Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

The 'Magic' Behind Radar-Absorbing Materials For Stealthy Aircraft

But during development, something happened. First, program officials began hinting the F-35 might be stealthier than the F-22; hard to believe, given its less-disciplined shape. Then officials started referring to a material secret, a “conductive layer . . . where the magic happens.” In May of 2010, Tom Burbage, then executive vice president for the F-35 program, disclosed the incorporation of “fiber mat” technology, describing it as the “biggest technical breakthrough we’ve had on this program.”

The fiber mat would replace many RAM appliques by being cured into the composite skin, making it durable. Burbage further specified the mat featured a “non-directional weave”— which would ensure EM properties do not vary with angle. Baked into the skin, this layer could vary in thickness as necessary. Lockheed declined to provide further details, citing classification. Without further evidence, fiber mat would imply use of fibers, rather than particles, which would make for stronger surfaces and the word “conductive” points to carbon-based RAM.

But only a month before Burbage’s disclosure, Lockheed filed a patent claiming the first method of producing a durable RAM panel. The patent details a method for growing carbon nanotubes (CNT) on any kind of fiber—glass, carbon, ceramic or metal—with unprecedented precision in control of length, density, number of walls, connectivity and even orientation. The CNT-infused fibers can absorb or reflect radar, and connectivity among the CNTs provides pathways for induced currents.

Significantly, the CNTs can be impregnated with iron or ferrite nanoparticles. Fibers can have differing CNT densities along their lengths and homogenous fibers can be layered or mixed. The embodiments described include front layers with impedance matching air, use of quarter-wavelength depths for cancellation, stepped or continuous CNT-density gradients and continuously varying densities at specific depths for broadband absorption. The fibers can be disposed with “random orientation” in materials including “a woven fabric, a non-woven fiber mat and a fiber ply.”

The patent claims composites with CNT-infused fibers are capable of absorbing EM waves from 0.1 MHz to 60 GHz, a bandwidth unheard of in commercial absorbers, with particular effectiveness in L- through K-band. The patent does not quantify the absorptivity, but does say the panels would be “nearly a black body across . . . various radar bands.” Also, interestingly, a layer can be composed so an attached computer can read the induced currents in the fibers, making the layer a radar receiver.

While the patent mentions stealth aircraft, it does not mention the F-35 specifically, and the manufacturing readiness level of the material at the time it was granted is not known. But the proximity in timing and technology of the filing to the “fiber mat” disclosure is hard to ignore. Asked to comment on whether CNT-infused fiber RAM is in use on the F-35 and whether it is the technology to which Burbage had referred, Lockheed Martin spokesman Mike Rein stated only, “We have nothing to add to what was outlined in the patent submittal.”
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Just saw this F-35B video on YouTube. It's about the first ever hot load training.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxUAwLp9tM8
 
F-35 Lightning II Testing Begins on USS America

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=97428
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjTpqF22Ous

5th Generation Air Combat
 
http://www.wsj.com/articles/lockheed-pentagon-battle-over-f-35-price-1478264213

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/11/07/marine-corps-f35-caught-fire-training-flight.html
 
Someone want to win the annual Aviation Week photo award get a picture of the hovering F-35B with the rainbow in the mist beside her. :)
 
The establishing shot of the embarked V-22s, F-35Bs and AH-1s is so surreal I thought it was CGI.
 
marauder2048 said:
The establishing shot of the embarked V-22s, F-35Bs and AH-1s is so surreal I thought it was CGI.
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This shot is a close second:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRtcBz6CeNI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nepyeuFTI
 

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Lockheed has been awarded a $1.3 billion UCA for LRIP 10 production:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-23/pentagon-advances-1-3-billion-to-lockheed-for-biggest-f-35-job

Meanwhile, they've also been allocated $7.19 billion for the entirety of Block 10 / for 90 F-35 airframes. As far as I understand it, the other ~$3 billion (which would cover support equipment, ALIS systems, spares, etc) of the ~$10 billion total LRIP 10 contract is still under negotiation:
http://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1012500
 
The contract announcement is not the final negotiation, it's only the "main" contract that get's the ball rolling.

Every lot has one and Lot9 had one in Nov of 2015 so it makes since that Lot10 has it a year later in Nov of 2016.

http://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/627545 (5.3 billon)
 
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a23965/x-ray-vision-helmet-for-air-force-pilots/

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/israel-to-acquire-17-additional-f-35s
 
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http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2016/11/glimpse-how-f-35-will-help-marines-storm-beach/133500/?oref=DefenseOneFB
 
From the NDAA -

REPORT ON ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES FOR THE F–35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER PROGRAM.

IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 31, 2017,
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional
defense committees a report on potential alternative management structures for the F–35 joint strike fighter program.

(b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a)
shall include the following:
(1) An analysis of potential alternative management structures for the F–35 joint strike fighter program, including

(A) continuation of the joint program office for the program;
(B ) the establishment of separate program offices for the program in the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy;
(C) the establishment of separate program offices for each variant of the F–35A, F–35B, and F–35C;
(D) division of responsibilities for the program between a joint program office and the military departments; and
(E) such other alternative management structures as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(2) An evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of each alternative management structure analyzed in the report with respect to—
(A) cost;
(B ) alignment of responsibility and accountability; and
(C) the adequacy of representation from
military departments and program partners.
(c) FORM.—The report under subsection (a) shall be
24 submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
 
Amazing videos. Can't help but thinking that the fan door would make for one hell of an aerobrake.
 
First Two Israeli F-35As Arrive At Lajes

The first two Lockheed F-35As for the Israeli Air Force arrived at Lajes Air Base in the Azores on December 06, 2016.
The aircraft wore serials 901 "Retro11" and 902 "Retro12" and were supported by US Air Force KC-135R 64-14836 "Blue71".
A total of 33 aircraft are currently on order for the Israeli Air Force and a unit has already been established at Luke Air Force Base to train pilots and maintenance crews. The aircraft will be known as the F-35I Adir in Israeli service.
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901-777x437.jpg
 
Twitter post, the program is "out of control"


https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/808301935728230404
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/12/donald-trump-pledges-cut-military-budget-criticising-control/
 
Found this very comforting-
Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne 13.12.2016:
'The JSF is far away from delivery!'

:eek:
:mad:

Regards
Pioneer
 
Pioneer said:
Found this very comforting-
Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne 13.12.2016:
'The JSF is far away from delivery!'

:eek:
:mad:

Regards
Pioneer
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What he actually said was:

"Asked if he was worried that Mr Trump might cut the project in part or in whole to save money, Mr Pyne said the JSF was "a very far way down the road in terms of delivery…
Obviously a great deal of money has been invested in it."

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/were-sticking-with-joint-strike-fighter-despite-donald-trumps-attack-says-christopher-pyne-20161212-gt9nwr.html
 
http://breakingdefense.com/2016/12/mr-trump-we-need-f-35s-produced-faster-not-fewer/
 
US F35 fighters to deploy from Royal Navy aircraft carrier

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38336101
 
http://breakingdefense.com/2016/12/33483/

LRIP 9 flyaway costs (including the engine) have been released; the F-35A is sitting at $102.1 million now (down from $108m in LRIP 8), with LRIP 10 expected to put the F-35A at around $95 million in a few months.
 
the text itself doesn't mention flyaway or engines. is there a line which explicitly says so? people in the comments are arguing about it but is there an article quoting lrip 9 flyaway price with engines?
 
Not for LRIP 9, but for LRIP 8 there's an article from last year stating that an LRIP 8 F-35A with an engine was $108 million (rounded to the nearest million).

Those figures Include engines, profit for contractors and adjusts for inflation.
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The LRIP 9 article states that according to the JPO, the F-35A's cost of $102.1 million is down 5.5% from LRIP 8, which correlates with the $108 million figure.

Besides, as far as just the airframe goes, the F-35A airframe in LRIP 8 was $94.8 million.
 

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