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

[Jura The idiot]

1st ...

Today at 4:01 PM

...

I recall reading articles about combining 4Gen with F35, and how procedures need to be established for this

...

... and I began googling now, here's 2014 DefenseNews to start with (the link is broken):

FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND— The F-35 joint strike fighter may well come to rule the skies of the future, but for decades to come it will need to work with existing “fourth-generation” fleets. Finding ways to make that work is an early topic being discussed at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow.

BAE, a major partner on both the F-35 and Eurofighter Typhoon programs, is undergoing tests to find ways to link the training systems for the two planes together in order to determine best tactics for operations, according to a company spokesman.

The spokesman said the firm is currently underdoing the third round of trials for the system, which have “done well.”

The firm is also exploring the question of “fourth-to-fifth” and “fifth-to-fourth” communication. Key to the F-35 is the ability to gather and share massive amounts of data automatically through its

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

, but making sure that data can be received and processed by fourth-gen fighters is a major undertaking and focus by the corporate partners.

One method being eyed by BAE is the

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

, which is used across a number of Pentagon systems. Northrop Grumman, another F-35 corporate partner,

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

using the Link 16 system to communicate between an F-35 and F-22.

Ensuring information can be passed from the F-35 back to fourth-gen aircraft is the “best investment for us in the future,” said Billie Flynn, a senior experimental test pilot for Lockheed Martin who has flown both the Typhoon and F-35.

Tactically, Flynn said the capabilities of the JSF allow it to move ahead of older aircraft that may be more vulnerable to ground-based defenses.

“We come and go with impunity, and we gather situational awareness no one else can have,” Flynn said of piloting the F-35. “We get to go to places, gather information and bring that information back. So as an attack vehicle we get to go out in front, we get to neutralize the surface to air threats, we get to make it safe for a fourth generation plane to get in.”

Flynn, who commanded a CF-18 wing that took out Serbian defenses during operations in the 1990s, said tactically, fifth-generation planes will not operate in large formations going forward, a contrast to the way fourth-generation systems will work.

“Gone are the days that we will fly in some tactical formation like we remember from every movie that was around in the fourth generation,” Flynn said. “We’re many miles away in elaborate formations that allow us to cover vast amounts of sky. Evolving our tactics to fly as a proper fifth-generation airplane, that’s our future.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

but ... in the process I've heard MADL is of "line of sight nature" (to use the expression from wiki

 

[dtulsa]

Ok now fox news is reporting a problem with the 35s at Luke AFB oxygen system in at least 5 aircraft do ya suppose it caught the bug from the T45

 

[Jeff Head]

@Jura @TerraN_EmpirE @Air Force Brat @kwaigonegin @Obi Wan Russell @bd popeye ...

I believe they simply mean that an improved F/A-18F will compliment the F-35s.

Those Hornets are going to be in the fleet for as long as it takes the F-35 numbers to come up and eclipse them.

Right now that is going to take 20-25 years.

So the Hornets are going to be around and they can do a better job complimenting the F-35s if they themselves are better.

...and that is exactly what Boeing is proposing.

F-35s go in stealthy and do the SEAD and knock down the really tough doors.

They are followed by F/A-18Fs carrying a bunch of ordinance on their wings to take out everything else.

Those F/A-18Fs can do a better job of that if they have:

IRST
New AESA Radar
Longer Range
A Better Engine
As much stealth as you can give them
etc.

Now, when you have enough F-35s they can do both jobs themselves...because a second wave of them can carry just about as much (if not more with the bay full) as a Super Hornet. But the point is that it will be a good while before those numbers are there throughout the fleet.

So in the mean time, you compliment the F-35s with an improved F/A-18F.

Quite frankly, I think by 2040 there will be a 6th gen aircraft being introduced...or just about so. I expect by then awards will have been made and some of them will be flying.

But time will tell...and by that time I will be long gone myself.

 

[Jura The idiot]

Ok now fox news is reporting a problem with the 35s at Luke AFB oxygen system in at least 5 aircraft do ya suppose it caught the bug from the T45

credit goes to dtulsa but DefenseNews has a more informative story
F-35s at Luke Air Force Base grounded after pilots suffered oxygen deprivation

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, cancelled local flying operations on Friday for its F-35A Lightning II fighters after five incidents in which pilots experienced symptoms similar to hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation.

In a release Friday, the Air Force said that the five pilots reported those incidents over the last month, since May 2. The backup oxygen systems in the F-35As kicked in during each event, and the pilots followed the procedures necessary to safely land the plane.

"In order to synchronize operations and maintenance efforts toward safe flying operations, we have cancelled local F-35A flying," Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard, commander of the 56th, said in the release. "The Air Force takes these physiological incidents seriously, and our focus is on the safety and well-being of our pilots. We are taking the necessary steps to find the root cause of these incidents."

The Air Force said the F-35 Program Office has created a team of engineers, maintainers and aeromedical specialists to study the incidents and figure out what is happening. It is not currently clear whether the On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) failed.

"The F-35 enterprise takes a multi-disciplinary approach to monitoring and tracking physiological issues within the fleet and integrating findings to improve the weapon system and the tactics, techniques, and procedures with which it operates," the JPO said in a statement. "The ongoing JPO review is being conducted by a joint government and industry team of engineers, maintainers, and aerospace physiologists from the JPO, the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Lockheed Martin, and others."

Maj. Rebecca Heyse, spokeswoman for the 56th, stressed that flight operations are currently only suspended for one day, and will resume on Monday. The cancellation affects approximately 49 pilots, who will spend the day receiving briefings from wing officials on the hypoxia incidents and what the pilots did to recover the plane. Flight medicine will also brief pilots on the symptoms of hypoxia and what is being done to analyze data from the incidents.

In addition, the 56th is planning to have an open forum with pilots to discuss their concerns.

Heyse confirmed to Defense News, a sister publication of Air Force Times, that five separate F-35As from different squadrons at Luke were involved in the incidents. After each event, aeromedical specialists collected physiological data from the pilots, and maintainers collected data from the aircraft itself. That information has not yet been analyzed but will be turned over to the JPO team to help determine the root cause.

The announcement comes a little more than a week before the F-35A heads to the Paris Air Show. Lockheed Martin pilots are expected to conduct a flight demonstration during the show using Air Force F-35s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and the demo will go forward as scheduled, said Lockheed spokesman Mike Rein.

"We are going as planned," he said. "Our pilot hasn't shown any symptoms."

The F-22 Raptor also struggled with oxygen problems that led to hypoxia in its pilots, leading the Air Force to ground the planes for five months in 2011. The Air Force in July 2012 said that the F-22's hypoxia problems were caused by a faulty valve on the pilots' life support vest, which was improperly tightening and constricting their breathing.

 

[Jura The idiot]

now I got to BreakingDefense:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

The two Air Force F-35As scheduled to cross the Atlantic Ocean and fly at the Paris Air Show are still scheduled to go after Luke Air Force Base declared a one-day stand-down to brief pilots on five

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

afflicting pilots there since May 2.

“The F-35 Joint Program Office, along with the U.S. Services and Industry experts, is conducting a comprehensive review of the facts and circumstances surrounding physiological episodes (PE) recently experienced at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.” JPO spokesman Joe DellaVidova says in a statement. “The ongoing JPO review is being conducted by a joint government and industry team of engineers, maintainers, and aerospace physiologists from the JPO, the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Lockheed Martin, and others.”

An Air Force spokesman, Capt. Mark Graff says in a statement today that “Air Force senior leaders are aware of the incidents and are providing support and resources as necessary to protect pilots.” The JPO’s experts will share whatever information information they glean “across the F-35 enterprise

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

.”

Hypoxia is an extremely dangerous condition and is often extremely difficult to prove clinically. Pilots in the F-22, F-18 and T-45 have all been subject to hypoxia-like symptoms. It took the Air Force years to convincingly demonstrate they had fixed the problem. The Navy has effectively suspended large parts of pilot training while it tries to figure out what’s wrong with the

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

.

The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, cancelled local flying operations today

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

due to a series of five incidents in which pilots have experienced hypoxia-like symptoms.

According to base officials, since May 2, five F-35A pilots assigned to Luke Air Force Base have reported physiological incidents while flying. In each case, the aircraft’s backup oxygen system operated as designed and the pilot followed the correct procedures, landing the aircraft safely.

The Air Force statement makes the service’s focus on pilot safety clear. “The Air Force takes these physiological incidents seriously, and our focus is on the safety and well-being of our pilots,” said Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard, 56th Fighter Wing commander. “We are taking the necessary steps to find the root cause of these incidents.”

Wing officials are sitting down with U.S. and international pilots today. Pilots will be briefed on all the incidents and told how their colleagues used backup oxygen to help them land safely. The 56th Operations Group will hold an open forum to let pilots discuss any concerns pilots may have.

source:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

I can't fathom US Military for years can't fix oxygen in presumably elite aircraft and in the trainer EDIT I mean Yesterday at 9:25 PM

Yesterday at 6:53 AM

while
Navy: T-45 Problems Could Mean Air Force Aircraft Is Needed to Train

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[Jura The idiot]

FlightGlobal:
USAF cancels F-35A flying at Luke AFB

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

After five oxygen deprivation incidents, the US Air Force has temporarily canceled Lockheed Martin F-35A flying operations at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Since 2 May, five F-35A pilots at Luke have reported “hypoxia-like symptoms,” said the USAF on 9 June.

The crews experienced a range of symptoms, from slight dizziness and disorientation to tingling and coldness in their extremities, but were trained to recognise the problems and landed safely using the aircraft’s backup oxygen system, says a spokeswoman for Luke AFB. Flight operations will resume 12 June, she says.

Fifty-five F-35As are stationed at Luke AFB, but the hypoxia issue only applies to 48 of those aircraft; seven aircraft flying at Mountain Home Air Base, Idaho for training this week returned to Luke on 9 June.

The F-35 Joint Programme Office had stood up an action team weeks ago to probe the oxygen issue, but after the fifth incident on 8 June, Luke AFB took the dramatic step of suspending flights.

“We have no idea what’s causing it,” the spokeswoman says. “There's been no testing across the board, we’re going to dig through the data to find some trends.”

The USAF does not yet know if the F-35s at Luke come from the same production lot, but the service is focusing on that aspect today, she adds.

The hypoxia incident appears to be isolated to Luke AFB and will not affect the F-35A’s appearance at the Paris air show, Lockheed spokesman says. The aircraft pair for the show will fly from Hill AFB, Utah and their test pilots have not experienced issues, says Lockheed.

Officials at the 56th Fighter Wing will tell US and international pilots of the conventional take-off and landing A-model to increase their awareness of hypoxia symptoms and crews will be briefed on successful actions taken in past incidents to recover the aircraft, says the USAF.

The F-35A grounding does not mark the first time the service has dealt with oxygen issues. In 2013, the USAF returned the F-22 to normal flight operations following a series of physiological incidents resembling hypoxia. The F-35 and F-22 both use an on-board oxygen generation system supplied by Honeywell.

Meanwhile, the US Navy continues its own battle against hypoxia. After the service lifted the temporary grounding of its T-45 trainer aircraft in April, the Goshawks are now grounded indefinitely. Only instructor pilots are allowed to fly the T-45 using ambient air, which restricts flying operations to a 5,000ft altitude and 2g manoeuvres. Vice Adm Paul Grosklags, commander of Naval Air Systems Command, told members of Congress during a 7 June hearing that the navy was examining options to get the T-45 back in the air.

source:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

AirForceMag:
USAF Temporarily Grounds F-35As at Luke After Hypoxia-Like Incidents

The Air Force on Friday temporarily grounded F-35As at Luke AFB, Ariz., after five separate incidents where pilots reported hypoxia-like incidents.

Since May 2, five pilots assigned to the base have reported “physiological incidents while flying,” according to an Air Force statement released Friday afternoon. Each time, the F-35A’s backup oxygen system operated as designed, and the pilot was able to follow procedures and land the aircraft.

A total of 55 F-35As assigned to Luke, including international aircraft, have been grounded, but the strike fighters are expected to resume flying operations on Monday, said USAF spokesman Capt. Mark Graff.

“In order to synchronize operations and maintenance efforts toward safe flying operations we have cancelled local F-35A flying,” Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke, said in a statement. “The Air Force takes these physiological incidents seriously, and our focus is on the safety and well-being of our pilots. We are taking the necessary steps to find the root cause of these incidents.”

Over the next few days, officials with the wing “will educate US and international pilots” on the situation and brief pilots on the incidents that have occurred, the release states. Flight medicine is also briefing pilots on physiological event symptoms and what to do if they experience those symptoms while flying. The 56th Operations Group at Luke will hold an “open forum” to discuss any concerns from pilots.

USAF senior leaders are aware of the incidents, and the F-35 Joint Program Office stood up a “formal action team” of engineers, maintainers, and aeromedical specialists, but Graff said it’s “way too early” to determine the root cause.

Luke is the main training base for US and international operational F-35 pilots. The base will eventually host six F-35 squadrons with a total of 144 aircraft.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[Jura The idiot]

... So partnering a stealth for the escort well the older birds do the bombing. because of stealth enemy assets would only see one part of the package, and attempt to react only to find that they are under attack.

in your cunning scenario, Opfor's IRST would pick F-35s ... is what I think

 

[Air Force Brat]

now I got to BreakingDefense:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

source:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

I can't fathom US Military for years can't fix oxygen in presumably elite aircraft and in the trainer EDIT I mean Yesterday at 9:25 PM

It probably relates back to the OBOGS, and while it is much more practical to "generate" your own oxygen rather carry it in pre-filled tanks, it is subject to contamination from maintenance and general handling, pure oxygen has to be maintained in a "spotless" condition to be safe....

and I'm sure you're probably convinced it only happens to US pilots, but then we are a "puss" bunch aren't we???

 

[Jura The idiot]

....

and I'm sure you're probably convinced it only happens to US pilots, but then we are a "puss" bunch aren't we???

take it easy bro

 

[Air Force Brat]

take it easy bro

Yeah, I'm in a better mood now, Honey Badger, Mollie, and I were invited up to the flight deck on the A-400, now that was the absolute "Dogs Bollock's", Holy Cow, what a flight deck, knew where it all was too, had that side stick in the practiced hands of the old Air Force Brat, rapped my left hand around that mousey roller ball thangy,,,, and that Scottsman had her ALL lit up for me.... said that bright Central Obamastan sunshine was about to blind him?? LOL it was gorgeous, and about 88 degrees, but low humidity, that will come tomorrow, but lots of sun and NO CLOUDS to speak of.....