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

[FORBIN]

No only a preview...

 

[Jeff Head]

No only a preview...

It shows some F-35B action on deck, takeoff, and has interviews.

The aircraft landed on the WASP on Monday. That video came out 20 hours ago.

I expect we are going to see more videos and more pics.

Just have to be patient.

 

[Jeff Head]

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This is the first complete US Air Froce F-35A Fighter Squadron to be completed with its 26th aircraft. others are building towards that

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EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla -- The 58th Fighter Squadron became the Air Force's first complete F-35A Lightning II squadron after they welcomed their 26th and final F-35A May 28 at the 33rd Fighter Wing, here.

Maj. Scott Charlton, 58th FS pilot, ferried the aircraft, AF-45, from Lockheed Martin's F-35 production center in Fort Worth, Texas.

"We've been in a growth mindset for the last few years," said Lt. Col. Matt Renbarger, the 58th FS commander. "We've been focused on adapting our training levels to the availability of aircraft as a growing squadron. It's been exciting to see this mission develop, but we're more excited to dial-in all of our attention to training our team."

The arrival of the last Air Force joint strike fighter variant scheduled to be stationed at the wing marked a shift in priorities for the 58th FS and 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. Both units experienced a series of transitions and accomplishments since the arrival of the first F-35A here July 14, 2011.

Renbarger was trained in the initial cadre of F-35 instructor pilots. He witnessed the number of JSF pilots swell to 100 since the F-35 training mission was first established here in October 2009. Half of those pilots are Air Force.

"We are focusing now on refining our processes and training, improving our tactics, and really optimizing our overall program to meet the needs of the Air Force as our Airmen move out to other F-35 missions," said Renbarger.

The last F-35A delivered is more capable than the first F-35A delivered three years ago as a result of the F-35 program's concurrency development model. The concurrency model executes testing, training and development simultaneously and incorporates feedback from each area into subsequent Low Rate Initial Production blocks produced at Lockheed Martin's mile-long factory in Fort Worth.

Renbarger highlighted that AF-45 arrived with Block 2A software and upgrades, including the use of simulated weapons, datalinks, and night and Instrument Meteorological Conditions flight capabilities.

"The arrival of AF-45 is an incredible milestone for the Air Force as we move closer to F-35A Initial Operational Capability in 2016," said Col. Todd Canterbury, 33rd FW commander. "The men and women here are establishing the foundation for all F-35A training operations. Having our full end-strength grants our pilots and maintainers more flexibility in training, and that flexibility lets us advance the F-35 program at a faster rate than ever before."

The 33rd FW is home to the F-35 Integrated Training Center responsible for F-35 A/B/C Lightning II pilot and maintainer training for the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Air Force and, in the future, at least eight international partners.

Currently, for the F-35As and the US Air Force, they are filling out the following squadrons:

58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
422nd Test & Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada
461st Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, California

For the F-35B and the US Marine Corps, they are currently filling out the following squadrons:

VMFA-121 Fighter/Attack Squadron, US MArine Air Station, Yuma, Arizona
VMFAT-501 Test Squadron, US MArine Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina
VMX-22 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Edards AFB, California

For the F-35A and the US Navy, they are currently filling out the following squadrons:

VFA-101 Fighter Squadron ("Grim Reapers") Eglin AFB, Florida
VX-23 Test & Evaluation Squadron, Naval Air station Patuxent River, Maryland


...and the beat goes on!

 

[Jeff Head]

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LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- A pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force made history May 14, by flying the first RAAF F-35A Lightning II sortie at Luke Air Force Base.

RAAF Maj. Andrew Jackson, the squadron leader for the 61st Fighter Squadron and the first F-35 senior national representative at Luke, was the first Australian pilot to fly the fifth-generation fighter.

Although this was another milestone for the RAAF, for Jackson, this flight was also about building his experience and competence in the aircraft over the short term.

"My focus is on representing the RAAF as a valuable partner in the F-35 enterprise," Jackson said. "Hopefully I can contribute in some way to the work that's already taken place to help ensure a smooth transition from the A-18 to the F-35A. It's very exciting to finally be at Luke with the 61st Fighter Squadron and to get to fly an RAAF F-35A. Whilst I'm told that all the F-35s are the same, it's awesome to finally go flying in a jet that has 'Skippy' painted on the side."

With the sortie completed, RAAF personnel can forge ahead and advance in their mission at Luke.

"This marks a major milestone for partner operations here at Luke, as the next phase of operations," said RAAF Maj. Nathan Draper, a 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit participant maintenance liaison officer. "We have been on the ground supporting the mission with our jets and now one of our instructor pilots will also contribute to this team in one of our aircraft."

The RAAF's future goals include not only helping train future F-35 pilots and gaining experience in flying it, but understanding what goes into maintaining the aircraft.

"The future is promising with the F-35," Draper said. "With each new update to the ground based support systems comes enhanced capability and supportability features. We will continue to define and refine the baseline configuration and move toward initial operating capability for each of the partners and services."

With the anticipated sortie accomplished Jackson said he is glad to be at Luke.

"We're looking forward to training at Luke for a number of reasons -- it's been a long way to move with my family, but the phenomenal hospitality and generosity afforded to us by both the base and local community has made this move easy," Jackson said. "Combine that with the amazing weather, airspace and proud history of partner training at Luke and you have an unbeatable combination. There's nowhere that myself and the other Australian pilots would rather be training on the F-35A, than (at) Luke Air Force Base."

 

[Air Force Brat]

Video of OT-1. Not much action for now. The Youtube channel associated with this video has a couple of self-made videos which de-bunk a lot of the charges flung at the F-35. They are well made and worth watching.

agreed they are debunking the "myths surrounding the F-35", to say they are excellent accurate, and worth watching is and understatement, among the video's there is a clip showing the F-35 pitching to 110 degrees angle of attack. I will now make a statement that I have resisted making until I was fully confident of the F-35, the F-35 is a smaller F-22 without the supercruise and thrust-vectoring, it flys very well, and the targeting, war-fighting system will likely surpass even the F-22!

 

[Jeff Head]

I will now make a statement that I have resisted making until I was fully confident of the F-35, the F-35 is a smaller F-22 without the supercruise and thrust-vectoring, it flys very well, and the targeting, war-fighting system will likely surpass even the F-22!

Which is why the planners and airmen in all of those countries are falling over themselves to get these...even if they can only afford fewer.

As I have said many times, the F-35 is going to be the F-16 of this generation.

Only stealthy, smarter, and probably more lethal.

 

[FORBIN]

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This is the first complete US Air Froce F-35A Fighter Squadron to be completed with its 26th aircraft. others are building towards that

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Currently, for the F-35As and the US Air Force, they are filling out the following squadrons:

58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
422nd Test & Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada
461st Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, California

For the F-35B and the US Marine Corps, they are currently filling out the following squadrons:

VMFA-121 Fighter/Attack Squadron, US MArine Air Station, Yuma, Arizona
VMFAT-501 Test Squadron, US MArine Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina
VMX-22 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Edards AFB, California

For the F-35A and the US Navy, they are currently filling out the following squadrons:

VFA-101 Fighter Squadron ("Grim Reapers") Eglin AFB, Florida
VX-23 Test & Evaluation Squadron, Naval Air station Patuxent River, Maryland


...and the beat goes on!

61th have 18/24 in march in more 2 RAAF.

 

[Jeff Head]

61th have 18/24 in march in more 2 RAAF.

Yep...both currently outfitting fighter squadrons should have all of their aircraft soon.

I spoke to personnel from the 61st from Luke AFB at the "Gunfighter Skies" air show at Mountain Home AFB here in Idaho last year. They had two aircraft with them and they were sweet!

I talked to a couple of pilots and a couple of the mainteance guys.

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When you talk to those guys who are having real world, hands-on experience and see their excitement and see them compare them to other aircraft they have flown and flown against...well, you realize this is going to be one heck of an aircraft.

And this time...we are going to build enough of them to fill the bill.

 

[Air Force Brat]

Yep...both currently outfitting fighter squadrons should have all of their aircraft soon.

I spoke to personnel from the 61st from Luke AFB at the "Gunfighter Skies" air show at Mountain Home AFB here in Idaho last year. They had two aircraft with them and they were sweet!

I talked to a couple of pilots and a couple of the mainteance guys.

​

When you talk to those guys who are having real world, hands-on experience and see their excitement and see them compare them to other aircraft they have flown and flown against...well, you realize this is going to be one heck of an aircraft.

And this time...we are going to build enough of them to fill the bill.

Exactly, and the F-35 is ready to meet all takers, the only question in my mind is how will it do against the F-22??? I still see the F-22 as a very superior dogfighter just by virtue of its thrust vectoring, super-cruise, and what I still believe is superior all aspect "stealth", as well as its heavy caliber old school super computer, now the HMS is in fact at present an "equalizer"? as is the overall situational awareness, you can't shoot somebody you can't see?? but if you see the other guy, before he sees you, and you know he is a "bad guy", light him up, game over.

 

[Jeff Head]

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 20, 2015) An F-35 Bravo Lighting II prepares to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp, with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 and VMFAT-501 embarked, is underway conducting the first phase of operational testing which will evaluate the full spectrum of F-35B measures of suitability and effectiveness in an at-sea environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Rawad Madanat/Released)

Here they are in the first week of full operational training of the F-35B on the USS Wasp with a full US Marine Squadron for the LHD...and they move right into night ops.

Good on them.