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

NMaude said:
If the bean-counters in HM's treasury hadn't been so tight-fisted I have no doubt that the RN's QE-class CVs would be equipped for CATOBAR operations and the they'd be equipped with F-35Cs (That could happen yet but it would take an expensive refit).
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Be cheaper to build a whole new carrier.
 
Scott Kenny said:
You're probably right, though IIRC all USN airframes have a lower G limit due to constantly hitting the carrier at 700fpm descent rate no flare. So it could be possible for a "never flown off a carrier" Charlie to regain the 9-gee limit of the Alpha if the engineer's math agrees.
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I thought the C had a lower G-limit because of the larger, segmented wings?

Bs also have reduced G-limits, and they're not doing hard landings, so that's also presumably from structural compromises?
 
Same thoughts here about the CFTs Big_Zukini, I do wish that in the future they are fitted to the F-35s that would be the easy way to extend the range for all the variants not just the short ranged F-35B.
 
Forest Green said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/2055578805515726857
View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/2055578805515726857?s=20
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It’s interesting that it’s a specific and relatively small number of upgrade kits, rather than something that’s notionally supposed to be retrofitted to the whole fleet like a lot of the block upgrades.

Could this be the lead-in to a dedicated EW configuration/variant of the F-35? Lockheed once suggested that the NGJ mid-band pod, the AN/ALQ-249, could be mounted on the F-35, and those are finally reaching IOC. Maybe we’re going to see a percentage of the fleet turned into Lightning Growlers? Especially if they end up with a significant C-UAS ability.
 
JS23 said:
It’s interesting that it’s a specific and relatively small number of upgrade kits, rather than something that’s notionally supposed to be retrofitted to the whole fleet like a lot of the block upgrades.

Could this be the lead-in to a dedicated EW configuration/variant of the F-35? Lockheed once suggested that the NGJ mid-band pod, the AN/ALQ-249, could be mounted on the F-35, and those are finally reaching IOC. Maybe we’re going to see a percentage of the fleet turned into Lightning Growlers? Especially if they end up with a significant C-UAS ability.
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I wouldn't read too much into this, especially re a fantasy dedicated EW version. More likely it is just a result of budget allocations and the like. There will probably be follow on orders.
 
I thought that the F-35 had a EW capability anyway because of the powerful radar that could jam radars without the need of any other specialist EW equipment on board? Or has that myth been well and truly busted?
 
FighterJock said:
I thought that the F-35 had a EW capability anyway because of the powerful radar that could jam radars without the need of any other specialist EW equipment on board? Or has that myth been well and truly busted?
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The F-35 does have a very capable onboard EW system already. This is in addition to the radar.
 
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FighterJock said:
I thought that the F-35 had a EW capability anyway because of the powerful radar that could jam radars without the need of any other specialist EW equipment on board? Or has that myth been well and truly busted?
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At the very least, that one is limited to front array angles and frequency band(high X).
Plus all the inconveniences of the main array (which is powered from aircraft power supply, which comes from the only engine, which will have to run at an appropriate generation level... blahblah)
 
JS23 said:
It’s interesting that it’s a specific and relatively small number of upgrade kits, rather than something that’s notionally supposed to be retrofitted to the whole fleet like a lot of the block upgrades.

Could this be the lead-in to a dedicated EW configuration/variant of the F-35? Lockheed once suggested that the NGJ mid-band pod, the AN/ALQ-249, could be mounted on the F-35, and those are finally reaching IOC. Maybe we’re going to see a percentage of the fleet turned into Lightning Growlers? Especially if they end up with a significant C-UAS ability.
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By the time they are done with these upgrades in 2032, the next upgrade will probably be ready.
 
JS23 said:
It’s interesting that it’s a specific and relatively small number of upgrade kits, rather than something that’s notionally supposed to be retrofitted to the whole fleet like a lot of the block upgrades.

Could this be the lead-in to a dedicated EW configuration/variant of the F-35? Lockheed once suggested that the NGJ mid-band pod, the AN/ALQ-249, could be mounted on the F-35, and those are finally reaching IOC. Maybe we’re going to see a percentage of the fleet turned into Lightning Growlers? Especially if they end up with a significant C-UAS ability.
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Like the recent announcement of the radar upgrade to older jets where they announced an initial batch of 14 jets and $133 million in funding with intent to fund 185 sets and $1.7 billion in total. This will be the same, funds will flow in year on year with further contract awards across the fleet.
 
CastleBravo said:
By the time they are done with these upgrades in 2032, the next upgrade will probably be ready.
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That's pretty close to how it is supposed to work. Continuously upgrading what systems you can. New sensors in DAS and EOTS, new cooling system packs, integrating new weapons...

Plane is introduced at one level, but EW system wasn't as good as desired. Good EW system wasn't ready when rest of plane was. So introduce plane with placeholder EW, continue development of good EW system and install that when ready.

This requires two important points. It requires an aircraft program manager willing to say "the plane is good enough with the interim EW system, but will require updating in 10 years or whenever the good EW system was ready". It also requires the EW program manager to say "the Good EW System is now good enough to deploy, we can't keep fiddling with it to make it "perfect" for 20 years and never get it into the planes!"
 
Please can anyone on here shed any light of how the Polish 'Husarz' coming along? As they must have a handful since rollout 2 years ago?

Only reason why I ask is saw this post on one of our FB groups

Good morning, everyone. In the next week likely between 20th and 21st of May Polish F-35A "HUSARZ" aircrafts are scheduled to be delivered from the USA to Poland. The jets will likely make a stopover at RAF Lakenheath. Could I ask you to post an update in this group once the Polish F-35A have arrived at RAF Lakenheath ? Please. I would be very grateful for your help
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My friends in the Poland, spotters and aviation enthusiasts are already eagerly awaiting this significant event for Polish Air Force
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Picture is from my friends in Polish Air Force.

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Surely they would keep a couple stateside to be training up new pilots at Ebbing ANGB, and not that quick to send them to Poland??

Have even the first cadre of Polish F-35 pilots graduated from the course?

cheers
 
RavenOne said:
Please can anyone on here shed any light of how the Polish 'Husarz' coming along? As they must have a handful since rollout 2 years ago?
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AZ-8 (3508), that first flew last year, was the last of the production aircraft to be delivered for training to Ebbing ANG base.

AZ-9 (3509), AZ-10 (3510), AZ-11 (3511) and AZ-12 (3512) all have had their first flights this year and I believe will eventually make their way to Poland in the coming weeks/months.

The first class of Polish F-35 pilots recently graduated from Ebbing Air National Guard Base on May 9th, marking a significant step forward and establishing the base as a premier training facility for international F-35 customers.
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https://www.f35.com/f35/news-and-fe...irst-Polish-F35-Pilots-Complete-Training.html

JS23 said:
It’s interesting that it’s a specific and relatively small number of upgrade kits, rather than something that’s notionally supposed to be retrofitted to the whole fleet like a lot of the block upgrades.
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I don't think the US services or partners and FMS customers were expected to order the entire set of upgrade kits over two fiscal years.

CastleBravo said:
By the time they are done with these upgrades in 2032, the next upgrade will probably be ready.
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That's the way it should be. Only wish this wasn't full block upgrade every 12-15 years. It needs to be 2-3x faster to keep pace with both the threat and what the service wants from a capabilities perspective.
 
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bring_it_on said:
AZ-8 (3508), that first flew last year, was the last of the production aircraft to be delivered for training to Ebbing ANG base.

AZ-9 (3509), AZ-10 (3510), AZ-11 (3511) and AZ-12 (3512) all have had their first flights this year and I believe will eventually make their way to Poland in the coming weeks/months.



https://www.f35.com/f35/news-and-fe...irst-Polish-F35-Pilots-Complete-Training.html


That's the way it should be. Only wish this wasn't full block upgrade every 12-15 years. It needs to be 2-3x faster to keep pace with both the threat and what the service wants from a capabilities perspective.
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Look how fast the F-4 went from A to S.
 
Big_Zukini said:
No, I wish.
Drop tanks.
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Both...apparently

Iran operation leaves US longing for Israeli F-35 upgrade (from July 8, 2025)
Israel’s F-35Is flew over Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Iraq without being detected, Maariv reported. They utilized two types of fuel tanks: a 425-gallon external fuel tank made by Israel’s Elbit Systems, which is suspended under the wings and ejected before entering enemy territory; and an 800-gallon conformal tank, developed in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin.
https://www.jns.org/israel-news/iran-operation-leaves-us-longing-for-israeli-f-35-upgrade
The latter is installed next to the fuselage without compromising its stealth profile.
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So:
2x 425-gallon external fuel under the wings
1x 800-gallon fuselage conformal tank (not sure above or bellow the fuselage)
 
Sferrin said:
Look how fast the F-4 went from A to S.
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Given that we are in year 25 of the JSF program, the effort is not going to be able to deliver these block cut-ins every 3-5 years which is probably what's needed. Swift delivery of capabilities will never be the defining characteristic of the program. The one positive is that after years of protecting this (which basically equated to rewarding underperformance at the JPO and LM contractor level) the services are eager to instead invest in alternatives. Whether that's increasing F-15EX buy now, or later in the next decade re-directing resources to F-47 or CCA buys if Lockheed continues to underperform. A few hundred aircraft worth of business lost for LM due to its underperformance.
 
Ozair said:
I don't believe that has ever been actually confirmed. I haven't seen any images and if those tank options already existed what value would there be in this new contract?
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I believe F-35s going on 1000 miles one way when its combat radius is has 750 miles is a solid clue.
The new tanks on order maybe a refined design of whatever they have been using secretly so far. For example, they could have better LO characteristics that don't require them to be dropped before the high risk portion of the mission.
 
lantinian said:
Both...apparently

Iran operation leaves US longing for Israeli F-35 upgrade (from July 8, 2025)

So:
2x 425-gallon external fuel under the wings
1x 800-gallon fuselage conformal tank (not sure above or bellow the fuselage)
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As you can see, the CFT is developed by IAI. And the EFT by Elbit's subsidiary Cyclone.
And indeed the contract is to Cyclone.

CFTs are purely speculative. For EFTs there is at least a contract.
 
Scott Kenny said:
I assumed that they refueled inflight over Arab countries.
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Stated aircraft combat radii always include reserves for combat and other contingencies as well as expected performance degradation at an engine's end of life. IAF has a history of striking targets far beyond the publicly stated combat range of their aircraft.

If you top off a brand new F-35I with a brand new engine on the hot pad immediately before takeoff instead of idling for 15min as a whole strike package lines up and takes off, you fly a profile optimized for fuel economy rather than tactical factors, and you count on your stealthiness and defensive systems to keep you safe without any fuel reserves for use of afterburner, I don't see why you can't strike targets 1000nmi away unrefueled with an F-35I. Add refueling over Israel and you can probably hit the far SE corner of Iran.

That said, they probably refueled inflight over Arab countries, because why wouldn't they when they have the ability.
 
fightingirish said:
For your information, the initial three F-35A Husarz aircraft, bearing tail numbers #3509, #3510, and #3511, are en route to Poland.
Source (X fka twitter) :
https://twitter.com/x/status/2057463222085525700
View: https://x.com/i/status/2057463222085525700

https://twitter.com/x/status/2057576734875169214
View: https://x.com/i/status/2057576734875169214
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I am disappointed that the Poles haven't painted a Hussar wing on the inside of the tails of their F-35s.
 

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