re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread
This is probably a massively stupid question, but I don't follow F-35 program that much.
With the 100th F-35 delivered, what they all doing right now? How many of them are just test/prototypes and how many are expected to eventually be upgraded to enter service?
The F-35, in its three variants, is a HUGE procurement program of some very new technology.
This aircraft is already the most tested aircraft in history and it will continues to remain that way.
But, there are a LOT of things that have to be done to integrate the aircraft into the Air Force, Marines, and Navy. Massive numbers of weapons systems to test, validate, and certify. Same goes for communications, data links, sensors, etc. Most all of the current aircaft are involved with in-service squadrons tasked specifically with that type of testing and training.
In addition, for the various serivces and the various missions planned for the different aircraft, developing all of the doctrine and policy governing their use has to be developed. This requires a massive amount of flying and testing and evaluating different scenarios, conditions, etc.
The US Military services have entire wings of aircraft dedicated to these purposes which ramp up quickly early in a procurement and deployment schedule. Later they maintain certain numbers of aircraft in these roles to support the fleet of aircraft that then go to front line air wings, reserve air wings, etc.
The same is true for almost any aircraft that is procured of course, but the F-35 is expected to replace so many aircraft and their existing functions, and then do that across three services and many international partners, that the task is daunting.
So, yes, a lot of aircraft are involved with that, and will continue to be as the fleet grows and as these things are all developed, tested, certiffied, and made operational.
Most all of the existing production aircraft are meant to be upgraded to the latest blocks developments of aircraft as they come out. A lot of that is software, but it will also include touch ups and tweeks to avionics and other systems.
When you are talking about a total of 2,500+ US Aircraft altogether (nnd that number includes about 1,900 F-35As, 340 F-35Bs, and 340 F-35Cs), enabling them to come up to speed as rapidly as possible requires this type of investment.
In addition to the current 2,500 US aircraft intended, there are appoximately 900 more aircraft on order from partner and customer countries, making a total of 3,400 aircraft currently planned. The breakout of those aircraft right now is:
2,500 F-35 "Alpha"s
-550 F-35 "Bravo"s
-340 F-35 "Charlie"s
Lockheed Martin believes, that with the furture retirement of F-16s and other aircraft from various nations, and as a result of further orders from the US, partner nations, etc. that its total market for the F-35 is over 5,000 aircraft.
KC-135