails to deliver as F-35 upgrade two years late and cost rise $1.5bn


"The Block 4 upgrade - a modernisation of the relatively new stealth fighter’s software and hardware - was initially to be delivered by 2024, but now will not be handed over until 2026, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on 12 May. "

"According to the plan outlined in its May 2019 report to Congress, the F-35 programme was going to deliver eight Block 4 capabilities in 2019. " :lol: :pound:

late, always late....
 

Manticore

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‘Agile’ strategy fails to deliver as F-35 upgrade two years late and cost rise $1.5bn


"The Block 4 upgrade - a modernisation of the relatively new stealth fighter’s software and hardware - was initially to be delivered by 2024, but now will not be handed over until 2026, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on 12 May. "

"According to the plan outlined in its May 2019 report to Congress, the F-35 programme was going to deliver eight Block 4 capabilities in 2019. " :lol: :pound:

late, always late....
I guess nation's looking at it will have to go elsewhere, like the French stealth fighter, which looks to be introduced in 2040.
 

Bhurki

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U.S. Senate panel authorizes $9.1 billion for 95 F-35 jets made by Lockheed


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee said on Thursday it had authorized $9.1 billion to procure 95 F-35 aircraft in its version of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual bill setting policy for the Department of Defense.
 

BON PLAN

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U.S. Senate panel authorizes $9.1 billion for 95 F-35 jets made by Lockheed


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee said on Thursday it had authorized $9.1 billion to procure 95 F-35 aircraft in its version of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual bill setting policy for the Department of Defense.
It's a production cost.
The total unit cost, including R&D is another.
 

Bhurki

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It's a production cost.
The total unit cost, including R&D is another.
Obviously, but 90% of r&d was already bundled with the previous procurement batches.. Thats why F35 costed $150m for first few batches. Also there were additiinal r&d budgets..
 

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