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

[dtulsa]

found in Twitter:

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English Electric Lightning & F-35B Lightning II, installed as gate guards, at BAE Systems Samlesbury

That's just unreal gate guard for what 100 million plus aircraft may be it's a model though I read they are using models in the QE to a quaint the maintenance and handlers aboard her though they look realistic as all get out

 

[Jura The idiot]

... I read they are using models in the QE to a quaint the maintenance and handlers aboard her though they look realistic as all get out

I recalled I had seen it posted ... it's in
Aircraft Carriers III Today at 1:45 PM

Deck crew training at RNAS Culdrose with 'plastic' F-35Bs (note the Royal Navy titles on the tails!) will soon be posted to Big Liz:

Also worth noting, the 'Island' (control hut!) of the Dummy Deck, known unofficially has HMS Siskin, carries the pennant number 'R01', as it is the first carrier deck these crew will ever work on.

 

[Jura The idiot]

now noticed Lockheed Late In Delivering International F-35 Simulators

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is three months behind schedule in delivering

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full mission simulators to four international customers, a slip that could delay training of those countries’ future F-35 pilots.

Lockheed is working through “unexpected issues” in adapting the latest iteration of F-35 simulator software, Block 3i, for international export release, said Orlando Carvalho, company vice president of aeronautics, during an interview at last week’s Paris Air Show. This problem affects F-35 partner nations Italy and Norway, as well as foreign military sales customers Israel and Japan.

Lockheed must resolve these issues before the U.S. government certifies the system for export, Carvalho said.

He would not elaborate on the nature of the problem, but it may have to do with data sharing between international F-35 fleets. Government and industry officials have acknowledged challenges deciding what sovereign logistics and threat data can be shared between the partners, and what must be firewalled for security reasons.

“It’s the first time out of the chute because up until now all the simulators have been domestically based for F-35s,” Carvalho said. So far, Lockheed has successfully stood up 12 U.S. F-35 bases.

Full use of the simulators is critical to preparing international pilots to fly the F-35. Italy’s first F-35 rolled off the assembly line in 2015; meanwhile Israel and Japan welcomed their first aircraft in 2016, and Norway is set to receive its first jets in November.

Norway, in particular, has expressed concern that Lockheed will not be ready to support the timeline for the planned standup of the new fleet. Norwegian officials told Aviation Week in January that they are keeping a close eye on some “risk areas,” though they did not specifically mention the delay in delivering full mission simulators. Norway is planning to declare its F-35s combat ready in 2019, with full operating capability expected in 2020.

“They will start training for initial operating capability immediately, and everything needs to be in place for them to do that,” said Maj. Gen. Morten Klever, Norway’s F-35 program director. “Is the industry ready to support and sustain the aircraft in Norway? There is a risk right now.”

Norway’s concern is justified, but Lockheed is confident in successfully standing up Norway’s F-35 fleet, Carvalho said.

“Given their timeline for declaring [initial operating capability] that has been a concern, and legitimately so because we are a little bit late with delivering that simulator,” Carvalho said. “But in our view the rest of the standup is proceeding smoothly.”

Lockheed now anticipates that two of Norway’s simulators will be ready for use Sept. 8, followed by another two on Oct. 13. Israel’s two simulators will be ready Sept. 1, Italy’s two on Sept. 22 and Japan’s two on Sept. 29, according to the company.

Ongoing delivery of the hardware piece of the simulators has not been affected, Carvalho said.

Each new version of the F-35’s simulator software will have to meet exportability requirements. This means the U.S. government will need to certify the next iteration of simulator software, Block 3F, which aligns with F-35 final warfighting capability.

 

[Jura The idiot]

OK since I read it ...
Contracts

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Press Operations

Release No: CR-126-17
June 30, 2017

NAVY

"United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $339,645,342 undefinitized modification to a previously awarded low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 11 advance acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0020). This modification provides for the procurement of propulsion system initial spares for Global Spares Pool in support of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. This includes initial spare engines, initial spare modules, and initial spare parts required to support the LRIP Lot 11 aircraft delivery schedule. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (93 percent); Indianapolis, Indiana (6 percent); and Bristol, United Kingdom (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2020. Fiscal 2015, 2017 aircraft procurement (Air Force and Navy) funds; fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy), and foreign military sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $248,472,749 are being obligated at time of award, $129,283,264 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($130,330,218; 38 percent); the Navy ($97,815,983; 29 percent); international partners ($91,172,593; 27 percent); and FMS customers ($20,326,548; 6 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. "

 

[Jura The idiot]

I don't know if it's important
UK names F-35 Operational Conversion Unit ...

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The squadron that will train future Royal Air Force and Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II pilots at RAF Marham has been announced as No 207 Squadron.

With so many illustrious RAF squadron numberplates laid up, it’s an announcement that took many by surprise.

The announcement was made during a visit to RAF Marham by the Chief of the Air Staff, ACM Sir Stephen Hillier, and the First Sea Lord, ADM Sir Philip Jones, to view the progress being made to prepare for the arrival of the fifth generation fighter at the Norfolk base next summer.

ACM Sir Stephen Hillier said: ‘I am very pleased to announce that the Operational Conversion Unit for the UK’s F-35B Lightning fleet will be No 207 Squadron. The squadron has a proud and distinguished history, not only as an RAF squadron but as one of the earliest squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service which, with the Royal Flying Corps, came together to form the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918.’

‘Preparations for the arrival of the first UK Lightnings next year are progressing well. The investment of £250m in infrastructure here at RAF Marham will ensure the station has the facilities to match this world-class aircraft when it arrives next year. As the home of the UK Lightning Force the station will be at the heart of UK airpower for decades to come.’

ADM Sir Philip Jones First Sea Lord added: ‘207 Squadron will play an important part in the future of both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, and rightly reflects our shared aviation heritage. I was in the United States earlier this month to meet some of the pilots and maintainers who are getting to grips with the F-35B. They’re working brilliantly together and today I’ve seen the same sense of purpose from those readying RAF Marham for their arrival.’

The new infrastructure currently being built at RAF Marham includes vertical landing pads, the renewal of runways and taxiways and new technical and training facilities, offices and hangars.

The first Lightnings will arrive at RAF Marham in summer 2018 when the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots currently training in the US will return as No 617 Squadron ‘Dambusters’. The Lightning OCU will stand up as 207 Squadron on July 1, 2019.

 

[Jura The idiot]

Yesterday at 8:12 PM

I don't know if it's important
UK names F-35 Operational Conversion Unit ...

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related:
New F-35 squadron named, 207 Squadron to become OCU

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No. 207 Squadron Royal Air Force, a former bomber, communications and then trainer squadron, is to stand up as the F-35 OCU squadron it has been announced.

An operational conversion unit (OCU) is a unit within whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. Operational conversion units teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and its weapons.

207 Squadron forms in 2019 at Marham. The first Officer Commanding will be

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.

Before the RAF was formed it was part of the Royal Naval Air Service as No. 7 Squadron.

The announcement was made during a visit to RAF Marham by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, and the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, to view the progress being made to prepare for the arrival of the fifth generation fighter at the Norfolk base next summer.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier said:

“I am very pleased to announce that the Operational Conversion Unit for the UK’s F-35B Lightning fleet will be 207 Squadron. The squadron has a proud and distinguished history, not only as an RAF squadron but as one of the earliest squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service which, with the Royal Flying Corps, came together to form the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918.

Preparations for the arrival of the first UK Lightnings next year are progressing well. The investment of £250m in infrastructure here at RAF Marham will ensure the station has the facilities to match this world-class aircraft when it arrives next year. As the home of the UK Lightning Force the station will be at the heart of UK airpower for decades to come.”

Admiral Sir Philip Jones First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff said:

“207 Squadron will play an important part in the future of both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, and rightly reflects our shared aviation heritage. I was in the United States earlier this month to meet some of the pilots and maintainers who are getting to grips with the F-35B. They’re working brilliantly together and today I’ve seen the same sense of purpose from those readying RAF Marham for their arrival.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first carrier in the world designed from the outset to operate a fifth generation combat aircraft. Crucially, a second ship – HMS Prince of Wales – is on its way, which will give the UK a continuous Carrier Strike capability. I have every expectation that, in time, this combination of carriers and jets will represent a powerful and important strategic conventional deterrent.”

The new infrastructure currently being built at RAF Marham includes vertical landing pads, the renewal of runways and taxiways and new technical and training facilities, offices and hangars.

The first Lightnings will arrive at RAF Marham in summer next year when the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots currently training in the United States, will return as 617 Squadron, the Dambusters. The Lightning OCU will stand up as 207 Squadron on the 1st of July 2019.

In 2002 one of the Flying Training Squadrons operating Shorts Tucanos at No. 1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse was renumbered as No. 207 (Reserve) Squadron. The squadron was later disbanded in January 2012 as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

It is expected that the UK will build a front-line fleet of four F-35 squadrons with each squadron having 12 jets. A fifth unit, an operational conversion unit, will also operate 12 aircraft.

The structure of the Lightning force is now somewhat clear.

• 17(R) Squadron is currently based at Edwards Air Force Base in the US and fills role of F-35B Operational Evaluation Unit.
• 617 Squadron will be based at RAF Marham and will be the first operational British F-35 unit in 2019.
• 809 Naval Air Squadron will also be based at RAF Marham.
• 2 more unnamed frontline Squadrons are to be established.
• 207 Squadron as the Operation Conversion Unit

This information comes from Air Cmdr. Harvey Smyth, the commander of the U.K.’s Lightning Force, as told to reporters at a conference in London last year.

In 2015, the UK government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review confirmed a planned order of 138 F-35s, with 23 of them to be available for carrier duties by 2023. The UK will have an operational fleet of around 63 aircraft which is less than half of the total number of F-35’s that the UK has agreed to purchase

However, as reported by AviationWeek, Smyth pointed out that “the total number would cover attrition replacements and the so-called sustainment fleet, which is defined as additional aircraft required to sustain the fleet to its out-of-service date as well as to cover maintenance. Other UK combat aircraft also have large sustainment fleets.”

The F-35B’s maiden deployment is set for late 2017 and it’s bound for the Western Pacific. The jet will deploy aboard an amphibious flattop and the US Marine Corps are planning a more powerful escort force to support it, according to Admiral Scott Swift, head of Pacific Fleet, as reported by Marine Times.

The F-35B has already flown from American assault ships as part of a series of tests, which largely went well. Additionally, F-35 unit costs have been going down with each successive lot of aircraft and will continue to do so.

 

[Jura The idiot]

Jul 23, 2016

the success story by

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:

Turkey
Industrial Participation

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In total for Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney, F-35 Production Industrial Participation opportunities for Turkish companies are expected to reach more than $12 billion.

Below are details on ...

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and now
US lawmaker wants to block F-35 sales to Turkey over embassy brawl

A Democratic lawmaker from Rhode Island is seeking to block the U.S. sale of Lockheed Martin-made F-35 fighter jets to Turkey over an attack on protesters outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington two months ago.

Rep. David Cicilline, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has proposed the ban as

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to the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed by the House Armed Services Committee last month. The House is expected to take up the bill and deal with amendments next week.

The House Rules Committee had reported more than 90 proposed amendments on various topics as of Friday morning. The panel plans to vote on whether to allow floor consideration of the individual amendments Wednesday.

Any approved amendments would then need House approval to join the bill, which would have to be reconciled with the Senate version after it passes the House.

The amendment highlights the complicated U.S. relationship with Turkey, a key NATO ally and home to Incirlik Air Base. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized Washington over its support for Kurdish groups fighting the Islamic State that Ankara considers terrorist organizations. The Trump administration has walked a tightrope, generally praising Turkey, despite widespread criticism Turkey has become more authoritarian following a coup attempt late last year.

Turkey plans to purchase more than 100 of the F-35A conventional take-off and landing variant. The country expects to receive its first F-35 in 2018.

Like other partners in the program, Turkey plays a role in the F-35 industrial base, including its responsibility to build an engine maintenance facility that will service European operators of the stealth fighter.

Cicilline’s proposed amendment would effectively bar the transfer of the jets to Turkey until U.S. President Donald Trump certifies the government of Turkey is cooperating with the criminal investigation and prosecution of Turkish government employees involved in the the May 16 attacks.

Law enforcement officials announced charges last month against a dozen members of the Turkish president’s security detail after they were reportedly caught on video beating protesters during Erdogan's visit here.

The proposed amendment was one of three that hits back at Turkey over the incident.

Rep. Dave Trott, R-Mich., has proposed a “sense of Congress” amendment disapproving of a proposed $1.2 million sale of Sig Sauer-made semi-automatic handguns to Turkey.

Trott had spearheaded a letter along similar lines that attracted 36 signatures, including the Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and ranking member Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire reportedly support placing the gun deal on hold.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., has proposed a visa ban on those involved in the attack and that the administration report on the incident and what the State Department is doing by way of victim compensation and fixing security lapses.

Lockheed Martin was aware before the amendment was published of emerging congressional concerns about F-35 sales to Turkey and closely watching for developments. During an interview at the Paris Air Show last month, Orlando Carvalho, Lockheed’s vice president of aeronautics, told Defense News that the company will stick to the current program of record until told otherwise.

“Members obviously have the freedom to express the concerns that they have, but obviously, that becomes a matter that has to be addressed between Congress and the Department of Defense,” he said. “So while we’re aware of it, we’re not taking any specific action. We’re continuing to execute the program of record. And we’ll continue to do so unless we receive formal direction from our customer, from the Department of Defense and the [Joint Program Office] to do something different.”

Turkey is slated to get its first F-35s as part of the 12th lot of aircraft. Lockheed and the Defense Department hope to come to an agreement on lot 11 this year, and batches 12 through 14 are currently under negotiation as a block buy for international customers.

At the Paris Air Show, Jeff Babione, Lockheed’s F-35 program manager, noted that Turkey plays a “significant” role in the production of all F-35 aircraft. As a subcontractor to Northrop Grumman, Turkish defense companies, including its largest firm, Turkish Aerospace Industries, manufacture a large portion of the center fuselage.

Carvalho maintained that despite the political turmoil in Turkey, F-35 suppliers and related intellectual property in the country remain safe.

“To date, we haven’t seen anything that is markedly different in the places where we operate, from a security point of view, whether it’s people’s safety and security, cybersecurity, whatever, we haven’t seen anything that has been markedly different,” he said. “If the United States changes its policy with regards to Turkey, then clearly we’d have to work with our customer to then determine what actions would have to be taken in response for that.”

source is DefenseNews

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[Jura The idiot]

according to DoDBuzz Pentagon Gives Lockheed Billions to Keep Working on F-35s

The Defense Department has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. a $4.49 billion undefinitized contract action to continue production on the latest batch of

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s even as it continues to negotiate a firm price for the fifth-generation jets.

The UCA — a type of contract in which bottom-line terms or prices have not been agreed upon before performance is begun — stipulates a max price of $5.6 billion for Lockheed to continue working on the Low Rate Initial Production, or LRIP, lot 11 jets, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office.

Lockheed is “expending money to keep the production line going,” JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova told Military.com via telephone on Friday. So “we want to pay them for the work they they’re doing [to] obligate funds for the Lot 11 aircraft.”

The prices for individual jets are still being determined, according to the office.

“We are confident the final negotiated Lot 11 aircraft unit prices will be less than Lot 10,” officials said in a statement released by JPO.

The Pentagon aims to procure a total of 141 F-35s for the U.S. military services, international partner nations, and foreign military sale customers — with deliveries starting in 2019 through 2020, the statement said.

The money continues production of 91 U.S. aircraft (63 requested by the military, and another 28 thanks to a Congressional plus-up) and “provides the contract vehicle for our International Partners and FMS teammates to obligate their $2.28B in funding within the month of July for their 50 total aircraft,” the statement said.

“We appreciate the actions taken by the JPO to ensure delivery of F-35s to our warfighter customers,” Lockheed officials said separately of the LRIP 11 announcement.

For the U.S., the funding would provide 48

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aircraft for the

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, 18

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aircraft for the

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, and eight

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aircraft for the

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and Marine Corps.

DellaVedova said the remaining 17 U.S. aircraft come from previously awarded fiscal 2015 and 2016 aircraft contracts.

In February, DoD announced an $8.2 billion deal for its LRIP 10 batch of F-35 fighters. That batch cut costs by $728 million from the previous LRIP 9 lot, Defense Department officials said at the time.

Around that time, President Donald Trump said he had been negotiating with Lockheed officials to bring the cost down significantly since he became president-elect.

“I got involved in that about a month ago,” he said during a meeting with business leaders at the White House on Jan. 30. “There was no movement, and I was able to get $600 million approximately off those planes.”

The LRIP 10 contract will distribute 44 F-35As to the Air Force, 9 F-35Bs to the Marine Corps and 2 F-35Cs to the Navy, with other planes going to the United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Turkey, Japan, Israel and South Korea, in 2018.

By comparison, the Pentagon in November

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, dubbed LRIP 9, of $6.1 billion for 57 more F-35s after months of negotiations — a move that disappointed Lockheed officials.

“We didn’t agree on this contract, but the government just handed this on us,” an industry official close to the 18-month-long negotiated deal told Military.com at the time. “The government needs to recognize what an F-35 really costs for a fair fee.”

source:

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[Jura The idiot]

what's "a max price of $5.6 billion"

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, appeared in the DefenseNews headline Lockheed gets $5.6B for work on next batch of F-35s

The Defense Department has awarded Lockheed Martin a $5.6 billion undefinitized contract that will allow the company to continue work on the eleventh lot of F-35s.

The F-35 joint program office still intends wrap up negotiations on a final contract by the end of the year, but making an interim award was necessary because of “complex production lines and supply chain dynamics,” JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova said in an emailed statement to reporters.

The award immediately obligates a combined $4.49 billion from the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps for work on 91 aircraft. A $2.28 billion payment to Lockheed from international customers is expected later this month for an additional 50 aircraft.

The JPO is also engaged in ongoing negotiations with Pratt & Whitney, which supplies the joint strike fighter’s F135 engine, and plans to finalize a deal by the end of the year. The program office regularly issues separate contracts for the F-35 airframes and engines.

“Final aircraft prices for each customer's variant will be determined upon final negotiations targeted for the end of this year. We are confident that the final negotiated Lot 11 aircraft unit prices will be less than Lot 10,” DellaVedova stated.

Lot 11 deliveries are anticipated to run from 2019 to 2020.

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[Jura The idiot]

now noticed
F-35B jets arrive at Nellis Air Force Base for Exercise Red Flag July 7, 2017

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F-35B jets with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 ‘Wake Island Avengers’ 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, have arrived for Exercise Red Flag.

A total of 10 aircraft and more than 250 Marines with VMFA-211 will participate in Red Flag 17-3, a realistic combat training exercise hosted by the US Air Force to assess the squadron’s ability to deploy and support contingency operations using the F-35B.

The reported performance of the F-35A at the last Red Flag was a major victory for an aircraft that was criticised for its cost and earlier developmental setbacks. The F-35 had earned a 15:1 kill ratio against the aggressor squadron F-16s, more recent reports from the US Air Force and Lockheed Martin then put that ratio at 20:1.

Tech Sgt Robert James said about the jet:

“It’s giving the airmen something they never had before. It’s giving the maintainer information to help them do their job faster and easier while making the Air Force more streamlined.”

Along with the aforementioned kill ratio and maintenance rate, the jets executed unprecedented weapons targeting exercises.

James Schmidt, a former A-10 pilot said:

“I flew a mission the other day where our four-ship formation of F-35As destroyed five surface-to-air threats in a 15-minute period without being targeted once. It’s pretty cool to come back from a mission where we flew right over threats knowing they could never see us.

After almost every mission, we shake our heads and smile, saying ‘We can’t believe we just did that’. We flew right into the heart of the threat and were able to bring all of our jets back out with successful strikes. It’s like we hit the ‘I Believe’ button again after every sortie.”

Lt. Col. George Watkins, 34th Fighter Squadron commander, said flying the F-35A in combat feels like air dominance’.

“I’ve had four of my (F-35A) pilots come back from missions, guys who have flown the F-15 and F-16 at Red Flag for years, and tell me ‘This is amazing.

I’ve never had this much situational awareness while I’m in the air. I know who’s who, I know who’s being threatened, and I know where I need to go next.’ You just don’t have all of that information at once in fourth-generation platform.

The first day we were here, we flew defensive counter-air and we didn’t lose a single friendly aircraft. That’s unheard of. The number of adversaries has increased, their skill level has increased, the sophistication of the surface-to-air threat has increased.”

The F-35 will drastically increase the situational awareness and combat capabilities of the forces with which it will deploy and for the UK, where numbers may be a concern, it represents a fantastic way to enhance combat capability in any coalition or national effort.

wondering how many dozens to zero score will be declared