F-35 Joint Strike Fighter News, Videos and pics Thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
"political paper".
On Jan. 14, 2021, then-acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller .”
Then, on March 5, 2021, House Armed Services Committee Chairman (D-Wash.) a “rathole,” and asked whether it was time to stop spending that much money for “such a low capability?”
On April 26, 2016, then-Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman (R-Ariz.) “both a scandal and a tragedy with respect to cost, schedule and performance.”
According to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown, the F-35, intended to serve as a low-end utilitarian aircraft, is now a high-end sports car: “You don’t drive your Ferrari to work every day, you only drive it on Sundays.”
A lot of big names there.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Miller wanted out of the DOD.
We also heard a similar comment from one of his predecessors who then walked them back after a brief where in he concluded that the management was bad but the product was good.
A political hack. A Late Political hack who was a POW and spent time in the Navy flying two generations out of date aircraft.
General Brown is advocating for a fighter for ANG roles but if you bothered to read his comments he painted a picture of a fighter with F35 characteristics but without the stealth.
One of more than a dozen buyers of the F-35, Australia has well and truly bought into the excitement surrounding the fifth-generation combat jet.
Key points:
- In 2002, the Howard Government committed to buying up to 100 F-35 fighter jets when they were still being designed
- In the US, enthusiasm for the jet is waning among some politicians as the program's costs soar
- According to the US Defence spending watchdog, the F-35 has 883 unresolved design flaws and the Pentagon is currently reviewing the project
But in the United States, enthusiasm for the jet is waning among some politicians as the program's costs soar.
With a current whole of life cost estimate of $2.3 trillion (US$1.7 trillion), the chair of the Armed Services Committee Democrat Adam Smith said in March he wanted to stop throwing money down "that particular rat hole".
Former US Marine Corps captain Dan Grazier believed the line of critics was growing longer, as the combat jet failed to deliver on promised capabilities.
"The F-35 program right now is certainly a program in trouble," Mr Grazier said.
"The last acting Secretary of Defence under the Trump administration, in a kind of parting shot in his final week … he essentially called the F-35 a piece of shit."
Opinions divided over the F-35s
Pushed by the US Government and defence heavyweight Lockheed Martin, the F-35s were in the design phase when Australia committed in 2002 to buy up to 100 of them. The cost was estimated at $16 billion.Mr Grazier has been watching the F-35 program for years as a Military Fellow for US Defence spending watchdog, the Project on Government Oversight. He said the combat jet currently had almost 900 design flaws, with seven considered critical.
He wanted production halted until all major problems were fixed.
The Australian Air Force owns 41 jets, with 37 based at the Williamtown base.
Former US Marine Corps captain Dan Grazier said the F-35 had almost 900 design flaws, with seven considered critical.(
Flickr: US Air Force / Airman 1st Class Connor J Marth
)
"The F-35 is not ready for war," Mr Grazier told 7.30.
"It's a struggle for the maintenance crews to keep the F-35 in a fully mission-capable state where it is ready to go."
But retired US Air Force combat veteran David Deptula said the F-35s had been unfairly maligned throughout their 20-year history.
"Unfortunately, there's been an over-focus on cost as opposed to the real measure of merit, and that's value – value in the context of cost-effectiveness," he said.
"A handful of F-35s can accomplish the same mission objectives, or desired effects, as it might take 12, 15, 20, 25 or more other aircraft.
"It's already participated in combat in Afghanistan, with both the United States Marine Corps as well as the United States Air Force.
"The proof is really in the pudding when it comes to performance, and that is not listening to what some budget analyst in Washington [has to say] … but the man or woman who's been piloting the F-35.
Issues over part shortages
But there have been headaches.The US Air Force is in the process of replacing a crucial computer system that transmits F-35 health and maintenance information back to Lockheed Martin.
Then in April, the US government's accountability office told an inquiry that at current trends one in eight F-35s could be grounded because of a shortage of engines by 2024. It said that would grow to 40 per cent of jets grounded by 2030, if the repair backlog didn't improve.
During a Senate Estimates hearing in June, Air Vice-Marshal Gregory Hoffmann conceded spare parts were also an issue for Australia's jets.
"Some of the parts fail for the first time for reasons we need to explore," he told Estimates.
"For the engines, it's a coating problem on some of the blades that the US is experiencing. It takes time to get those through the shop and fix them."
Under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, 7.30 has learned that as well as engine issues, other problems on the F-35s include air leaking into the canopy, oil leaks in the auxiliary power unit and de-lamination of a wing flap.
7.30 also sought details under FOI of the cost per flying hour for the F-35, but the Defence Department stated producing this information would unreasonably divert resources from its operations.
Mr Grazier said the cost per flight hour in the United States was around $36,000.
In a statement, the department said the F-35 project was delivering to the "2014 government approved budget and schedule" and was the best fit multi-role fighter for Australia.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton declined to be interviewed.
In the US, the cost per flight hour for the F-35s is around $36,000.(Reuters: Tom Reynolds)
In February this year, 7.30 made a request to the Defence Department to film the F-35 in action and speak to a pilot at the Williamtown Air Force Base. The request was approved, with Air Force stating it was excited at the prospect of participating and that a senior Air Force Officer would also be available for interview.
But in June, with no explanation, 7.30 was told the filming opportunity would not go ahead.
Documents obtained under FOI show the request was approved by the previous Defence Minister's Office, but when Peter Dutton was appointed to the portfolio in March, additional information about 7.30's request was sought.
Air Force provided a media preparation document with a view of "obtaining approval to proceed from Minister Dutton". The document contained information about 7.30's journalist, analysis of general media coverage of the F-35 and a suggestion that Air Force participate to ensure "Defence messaging surrounding the F-35A is given best treatment".
In a following email, Air Force media was instructed to tell 7.30 that Defence was now unable to participate and to express regret for any inconvenience.
The future of modern warfare
Malcolm Davis from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said amid the current debate, Australia should look at whether it needed 100 of the combat jets.He said the government should consider purchasing a long-range bomber in response to the changing strategic landscape.
"In the early 2000s, really, China was not a threat that it is now," he said.
"When you look at modern warfare you have to think in terms of initially un-refuelled combat radius … and for the F-35 that's a little over 1,000 kilometres, so that's not a huge range."
David Deptula, now dean at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the US, said Australia had made the right decision to purchase the sophisticated combat jet.
"There are developmental issues that come up because it is a very high technology advanced aircraft. Over time, these issues are resolved.
"I certainly don't see the program under any threat of cancellation anytime soon."
Next week, Defence Minister Peter Dutton will travel to the United States to reportedly push for collaboration between the two countries on new long-range missile and unmanned drone technologies.
In a statement, the US F-35 Program executive officer Lieutenant General Eric Fick said .
"The US commitment to the F-35 is strong," the statement said.
"Our services are deliberately examining their future force structure; the F-35 remains a key feature in every one of those discussions.
"To respect that dependency, we remain laser-focused on continuing to enhance the capability, affordability and availability of the F-35. With the help of partners and customers, I have no doubt we will succeed."
@sequ @Strangelove bro looking back Turkey did the right decision in purchasing the S400 and do its own fifth generation fighter.
One of more than a dozen buyers of the F-35, Australia has well and truly bought into the excitement surrounding the fifth-generation combat jet.
Key points:
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison even took to the cockpit of one in a hangar at Williamtown Air Force Base near Newcastle, as the song Danger Zone from the Hollywood blockbuster Top Gun played in the background.
- In 2002, the Howard Government committed to buying up to 100 F-35 fighter jets when they were still being designed
- In the US, enthusiasm for the jet is waning among some politicians as the program's costs soar
- According to the US Defence spending watchdog, the F-35 has 883 unresolved design flaws and the Pentagon is currently reviewing the project
But in the United States, enthusiasm for the jet is waning among some politicians as the program's costs soar.
With a current whole of life cost estimate of $2.3 trillion (US$1.7 trillion), the chair of the Armed Services Committee Democrat Adam Smith said in March he wanted to stop throwing money down "that particular rat hole".
Former US Marine Corps captain Dan Grazier believed the line of critics was growing longer, as the combat jet failed to deliver on promised capabilities.
"The F-35 program right now is certainly a program in trouble," Mr Grazier said.
"The last acting Secretary of Defence under the Trump administration, in a kind of parting shot in his final week … he essentially called the F-35 a piece of shit."
Opinions divided over the F-35s
Pushed by the US Government and defence heavyweight Lockheed Martin, the F-35s were in the design phase when Australia committed in 2002 to buy up to 100 of them. The cost was estimated at $16 billion.
Mr Grazier has been watching the F-35 program for years as a Military Fellow for US Defence spending watchdog, the Project on Government Oversight. He said the combat jet currently had almost 900 design flaws, with seven considered critical.
He wanted production halted until all major problems were fixed.
The Australian Air Force owns 41 jets, with 37 based at the Williamtown base.
Former US Marine Corps captain Dan Grazier said the F-35 had almost 900 design flaws, with seven considered critical.(
Flickr: US Air Force / Airman 1st Class Connor J Marth
)
"The F-35 is not ready for war," Mr Grazier told 7.30.
"It's a struggle for the maintenance crews to keep the F-35 in a fully mission-capable state where it is ready to go."
But retired US Air Force combat veteran David Deptula said the F-35s had been unfairly maligned throughout their 20-year history.
"Unfortunately, there's been an over-focus on cost as opposed to the real measure of merit, and that's value – value in the context of cost-effectiveness," he said.
"A handful of F-35s can accomplish the same mission objectives, or desired effects, as it might take 12, 15, 20, 25 or more other aircraft.
"It's already participated in combat in Afghanistan, with both the United States Marine Corps as well as the United States Air Force.
"The proof is really in the pudding when it comes to performance, and that is not listening to what some budget analyst in Washington [has to say] … but the man or woman who's been piloting the F-35.
Issues over part shortages
But there have been headaches.
The US Air Force is in the process of replacing a crucial computer system that transmits F-35 health and maintenance information back to Lockheed Martin.
Then in April, the US government's accountability office told an inquiry that at current trends one in eight F-35s could be grounded because of a shortage of engines by 2024. It said that would grow to 40 per cent of jets grounded by 2030, if the repair backlog didn't improve.
During a Senate Estimates hearing in June, Air Vice-Marshal Gregory Hoffmann conceded spare parts were also an issue for Australia's jets.
"Some of the parts fail for the first time for reasons we need to explore," he told Estimates.
"For the engines, it's a coating problem on some of the blades that the US is experiencing. It takes time to get those through the shop and fix them."
Under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, 7.30 has learned that as well as engine issues, other problems on the F-35s include air leaking into the canopy, oil leaks in the auxiliary power unit and de-lamination of a wing flap.
7.30 also sought details under FOI of the cost per flying hour for the F-35, but the Defence Department stated producing this information would unreasonably divert resources from its operations.
Mr Grazier said the cost per flight hour in the United States was around $36,000.
In a statement, the department said the F-35 project was delivering to the "2014 government approved budget and schedule" and was the best fit multi-role fighter for Australia.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton declined to be interviewed.
In the US, the cost per flight hour for the F-35s is around $36,000.(Reuters: Tom Reynolds)
In February this year, 7.30 made a request to the Defence Department to film the F-35 in action and speak to a pilot at the Williamtown Air Force Base. The request was approved, with Air Force stating it was excited at the prospect of participating and that a senior Air Force Officer would also be available for interview.
But in June, with no explanation, 7.30 was told the filming opportunity would not go ahead.
Documents obtained under FOI show the request was approved by the previous Defence Minister's Office, but when Peter Dutton was appointed to the portfolio in March, additional information about 7.30's request was sought.
Air Force provided a media preparation document with a view of "obtaining approval to proceed from Minister Dutton". The document contained information about 7.30's journalist, analysis of general media coverage of the F-35 and a suggestion that Air Force participate to ensure "Defence messaging surrounding the F-35A is given best treatment".
In a following email, Air Force media was instructed to tell 7.30 that Defence was now unable to participate and to express regret for any inconvenience.
The future of modern warfare
Malcolm Davis from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said amid the current debate, Australia should look at whether it needed 100 of the combat jets.
He said the government should consider purchasing a long-range bomber in response to the changing strategic landscape.
"In the early 2000s, really, China was not a threat that it is now," he said.
"When you look at modern warfare you have to think in terms of initially un-refuelled combat radius … and for the F-35 that's a little over 1,000 kilometres, so that's not a huge range."
David Deptula, now dean at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the US, said Australia had made the right decision to purchase the sophisticated combat jet.
"There are developmental issues that come up because it is a very high technology advanced aircraft. Over time, these issues are resolved.
"I certainly don't see the program under any threat of cancellation anytime soon."
Next week, Defence Minister Peter Dutton will travel to the United States to reportedly push for collaboration between the two countries on new long-range missile and unmanned drone technologies.
In a statement, the US F-35 Program executive officer Lieutenant General Eric Fick said .
"The US commitment to the F-35 is strong," the statement said.
"Our services are deliberately examining their future force structure; the F-35 remains a key feature in every one of those discussions.
"To respect that dependency, we remain laser-focused on continuing to enhance the capability, affordability and availability of the F-35. With the help of partners and customers, I have no doubt we will succeed."
I don't agree. The F-35 gives the TurAF tremendous capability, even if it is for the relatively short period until the MIUS and TF-X reach FOC. Like it states in the article, the F-35 brings huge capabilities (against non 5th gen fighters).
12-24 F-35B's for the Turkish navy and 24-48 F-35A's for the air force would be enough for Turkey to bridge the gap till indigenous products come online in the second half of this decade and early next decade.
It will take till 2025 when enough F-16's are upgraded with AESA radar and ramjet BVR missiles to even out the equation against Greece and Egypt. But Turkey needs and/or wants aerial dominance and that is only achievable with 5th gen platforms.