F-35 Lightning II

[Ayoshi]

Pentagon kicks off intensive F-35 cost review | Airforce Times

Washington — The U.S. Defense Department’s deep dive into the F-35’s cost is officially underway, as a team of Pentagon officials works their way through the massive supply chain of the joint strike fighter, a top official said Monday.

The Pentagon knows how much it’s paying for the F-35, but the deep dive will help officials understand the true cost of the jet and why, as well as what can be done to whittle down the price tag even further, said Shay Assad, the department’s director of defense pricing.

Over the next several weeks, the assessment team will meet with the three major contractors on the F-35 — prime contractor Lockheed Martin, as well as BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman, which make major portions of the fuselage — and lay out the parameters of the review.

[Ayoshi]

USAF F-35As Deploy to Japan For Pacific Command Theater Security Program Ahead Of Trump’s Asia Trip | The Aviationist - Nov 02 2017

In what appears to be a continuation of U.S. preparedness in the Asian theater amidst tensions with North Korea, the U.S. Air Force has deployed the first two of twelve F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighters to Kadena Air Base in the Okinawa prefecture of Japan.
The F-35As deployed to Kadena are from the 34th Fighter Squadron, the “Rude Rams” of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah. The twelve F-35As will be supported by 300 Airmen from Hill AFB also deployed to Kadena. They are currently scheduled to remain in the region for six months according to the USAF.

An F-35 Lightning II, from Hill Air Force Base Utah, prepares for take-off at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oct. 13, 2017. The aircraft was on its way to the 2017 Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition in South Korea. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman)

[adroth]

From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvbUyc49MWY

[Ayoshi]

USAF commences Pacific deployment of F-35 | Janes - 22 November 2017

Twelve aircraft and more than 300 personnel from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings (FWs) based at Hill Air Force Base (AFB) in Utah have now begun Theater Security Package (TSP) operations out of Kadena Air Base (AB).

The deployment which began earlier in November will see the F-35As operate alongside USAF Boeing F-15C Eagle fighters from the 18th FW that are co-located at Kadena AB. For the next six months, the TSP will provide reassurance to regional allies that will primarily take the form of joint training missions.

A US Air Force F-35A Lightning II from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, taxis for take-off on 16 November at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The F-35A is being deployed under USPACOM’s Theater Security Package (TSP) to the Pacific. Source: US Air Force

[Ayoshi]

F-35 test pilots complete Weapons Delivery Accuracy flight trials | Air Recognition - 21 December 2017

Testers from the 461st Flight Test Squadron and F-35 Integrated Test Force completed a major test milestone bringing the F-35 Lightning II’s full combat capabilities closer to the battlefield, said the US Air Force 412th Test Wing Public Affairs on December 20, 2017.

Weapons Delivery Accuracy flight tests began in July 2013 and wrapped up earlier this month. The WDA portion of the F-35 developmental test and evaluation mission ensures the fifth-generation fighter’s weapons system can deliver lethal ordnance both air-to-air and air-to-ground using the jet’s warfighting Block 3F software.

The ITF used all three F-35 variants and delivered air-to-air missiles including AIM-120s, the AIM-9X and the United Kingdom’s advanced short range air-to-air missile. The WDA tests also confirmed air-to-ground delivery of the Paveway IV laser-guided bomb, GBU-39 small diameter bomb, GBU-12, GBU-31 joint direct attack munition and the AGM-154 joint standoff weapon.

An Edwards Air Force Base F-35A Lightning II fires an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile as part of Weapons Delivery Accuracy testing (Credit: Chad Bellay/Lockheed Martin)

[Ayoshi]

USMC continues expeditionary roll-out of F-35B with first sloped landings | Janes - 25 January 2018

Aircraft and personnel from the F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (ITF) performed vertical landing trials of an F-35B on a specially constructed sloped surface at Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, North Carolina, on 16 January.

As noted by the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the trials were focused on simulating expeditionary conditions as the programme moves towards its initial operational test and evaluation phase.

An F-35B performs a vertical landing on a sloped surface as part of a wider US Marine Corps effort to develop the expeditionary capabilities of the platform. Source: Lockheed Martin

[adroth]

USMC continues expeditionary roll-out of F-35B with first sloped landings
Gareth Jennings, London - Jane's Defence Weekly
25 January 2018

http://www.janes.com/article/77337/usmc-continues-expeditionary-roll-out-of-f-35b-with-first-sloped-landings?utm_campaign=PC6110_E18%20DF%20NL%20Airforces%2030_01_18&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua
   
The US Marine Corps (USMC) is continuing to develop the tactical operating capabilities of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), with the first sloped-surface landing announced on 22 January.

Aircraft and personnel from the F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (ITF) performed vertical landing trials of an F-35B on a specially constructed sloped surface at Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, North Carolina, on 16 January.

As noted by the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the trials were focused on simulating expeditionary conditions as the programme moves towards its initial operational test and evaluation phase.

< Edited >

The Paxuxent River ITF will analyse nearly 200 data test points to assess how well the F-35B operates on varying slopes, the impacts of head and tailwinds, and the effect of aft centre of gravity in conjunction with ground slopes.

[Ayoshi]

F-35 completes developmental flight testing | Janes - 12 April 2018

As noted by Lockheed Martin, since aircraft AA-1 took to the skies for the first time in December 2006 the F-35 flight test programme has conducted more than 9,200 sorties spanning over 17,000 hours. During this time, it has executed more than 65,000 test points to verify the design, durability, software, sensors, weapons capability, and performance for all three F-35 variants. The test team has conducted six at-sea detachments and performed more than 1,500 vertical landing tests on the F-35B variant. In total, the developmental flight test team completed 183 weapon separation tests; 46 weapons delivery accuracy tests; and 33 mission effectiveness tests, which included numerous multi-ship missions of up to eight F-35s against advanced threats.

The final SDD flight occurred on 11 April at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. During the flight, US Navy F-35C test aircraft CF-2 completed a mission to collect loads data while carrying external 2,000 lb GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

The final SDD-phase test flight, pictured, involved a US Navy F-35C collecting loads data. SDD will continue through to a full-rate production decision. Source: Lockheed Martin

[Ayoshi]

Pentagon awards contract to Lockheed Martin for F-35 fleet support | Air Recognition - 01 May 2018

More than 280 F-35 aircraft have been delivered and are now operating from 15 bases around the globe. More than 580 pilots and 5,600 maintainers have been trained and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 130,000 cumulative flight hours.

The F-35 weapons system reliability continues to improve, and newer aircraft are averaging greater than 60 percent availability with some operational squadrons consistently at or above 70 percent availability.

[Ayoshi]

Pratt & Whitney is pitching a new version of the F-35 engine | Defense news

The new Growth Option 2.0 upgrade for the F135 engine, launched on Tuesday, adds a more advanced power and thermal management system that could be used to help the F-35 incorporate new weapons and sensors, the company said.

It also integrates a new compressor and turbine technologies that yield greater thrust and fuel savings, which were part of the Growth Option 1.0 concept unveiled in 2017.

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Pratt in 2017 tested an early version of the Growth Option 1.0 motor called the fuel burn reduction demonstrator engine, which demonstrated that the upgrade could improve thrust by up to 10 percent and reduce fuel consumption by up to 6 percent.

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Pratt has already begun testing some technologies from the Growth Option 2.0 suite in various rigs and demonstrators. Bromberg called the upgrades “relatively low risk” and said it could probably be proven out in a four-year technology demonstration program.

But he declined to talk about completed testing or to quantify the new power and cooling improvements, saying only that they were “significant.”

[adroth]

F-35 at Paris Air Show 2017

https://youtu.be/RHwfROk3CBc

[Ayoshi]

Joint Strike Missile enters final development phase | Janes - 22 June 2018

The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace Joint Strike Missile (JSM) has entered its final phase of development following the successful conclusion of its last qualification flight test (FTM-5) in March this year.

Pending a Final Design Review in June, development of the missile is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018, following which it will be prepared for integration, carriage, and release trials with the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF’s) F-35A Lightning II multirole stealth fighter.

FTM-5 was the culmination of a four-year flight test campaign to qualify the missile for integration with the RNoAF’s F-35A. In a first end-to-end flight test for the missile, a JSM equipped with a live warhead was launched from a legacy F-16C/D Fighting Falcon from the US Air Force’s 445th Flight Test Group against a ‘realistic’ land target at the Utah Test and Training Range in the United States.

[Ayoshi]

Lockheed Martin picks Harris for F-35’s next-generation computer processor | Janes - 30 September 2018

The ICP acts as the aircraft’s brains, processing data for communications, sensors, electronic warfare (EW), guidance and control, cockpit, and helmet displays, according to a joint Lockheed Martin-Harris statement. This new processor is a key element of the planned Technology Refresh 3 modernisation that takes advantage of fast evolving computing power to ensure the advanced F-35 remains ahead of developing threats.

Additional elements in the technology refresh include the Panoramic Cockpit Display Electronic Unit and Aircraft Memory System, which were also recompeted and awarded to Harris last year.

The new Integrated Core Processor (ICP) that Harris will provide for the F-35. (Harris)

[Ayoshi]

F-35 reaches lowest price per unit in program history | Air Recognition - 01 October 2018 12:09

For the eleventh consecutive year, the cost of an F-35A was lowered.  The F-35A unit price including aircraft, engine and fee, is $89.2 million. This represents a 5.4 percent reduction from the $94.3 million it cost for an F-35A in Low-Rate Initial Production Lot 10 (LRIP 10).

In LRIP 11, the F-35B unit cost was lowered to $115.5 million.  This represents a 5.7 percent reduction from the $122.4 million it cost for the short-takeoff and landing variant in LRIP 10. The F-35C unit cost was lowered to $107.7 million. This represents an 11.1 percent reduction from the $121.2 million it cost for the carrier variant in LRIP 10. The LRIP 11 agreement funds 91 aircraft for the U.S. Services, 28 for F-35 International Partners and 22 for F-35 Foreign Military Sales customers. Deliveries will begin in 2019.

F-35 Lightning II's from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, fly in formation during a training flight May 2, 2017
(Credit: U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Christine Groening)

[Ayoshi]

From: The Aviationist

388th and 419th Fighter Wing Have Just Staged The F-35’s First “Elephant Walk” With 35 Lightning II Aircraft At Hill AFB - November 19, 2018

This is the JSF’s first “Elephant Walk”.

According to the Hill Air Force Base FB page this is happening now: F-35A pilots from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wing prepare for takeoff as part of a combat power exercise happening now the airbase in Utah.

We can count as many as 35 F-35 Lightning II aircraft taxiing as part of what is usually dubbed an “Elephant Walk”.

Image credit: United States Air Force/Cynthia Griggs

Check Out These Cool Videos Of the Largest F-35 Formation Ever - November 22, 2018

35x F-35A from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wing staged the type’s first “Elephant Walk” at Hill Air Force Base on Nov. 19, 2018.

As already reported, such “Elephant Walk” exercises consist in a certain number of aircraft (not only attack or fighter jets, but also cargo or tankers) that taxi in close formation or in sequence right before a minimum interval takeoff and, depending on the purpose of the training event they then either take off or taxi back to the apron. During the first ever F-35 Elephant Walk stage at Hill AFB, Utah, the aircraft eventually took off, as the following videos show.

Here’s an interesting clip showing both the takeoff and the landings and taxi of the aircraft:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fd2pfvu4jQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69wlCPkkaCo