F-35 Joint Strike Fighter News, Videos and pics Thread

[PanAsian]

But the F-22 and F-35 will not result in that.

The F-15Cs, F-15Es, F/A-18E/Fs will be around a long time. Those are probably not going to be fully replaced until the 6th gen aircraft comes along.

They will be supplemented by the B-52s, B-1Bs, the B-2s, the EA-18Gs, etc. during there same time period.

Once completely built out, the F-35s will replace the F-16s, the A-10s, the F/A-18C/Ds, etc. although I bet Air Guard units will continue to operate F-16s through most of the period as well.

I hope they keep some A-10s around, I don't know about maintenance costs but I don't see the F-35s fulfilling the role of A-10s with the same combat effectiveness or efficiency.

 

[strehl]

Show and tell with DAS and the HMD. I think this technology would be a natural fit for a tank. I'm surprised the Israelis haven't done it yet.

 

[strehl]

I haven't seen this picture before. If it has already been posted please delete post.
F35B and V22 together at sea

 

[Jura The idiot]

B-related:
Rolls-Royce Opens New F-35 Engine Facility

Rolls-Royce has opened a new repair facility for its F-35 engine components, a location the company intends to be the sustainment home of its portion of the F-35 business — at least for now.

The Plainfield, Indiana, facility will support the company's F-35 LiftSystem, which provides the hover capability for the F-35B models. Italy, the UK and the US Marine Corps all plan to operate the B model of the stealth fighter, with the Marines expected to go operational with the jet this summer.

The new facility represents an investment of more than $10 million, split "about 50/50" between the company and the Marines, said Tom Hartmann, senior vice president for customer business at Rolls-Royce North America.

To coincide with the new facility, Rolls is consolidating the production of the core components on its LiftSystem to the region. Most of the parts are already being produced at a facility near Plainfield, while the company is moving production of its three-bearing swivel duct to the US. That work is currently done in the United Kingdom.

Having the facilities nearby "allows us to make our work very efficient," Hartmann said, adding that the company has "sized it with growth in mind for the future."

The F-35 announced plans for a global sustainment network last summer, with the first wave of heavy airframe and engine sustainers announced in December. "Heavy" maintenance covers work involving changes or repair to the body of the aircraft, such as a replacement of a bulkhead or the fixing of a wing.

In Europe, Italy will provide heavy airframe maintenance for Europe, with the UK potentially gaining extra business in the future if Italy cannot handle the workload. Turkey, meanwhile, will be the first of three European heavy engine maintenance facilities to come online, eventually followed by Norway and the Netherlands.

In the Pacific, Japan and Australia will both have a piece of the engine and airframe sustainment pie.

Despite the new facility, Hartmann said no decision has been made on how LiftSystem sustainment will be handled globally. Instead, he called the new facility an "interim" solution designed to meet requirements for the F-35B fleet while final decisions are made.

"The Marines are still studying, everyone is studying how they want to support the system for sustainment, but we are investing, committed and ready now to support them with our interim facility," he said. "We are working with them, funded by them, to study what the greater integration is with the support structure."

Hartmann added that he understands the Marines hope to finish their studies in time to inform the service's fiscal 2017 budget request. It will likely take longer than that to determine how international sustainment will work, with Hartmann adding that his company has not begun conversations with potential international partners.

"We're trying to lean forward and be ready as the Marine Corps moves to [initial operating capability] this year," he said. "We're trying to be ready and be able to support them fully when they take this thing into operation."

Last month Rolls was awarded three contracts, with a total of $442 million, covering production and sustainment for the 17 LiftSystems included in F-35 low-rate initial production lots 7 and 8.

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[Jeff Head]

I am not sure F-35 will replace F-15E .

Agreed...and that was my point about those aircraft.

It will not be until the 6th gen comes along that they (the F-15Es) will be replaced...either by those aircraft, or some other new strike aircraft.

 

[Silvestre]

I am not sure F-35 will replace F-15E the last fighters acquired by USAF before F-22, eventually also the new cheaper Scorpion close support aircraft can may be really suffficient to calm some excited... to 20 bill/piece, and save budget for high-performance combat fighters.

F-15E might deserve for successor a new F-35 variant or eventually 6th gen. with a internal air to ground weapons load more important as F-35A, FB-22 cancelled which carried 30 SDB, yet 16 would be good, about 3/4t of weapons, one additionnal big hard point.

It are 195 F-22s today. Then F-18-E/F gonna build 600 new jets. Maximum 150 to out lands. 250 for Navy then 200, 220 or 240 in USAF. 10, 11, 12 or 13 division's if enemy strikes in US Air.

F-15 Silence Eagle are 5th generation jets. Super jets, goes fastest in world. 2 or 4 missiles plus two bombs in the middle is just like F-18-E/F. Maybe 300 of these to USAF. And 450/470/490 F-18-E/F. And 195 F-22s in USAF. 945/965/985 attack planes in Air Force for US Military. Go for it!

 

[FORBIN]

I hope they keep some A-10s around, I don't know about maintenance costs but I don't see the F-35s fulfilling the role of A-10s with the same combat effectiveness or efficiency.

Ofc for Scorpion i talk for 2030's with new wing A-10C can last up to 2035 in more this C variant is not old and can use JDAM also.
It says that it's the best CAS aircraft ever built.
A-10C cost 17000 $ by flight hour, F-16 22000 the more cheaper Gripen about 7000 ! Scorpion close.

 

[Jeff Head]

It are 195 F-22s today. Then F-18-E/F gonna build 600 new jets. Maximum 150 to out lands. 250 for Navy then 200, 220 or 240 in USAF.

Silvestre...your writing is very difficult to understand.

Right now the US Navy (who is the only US operator of the aircraft) has 565 Super Hornets split between F/A18-E and F/A-18F aircraft.

The US Navy also has 117 EA-18G Growler Electronic Warfare aircraft, which is based on the Super Hornet.

Right now, very few, if any, more of either aircraft are planned for US Service.

The Australians are also operating Super Hornets and will also operate growlers. 24 super Hornets and 12 Growlers.

But, Silvestre, there will be NO F/A-18 Super Hornets for the US Air Force.

Where do you come up with such stuff? You simply have to do more research before you post things Sivestre. Such erroneous claims reflect badly on you..

F-15 Silence Eagle are 5th generation jets.

No...they are not.

The F-22 and F-35 are the only current US 5th generation production aircraft. Period..

The Russian PAKFA is a 5th generation prototype.

The Chinese J-20 is a 5th generation prototype.

NONE of the F-15 family are 5th generation.

The Silent Eagle has some 5th generation qualities added, as does the Advanced Super Hornet...but this does not make them 5th generation at all. 4.5+ generation at best.

Again, please do more research before you post such things.

 

[Jeff Head]

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​

The Dutch parliament has approved an order for the nation’s first production batch of eight

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F-35A Lightning IIs, to be delivered in 2019.
“With this decision, we have reached the point of no return in the replacement of the [Lockheed] F-16,” said defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert on 26 February.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force is already operating two F-35As, which were acquired to enable the service to participate in US-led initial operational test and evaluation of the Joint Strike Fighter. In early February, these were moved from Eglin AFB in Florida to Edwards AFB in California.

From its next batch of eight F-35As, which will be assembled at Lockheed’s Fort Worth site in Texas, six will remain at a multinational pilot training centre in Luke AFB, Arizona until the end of the transition process in 2023. The two test aircraft now at Edwards AFB will also be relocated to Luke on the completion of the IOT&E activity.

Once the Dutch air force has completed its transition to the new type, five aircraft will remain in the USA for training and testing purposes. The rest of its fleet will be used to form three squadrons based in the Netherlands.

Three further batches of eight aircraft each will be ordered between 2016 and 2018, before a final three are expected to be purchased in 2019, to complete an operational buy of 35. All of these will be delivered from a final assembly and check-out centre built at Cameri air base in Italy under a joint venture between Lockheed and Alenia

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.

The first operational unit in the Netherlands will be 322 Sqn at Leeuwarden air base, and the defence ministry will next year launch preparations to accommodate the new fighters. 322 Sqn should achieve initial operational capability status in 2021 with aircraft in the Block 3F configuration, the software standard required to support training from the previous year.

Achieving IOC status will make it possible for the air force to provide four aircraft and sufficient crews for international missions for a period of three to four months.

Full operational status with all three frontline units – including the Volkel-based 312 and 313 squadrons – should be achieved in 2024. The defence ministry plans to have 29 combat-ready pilots for an operational force of 32 F-35As, with the other aircraft in regular maintenance.

The Netherlands’ total budget for the

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is listed as almost €3.87 billion ($4.32 billion), including around €2.5 billion for the purchase of the airframes. Other major investments are of roughly €130 million for spare parts and about €110 million for a flight simulator. The defence ministry notes that its total purchase could rise above 37 aircraft if the total price is reduced, or if other costs remain below budget.

...and the beat goes on. This makes 10 for the Dutch. Moe to come later.

 

[Jura The idiot]

...

In regards to the F-35, part of the problem with the F-35 supporters in my view is the failure to articulate the strength of the platform, its potential and the opportunities to change the way air operations may be conducted. ...

Brumby I found something very official for you

In January of this year, the Air Force stood up a special F-35 integration office to ensure that all aspects of the platform are properly developed, Pawlikowski added.

She added that some of the technologies, such as intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance ability, or ISR, and increased sensing capacity on the F-35 might lead the Air Force to develop new concepts of operation, tactics and procedures for the platform.

“I don’t know that we have a full appreciation of everything we are going to be able to do with the F-35 until we start to actually use it,” Pawlikowski said.

in an interesting article
New Small Diameter Bomb Doesn’t Fit Inside Marine’s F-35B
by

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on March 4, 2015


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