F-35 Export

[Ayoshi]

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program is an Internationally oriented program consisting of partnerships with a number of countries. See below for links to the transcripts of the signing ceremonies of the official partnership of each of the programs cooperating partners

http://www.jsf.mil/program/prog_intl.htm

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End-of-year F-35 contracts and milestones announced | IHS Jane's 360 - 21 December 2015

Two contracts valued at USD1.17 billion and USD84.4 million were awarded for low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 11 long-lead items and LRIP 9 special tooling and special test equipment respectively.

For the LRIP Lot 11 award, Lockheed Martin is to acquire long-lead items for 80 F-35A aircraft (28 for the US Air Force [USAF]; 6 for the Royal Norwegian Air Force [RoNAF]; 4 for the Turkish Air Force [TuAF]; 8 for the Royal Netherlands Air Force [RNLAF]; 8 for the Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF]; 10 for the Israeli Air force [IAF]; 6 for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force [JASDF]; and 10 for the Republic of Korea Air Force [RoKAF]); 7 F-35B aircraft (6 for the US Marine Corps [USMC]; and 1 for the UK Royal Air Force [RAF]/Royal Navy [RN]); and 4 F-35C aircraft for the US Navy (USN).

This contract also includes an undefinitised contract action for production of 2 F-35A aircraft for the USAF and one F-35C aircraft for the US, and is expected to be completed in December 2019.

[Ayoshi]

Two Italian pilots fly for the first time in the F-35 jet from Luke Air Force Base | The Aviationist

Interestingly, one Italian flew his mission in an Australian F-35A whereas the other one flew in a U.S. F-35 assigned to 56th FW. They were supported by Australian, USAF and Lockheed Martin ground crew and two IPs (Instructor Pilots) from the 61st Fighter Squadron flew alongside the Italians, chasing them through their first flight.

First Italian F-35 flight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHm9roy62B4

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UK announces F-35 infrastructure contracts | IHS Jane's 360 - 7 April 2016

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded Lockheed Martin GBP142 million (USD200 million) for the building of new infrastructure at the future home base of the UK's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike fighter (JSF) force.

The contract, announced on 7 April, will see three facilities built at Royal Air Force (RAF) Marham in Norfolk to support the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B to be fielded by the RAF and Royal Navy (RN).

Lockheed Martin has sub-contracted GBP118 million to BAE Systems to manage the building work by construction firm Balfour Beatty, with a Logistic Operations Centre, an Integrated Training Centre, and a Maintenance and Final Finishes Building to be erected. The work will begin later this month and is scheduled to be completed in 2018, to coincide with the arrival of the 617 'Dambusters' Squadron and the first aircraft at the station.

Work on the new facilities is to begin later this month, and be complete in time for the arrival of the first aircraft at RAF Marham in 2018. Source: BAE Systems

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Lockheed Martin readies Japan's first F-35A for September roll-out, advances international programmes
IHS Jane's 360 - 25 April 2016

Japan's first conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, designated aircraft AX-1, is on track for roll-out on 29 September, IHS Jane's has learnt during a tour of Lockheed Martin's F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, where the first four aircraft destined for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) are being assembled.

AX-1 will then undergo a series of tests before being delivered on a yet to be determined date to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona - which has been selected as the primary training centre for US and international operators of the F-35A variant - to support training of the first cadre of JASDF pilots for the type.

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Farnborough 2016: Israeli industry waits on MoD for F-35 weapons decision | IHS Jane's 360 - 13 July 2016

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has yet to decide which, if any, domestic weapon systems are to be integrated onto its Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, despite initial operating capability (IOC) for the type being just months away, IHS Jane's has learned.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow on 13 July, an official who requested not to be identified due to inter-governmental sensitivities over the issue, said that Israeli weapons manufacturers are in something of 'a holding pattern' as they await direction from the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) as to how it wishes to proceed.

Despite the first aircraft having already been handed over, Israel has still to decide which, if any, domestic weapon systems it wishes to integrate onto the aircraft. Source: Lockheed Martin

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JASDF releases images of first F-35 | IHS Jane's 360 - 15 August 2016

The images, released by the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) on 14 August, show aircraft 69-8701 (also designated AX-1) in its completed state ahead of flight tests and delivery to the international training fleet at Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, in the coming weeks. Four aircraft for the JASDF are currently being built at Fort Worth.

Japan has committed itself to buying 28 F-35As over the next five-years (6 of the aircraft are under contract), and has a total requirement of 42 to replace its ageing Mitsubishi-McDonnell Douglas F-4J Kai (Phantom II) aircraft, which have been in service since the early 1970s.

The first F-35 for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is seen at the Fort Worth production facility ahead of the commencement of flight trials and delivery. Source: Japan Air Self-Defense Force

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First Japanese F-35A presented at rollout ceremony | IHS Jane's 360 - 23 September 2016

The ceremony was attended by more than 400 government, military, and industry officials, according to Lockheed Martin. Kenji Wakamiya, Japan's State minister of defence, said that the multirole fighter would augment Japan's security and its economy once production and depot maintenance ramps up at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Lockheed Martin


Gen. Yoshiyuki Sugiyama, Japan Air Self Defense Force Chief of Air Staff, address the ceremony audience as Japan’s first F-35A aircraft is revealed at the Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 23. Lockheed Martin photo by Beth Steel.

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Singapore Eyes F-35 for 2030 Time Frame | Defense news - October 3, 2016

Singapore has long been linked to the F-35 program, and in February 2015 Joint Program Office head Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan said he believed the country has “begun to take the next step toward making a decision.”

But since then, there has been little visible movement from Singapore towards procuring the jet. It is also unclear what variant of the jet the country might eventually seek to buy.

[Ayoshi]

Turkey expects first F-35 delivery in 2018, plans more orders | reuters - Oct 28, 2016

Turkey expects to take delivery of its first Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-35A fighter jets in 2018 and has decided to order a second batch, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries said on Friday.

It did not say how many more of the fighter jets it planned to order but two U.S. officials familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the second batch would comprise 24 jets.

The Undersecretariat said it expected the new orders to be delivered in 2021 and 2022. Its statement was released after a meeting of its executive committee chaired by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

Lockheed is building three variants of the F-35 for the U.S. military and 10 countries that plan to buy the jets: Britain, Australia, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Israel, Japan and South Korea.

A Lockheed representative said the company is "honored" by Turkey’s continued commitment to the F-35 program which was further demonstrated by the decision by the DIEC today.

[Ayoshi]

Turkey to Order New F-35 Lightning II Jets | defense news - October 31, 2016

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s top defense procurement panel has agreed to officially order a second batch of F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft under the multinational Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.

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Under the JSF program, Turkey has committed to procure a total of 116 aircraft. Turkey placed its first JSF order in 2014 under its low-rate initial production 10 program.

Turkey’s procurement and military officials are hoping to build a new-generation, dual-fighter jet fleet by their country’s centennial, 2023, comprising of the F-35 and an indigenous aircraft, known as TFX, that Ankara has been designing. Turkey hopes to receive its first F-35 in 2018.

[Ayoshi]

DoD finalises LRIP 9 contract for F-35 | IHS Jane's 360 - 03 November 2016

The contract, which was announced by the Joint Program Office (JPO) on 2 November, will cover 57 aircraft (42 F-35As, 13 F-35Bs, and 2 F-35Cs) and is valued at approximately USD6.1 billion. LRIP 9 aircraft deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2017.

As noted by the JPO, the LRIP 9 contract sees a 3.7% reduction (weighted average) from the LRIP 8 contract signed in December 2014, and an overall 58% price reduction since the LRIP 1 contract. The Blueprint for Affordability effort has also resulted in per unit cost reductions of approximately USD1.1 million for LRIP 9 aircraft.

This finalised LRIP 9 contract does not include engines, as a separate agreement was finalised between the US government and Pratt & Whitney in April. That agreement saw the DoD agree USD1.4 billion for 66 engines, plus spares.

[Ayoshi]

Israel orders 17 more F-35A stealth fighters jets | air recognition - 28 November 2016

Israel will buy 17 more F-35A stealth fighter jets yesterday, after a vote of approval yesterday, Nov. 27, by the country's Security Cabinet. This additionnal batch of "Adir" fighters will bring up Israel Air Force to a total of 50 F-35A by the end of 2030. These fighters are to be purchased with the military foreign aid received from the U.S through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2016.

srael's F-35A Adir performing its maiden flight on July 25 (Credit: Lockheed Martin)

[Ayoshi]

JASDF receives first F-35 at Luke AFB | IHS Jane's 360 - 02 December 2016

The arrival of aircraft 69-8701 (also designated AX-1) at the 944th Fighter Wing (FW) marks a significant milestone in the JASDF's F-35A programme to replace its ageing Mitsubishi-McDonnell Douglas F-4J Kai (Phantom II) aircraft that have been in service since the early 1970s.

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Japan has committed itself to buying 28 F-35As over the next five years (six of which are under contract), and has a total requirement of 42 aircraft. After the fleet begins arriving in-country in fiscal year 2017, it will initially be based at Misawa. The initial operating unit is expected to be either 301 or 302 Squadron.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force maintainers pose for a photo on 28 November to mark the arrival of the first Japanese F-35A at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Source: US Air Force

[Ayoshi]

Italy has become the first country to operate the F-35 outside of the U.S. | The Aviationist - Dec 15 2016

On Dec. 12, whilst several Israeli and international media outlets focused on the delivery of the first F-35I “Adir” to Nevatim airbase (delayed by some 6 hours because of fog) highlighting how Israel had just become “the first country after the US” to get the new plane, far from the spotlight, the 13° Gruppo (Squadron) of the 32° Stormo (Wing) of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force, ItAF) received its first two F-35A Lightning II, becoming the very first country to take delivery of the 5th generation stealth jet outside of the U.S.

Noteworthy, the delivery flight was carried out by two Italian military pilots (the Israeli planes were flown by Lockheed Martin pilots) who flew their two JSFs (Joint Strike Fighters) to Amendola, where the aircraft landed in the early afternoon on Monday.

Indeed, whereas the arrival of the first Israeli or Dutch F-35s got a significant media coverage (with constant updates, live streaming on social media, etc.), the Italian Air Force has kept a very “low profile” about its achievements with the F-35 so far.

[Ayoshi]

U.S. Marine F-35Bs Will Operate From Royal Navy Queen Elizabeth Carrier in 2021 | Navy Recognition - 20 December 2016

On the margins of the ministerial meeting, Sir Michael also deepened UK and US defence cooperation by signing an agreement with US Defense Secretary Ash Carter to allow US Marine Corps F-35B aircraft to fly from the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth class carrier. Planning will be advanced to allow US jets to deploy alongside our own Lightning aircraft in HMS Queen Elizabeth during her planned first operational deployment in 2021.

[Ayoshi]

Lockheed Martin delivers 200th F-35 fighter | IHS Jane's 360  - 12 January 2017

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme passed a milestone in early 2017 with the delivery of the 200th aircraft, it was announced on 12 January.

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Under the official programme-of-record, Australia has a requirement for 100 F-35As; Canada for 65 F-35As (subject to a relaunched procurement process); Denmark for 30 F-35As; Israel for 33 F-35As; Italy for 60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs; Japan for 42 F-35As; the Netherlands for 37 F-35As; Norway for 52 F-35As; the Republic of Korea for 40 FMS F-35As; Turkey for 100 F-35As; the United Kingdom for 138 F-35Bs; the US Air Force (USAF) for 1,763 F-35As; the US Marine Corps for 353 F-35Bs and 67 F-35Cs; and the US Navy for 260 F-35Cs.

The latest contract announcement for Lot 10 production, awarded in November 2016, was valued at USD7.2 billion for 90 aircraft. When long-lead contracts are considered also, the approximate unit cost for a Lot 10 aircraft (excluding engines) is USD91.4 million (averaged across the three different variants). Lockheed Martin is aiming to get the unit cost of the F-35A (the cheapest variant) down to USD80-85 million by 2019 under the Blueprint for Affordability effort.

[Ayoshi]

Avalon 2017: F-35 makes Australian debut | IHS Jane's 360 - 28 February 2017

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is showcasing its Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) on home soil for the first time at the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition 2017 running from 28 February to 5 March.

AU-1 is one of two RAAF F-35As that will make their home debut during the Avalon Air Show 2017, making the round trip to Melbourne from their current home station of Luke Air Force Base in the United States. (Lockheed Martin)

[Ayoshi]

Lockheed reaches milestone with first Italian-built F-35B STOVL fighter | Air Recognition - 07 May 2017

The Italian FACO is owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense and is operated by Leonardo in conjunction with Lockheed Martin with a current workforce of more than 800 skilled personnel engaged in full assembly of the Conventional Take-off/Landing F-35A and F-35B aircraft variants and F-35A wing production.

Gen. Claudio Graziano, Italian chief of defense, Gen. Carlo Magrassi, secretary general of defense/director of National Armament, Adm. Mathias Winter, deputy program executive officer at the F-35 Joint Program Office, Filippo Bagnato, Leonardo Aircraft Division's Managing Director, and Doug Wilhelm, Lockheed Martin F-35 Program Management vice president, spoke at the milestone event.

The first F-35B built at the Cameri, Italy, Final Assembly & Check-Out (FACO) facility rolls out May 5
(Credit: Aeronautica Militare)

[Ayoshi]

Germany requests classified data from US military on F-35 fighter jet | Defense news - May 17, 2017

Germany, which is preparing to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets, has not authorized a procurement plan, nor has it committed to a specific platform to replace its fourth-generation warplanes. The letter noted that the Defence Ministry would hold "an in-depth evaluation of market available solutions, including the F-35, later this year."

Germany may be aiming to bolster its hand in negotiations with its European partners over the development of the next generation of European warplanes. Despite the potential resistance by labor unions if Germany were to purchase the American-made fighters, military sources say buying the F-35 could make sense for Germany given both steady declines in the cost of the U.S. jet and technical challenges with the Eurofighter aircraft.

Key NATO allies of Germany — Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and Italy — are already purchasing the F-35 to replace their own dated fleets, and other European countries are also reportedly considering purchasing the F-35.

[mamiyapis]

It's too little too late for a European stealth fighter, even if Germany presses the issue. Best bet for the country is to copy what everyone else in the region is doing and buy F-35A to replace their older light fighters. Given economies of scale and NATO interoperability, it only makes even more sense.

Though if they really wanted to Germany could probably back the Saab-BAE-Turkish TFX effort and build a "European" stealth fighter, especially given the amount of European hardware that looks set to enter the design, like the EJ200 engines.

[Ayoshi]

Japan rolls out first domestically built F-35 | IHS Jane's 360 - 05 June 2017

The conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A for the Japan Air Self-Defense force (JASDF) was unveiled at the site of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) F-35 Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility in Nagoya in central Japan.

Japan is one of only two F-35 customers outside of the United States to have a FACO production facility, with Italy being the other. The JASDF is to receive 42 F-35As, of which 38 will be built by MHI at its FACO (the first four aircraft are being built by Lockheed Martin at its Fort Worth facility in Texas). Designated AX-5, work on this first Japanese-produced aircraft began in December 2015.

As well as assembling F-35As, the FACO will also provide maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade services to F-35s based in the North Asia-Pacific region from about 2018. Source: Lockheed Martin