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

[Jeff Head]

Other Marine F-35 squadrons will routinely deploy to Japan on six month rotations as part of the Marine's upcoming unit deployment program.

Squadrons that could be tapped for those deployments will be spread between the active-duty force and the reserve. Ultimately they will be based in the following locations:

• 94 aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
• 60 aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.
• 70 aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona.
• 10 aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. (The Navy will also use these aircraft.)
• 70 aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina.

By the time VMA-121, the Green Knights, are moved to Japan, the US Marines will have two other squadrons of F-35Bs. Another at Yuma, AZ, and a training squadron at Beaufort, SC.

At least that's the plan.

 

[FORBIN]

I repost the planning
In this wonderful files !

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[strehl]

F-35 covert data link. I have seen MADL interpreted as Multi Aircraft Data Link but here it is defined as Multifunction Advanced Data Link.

"MADL is a high-data-rate, directional communications link that allows fifth-generation aircraft to communicate and coordinate tactics covertly."

This is one of those systems that leverage stealth to function as the on-site AWACS that nobody can see or attack.

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[Scratch]

Haven't seen this reported here before. An italian AF KC-767A refueled an USAF F-35, qualifying the italian aircraft as the first non-US tanker on the F-35

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Washington DC

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Italy’s

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programme has passed a key test, with an Italian Air Force KC-767A taker refuelling a

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F-35A for the first time.

The milestone comes as Italy prepares to flight test its first domestically-assembled F-35A, which rolled off the Cameri assembly line in March and will eventually be flown to the US to support pilot training at Luke AFB in Arizona.

The joint strike fighter top-up took place 29 July over Edwards AFB in California, with 25 boom contacts and 7,259kg (16,000lb) of fuel offloaded to the US Air Force F-35 (AF-4).

“Italy's KC-767A is the first international tanker not operated by the

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to undergo refueling certification trials with a US aircraft,” the F-35 joint programme office said in a statement.

Italy operates four Boeing-built KC-767A based at Pratica di Mare Air Base, and intends to purchase 60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs to replace the Tornado, AMX and AV-8 Harrier.

The refuelling flight comes as the Marine Corps declares its first operational F-35 squadron ready for combat.

 

[Air Force Brat]

Haven't seen this reported here before. An italian AF KC-767A refueled an USAF F-35, qualifying the italian aircraft as the first non-US tanker on the F-35

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those Air Force A models are working girls, they are up to the job and then some, glad the A bird has an internal gun. She gonna be a "gun-fighter"!

 

[FORBIN]

No, really will have a gun for 2017 for F-35B IOC this is good ofc but in fact limited capablity an custom made IOC, actually the primary beneficiary is LM only we don' t know sure if is really performing seems there are significant progress but remains to see.
And USMC say again many worck to do

The US Marine Corps says its first combat

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squadron is “ready for battle,” but after 14 years of development marked by cost increases and delays, it is time for the combat jet to prove it is as advanced, stealthy and lethal as advertised

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In French specialised press before long time much criticized by all magazines now less ofc normal but remains uncertain, waiting...

The big problem is if never he is not also good as annouced too late for replaced and except USN it will constitute the entire USMC fleet and 90 % of USAF.

My feeling medium normaly can do good job mainly for Bombing but remains to confirm.

 

[Air Force Brat]

No, really will have a gun for 2017 for F-35B IOC this is good ofc but in fact limited capablity an custom made IOC, actually the primary beneficiary is LM only we don' t know sure if is really performing seems there are significant progress but remains to see.
And USMC say again many worck to do

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In French specialised press before long time much criticized by all magazines now less ofc normal but remains uncertain, waiting...

The big problem is if never he is not also good as annouced too late for replaced and except USN it will constitute the entire USMC fleet and 90 % of USAF.

My feeling medium normaly can do good job mainly for Bombing but remains to confirm.

Understandable in light of all the mis-information, dis-information, quoted and in print, but the F-35 is a very potent BVR platform, those Marine F-35s will be put to good use. If the Marines are still flying the poor old lead sled Harrier, they will be ecstatic to get into the B.

Make no mistake, I may criticize certain aspects of this airplane, but it is a force multiplier, I'm rather confidant that with 10 hours or so of dedicated, intense sim time, I could "take her around the patch" without incident. It is sweet and easy to fly, leaving all the 4th gen platforms looking "touchy" from a pilots standpoint.
That same "easy going nature" will apply to fighting her as well, she will be "deadly", and to face her in anything other than a Raptor would "terrify" me, now if I were in the Raptor I would go "HIGH" real high, and quiet, but that's the only place you might find an advantage?

 

[Air Force Brat]

No, really will have a gun for 2017 for F-35B IOC this is good ofc but in fact limited capablity an custom made IOC, actually the primary beneficiary is LM only we don' t know sure if is really performing seems there are significant progress but remains to see.
And USMC say again many worck to do

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In French specialised press before long time much criticized by all magazines now less ofc normal but remains uncertain, waiting...

The big problem is if never he is not also good as annouced too late for replaced and except USN it will constitute the entire USMC fleet and 90 % of USAF.

My feeling medium normaly can do good job mainly for Bombing but remains to confirm.

Actually even the Air Force Brat benefits from the Marine IOC, and 10 F-35Bs in service is the first blood of a whole nother world in Fighter land, and the Air Force will roll their girls out next year, truth is the F-35 is already flying operational missions, and as our "toddler" continues to learn, she will be an even greater danger to the bad guys?

That's what so many do not understand, you need concurrency in this particular aircraft to continue to mature it. You put it out in the field with the maintainers and you "work it" till it functions as it should, and it will! If an opposing red force were to fire up next week or next month, these airplanes are ready to roll, and will accomplish their primary missions even though they are not mature, the are wired HOT, and the bad guys will find out what that means if they make the mistake of taking the Bravo on, because they believed some inter-net-phan-boy "krapola".

So my initial panic over closing Raptor production has subsided to "that's still incredibly stupid", but things will be ok once the F-35 is up and running, and 10 production ThunderHogge IIs make me feel much better, once we have 100 F-35As up and running, I will feel fine. So yes we all benefit from the F-35, and you young and old gents on the "Continent", trust me on this, I haven't steered you wrong yet, and the Italians are preparing to first flight their first A model, and that will be another milestone as we bring this bird up to speed.

 

[Scratch]

More news here. The first two "combat-coded" F-35A had their maiden flight. Does the term mean the software version of the IOC capable aircraft?

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Washington DC

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The US Air Force’s first two combat-coded

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have come off the assembly line at Fort Worth in Texas, with the second aircraft completing its first flight last week.

Those aircraft, AF-77 and AF-78, are being prepped for delivery to Hill AFB in Utah where they will be operated by the 34th Fighter Squadron, the air force’s first operational F-35 group.

The former F-16 squadron known as the “Rude Rams” reactivated in July and aims to declare initial operational capability with at least 12 A-model F-35s in August 2016.

In a statement on its social media account, the squadron’s parent unit, the 388th Fighter Wing, said the second aircraft conducted its first production flight test at Fort Worth on 4 August.

“Very soon both AF-77 and AF-78, our first two combat-coded F-35s, will be taking off from the runway at Hill AFB,” the wing says, adding in an earlier post that Lockheed has already begun delivering spare parts and supplies to the base for maintenance of the first few aircraft.

The base is already well versed in F-35 maintenance and sustainment, since its Ogden Air Logistics Center is the primary location for F-35A depot maintenance.

The first batch of combat F-35s are due to arrive at the base in September, which will mark the start of the squadron’s relatively quick journey toward IOC. The US Marine Corps’ first operational F-35 squadron – the “Green Knights” of Marine Corps Air Station

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in Arizona – declared IOC with the B-model last month.

As of July 20, Lockheed Martin had delivered 69 F-35As including four for to international customers. The air force’s programme of record calls for production of 1763 jets.

 

[navyreco]

JPALS is only for F-35C ? Or is there an "auto landing mode" for the B as well ?

Raytheon receives US Navy contract to continue F-35C JPALS test and analysis program

The U.S. Navy extended Raytheon Company's Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract on the Joint Precision Approach Landing Systems (JPALS) program. Raytheon will continue testing and analysis in support of auto-land capability and integration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The contract value is $52 million.
...
The F-35 Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATBird) supports software development for upcoming F-35B/C developmental and operational tests, including the elements of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS). When fully implemented, JPALS will benefit carrier-based air traffic control by enabling automatic carrier landings (auto-land), enhancing aircraft position reporting, and increasing Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) functionality. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

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