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


translation.
Japan installs terrain avoidance systems on its F-35s after the loss of its own a while back
 

“I was flying out at 700 knots in the C model up and down the East Coast of the state of Maryland and Delaware — that’s where we fly at Pax River — and then out over the ocean, firing missiles at almost 1.6 Mach as we cleared out the weapons for the airplane. That’s extreme speed, and that’s repeated flights in those environments,” said Flynn, who has flown more than 800 hours in all three F-35 variants.
“Make a run at 700 knots, make another run at 700 knots, go to an aerial refueling tanker, get fuel for myself … and then race out again and again and again. Repeat this cycle for four- and five-hour missions,” he added.
Similarly, the flights for the B model involved aggressive maneuvering at the edge of the aircraft’s flight envelope for hours at a time.

Basically, this article confirms my view that the F-35 will mainly be operated as a strike aircraft with some self defense capability. I'm not surprised by it, since that's how the aircraft it's replacing have mostly operated, but it's good to see it finally put into writing. Now, once it can carry long range AAM's, the new generation AMRAAM replacements, that's going to really increase it's lethality in the air to air arena.
 
That low energy cat launch looks pretty unconvincing to me and that is in a clean config too. Stores aboard and there might be a pilot/airframe run down.
 
Low energy cat-launch are done that way, perhaps to prevent a fully laden aircraft detonating on the ship bow.... :rolleyes:
 
That low energy cat launch looks pretty unconvincing to me and that is in a clean config too. Stores aboard and there might be a pilot/airframe run down.

Yeah, that's not how testing works. You don't just load it to the gills, turn the cat down to 1 and let 'er rip. :rolleyes:
 
More over, the F-35 would probably most commonly be launched in a clean configuration. But I assume they actually wanted to reuse the pilot and airframe as well.
 
Yes I did notice that and thought it odd but it was only stated as a low power cat launch. Not being familiar with this practice it seemed unconvincing. Not claiming to be an expert in everything.
 
The idea is to test the least favorable conditions for a launch (wind, catapult and airframe). Lightning the AB will simply put you out of this.

The Rafale test were done that way also.
 
Like the RCAF test pilot suggested: smart test pilots sneak out towards the corners of the envelope. They start with light-weight and low air-speed to prove that the maneuver is possible, then repeat tests with progressively heavier weights and faster airspeeds until the test pilot gets scared.
Then they write operational limits well short of configurations that scared test-pilots.
 
"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots..."

Though in some programs test pilots have had no choice but to really push the limits, fast.
 
It's now ufficiale, F-35 is the incarnation of being hot & glamor (2019 video that I hadn't seen before) :

 
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1,000 Hours on the Clock and Counting
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued June 05, 2020)

The first Australian F-35A aircraft to roll off Lockheed Martin’s Texas production line back in 2014 has completed 1,000 flying hours over the skies of Arizona.

Australian F-35A pilot Flight Lieutenant Adrian Herenda was at the controls of A35-001 as the clock ticked over 1000 hours.

The former F/A-18A pilot has been flying the F-35A for about 12 months and said it was a good feeling to be flying the jet when it reached the milestone.

"The F-35A provides the pilot with phenomenal situational awareness, which is a significant benefit when operating in complex threat environments," Flight Lieutenant Herenda said.

Aircraft A35-001 is currently being operated by the international Pilot Training Centre (PTC) at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in the US as part of a pool of training aircraft qualifying F-35A pilots and maintainers from across the globe.

Director General Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Air Commodore Damien Keddie said A35-001 reaching 1000 flying hours was an important achievement for the Australian F-35A Project.

"It demonstrates the maturity of our F-35A capability and showcases the importance of the international F-35 partnership," Air Commodore Keddie said. "A35-001 is one of five Australian aircraft at Luke AFB, with other F-35 partner nations also contributing aircraft to the PTC in a show of global collaboration that has been the cornerstone of the F-35 Program since the earliest days."

Air Vehicle Sub-Project manager Squadron Leader Brook Porter, of JSF Branch in Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG), said as the first Australian F-35A, A35-001 was the visible symbol of a new type of weapon system that had already provided reliable pilot training for Australia and the F-35 Cooperative Partnership.

"In reaching this milestone, A35-001 typifies the extraordinary contribution that Australia has made as a partner nation within the global F-35 Program," Squadron Leader Porter said.

"It’s another significant step forward as the F-35A weapon system continues its successful path to becoming our future fighter capability – a capability that provides obvious benefits to Defence but is also highly profitable to Australian industry, with more than 50 Australian companies winning more than A$1.7 billion in production contracts to date."

Project Engineering Manager Timothy Rafferty, of JSF Branch, said the milestone signified the maturity of the platform and associated support systems.

"Given A35-001 completed most of its 1,000 flying hours at the PTC, this milestone highlights the contribution Australia has made to the collaborative training environment, with more than 1,000 F-35 pilots now qualified and flying with their respective services," Mr Rafferty said.

Australia has now accepted 26 F-35A aircraft in total. In addition to the five at the PTC, 17 are operating at No. 3 Squadron and No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown. The remaining four jets are scheduled to transit from the US to Australia before August.

Mr Rafferty said JSF Branch personnel played a key role in the acquisition, initial certification and airworthiness management of Australia’s F-35A fleet from 2014 until mid-2018. In 2018, the Air Combat Systems Program Office (ACSPO) in CASG assumed responsibility for airworthiness and overall sustainment management of the fleet.

"This demonstrates the critical and ongoing collaboration taking place as we work to ensure all 72 jets are delivered to Australia by the end of 2023 for Final Operating Capability [FOC]," he said.

Squadron Leader Porter said the Mission Systems team in JSF Branch was focused on ensuring Australia's needs were rolled into the weapon system as the aircraft evolved over its life cycle.

"Since 2014, we [Australia] have grown our fleet to 26 aircraft, established training systems, simulators and the complex Autonomic Logistics Information System, developed electronic warfare reprogramming capabilities and upgraded RAAF bases to handle the F-35A. We have also assisted in the creation of Australian-based industry support," Squadron Leader Porter said.

"We have increased our pace from a crawl to a jog, with ACSPO and Air Combat Group rapidly taking up the reins and doing so with aplomb."

It was important to acknowledge that the achievement of the 1000 flying hours milestone was the result of "tireless work by so many people, past and present, working together".

"There is a lot more work to be done and we are well prepared," he said.

This is the final year of the RAAF's contribution to the PTC. From 2021, all F-35 training is planned to be conducted in Australia.
 
 
Just found this video on YouTube about the F-35 performing a 52 F-35 Lightning 2 show of force at Hill Air Force Base.

 
95 F-35 approved by U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (+6 ex-Turkish) :

 
 
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The Lightning Taube, your target Deli*:

some locally-made systems have been partially tested in different scenarios, but the test aircraft will allow these new systems to be put completely through their paces.

The test aircraft will enable each of the Israeli F-35s to function as a “Target Generator” for all Israeli ground and naval forces thanks to what some have described as an Israeli-built command-and-control system.




*Crazy when you see Germans depriving themselves of it.
 
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That's funny. Nobody in that report seems to notice that canceling a buy of 4 NH90 to make room in the functioning budget of 30 of the most advanced fast jet in the world while still looking for a replacement helicopter is not... talking about it gracefully.
:rolleyes:

Regarding Block 4, a lot of the upgrade have been introduced earlier than planned, leaving room for introduction of new capabilities. I would guess that the increase in budget is somewhat for those.
 
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"As a safety precaution, the JPO recommended to unit commanders that they implement a lightning flight restriction for the F-35A, which restricts flying within 25 miles of lightning or thunderstorms,” Lockheed said. “We are working with the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) on a root cause corrective action investigation to determine next steps.”

 
The U.S. would be able to buy Turkey’s Russian-made S-400 air defense system under legislation proposed in the Senate last week. The proposal is one powerful lawmaker’s attempt to alleviate the impasse between Washington and Ankara over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., has proposed an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that would allow the purchase to be made using the U.S. Army’s missile procurement account. The move comes a year after the U.S. expelled NATO ally Turkey from the multinational F-35 program because it received the S-400 in a $2.5 billion deal.


 
The U.S. would be able to buy Turkey’s Russian-made S-400 air defense system under legislation proposed in the Senate last week. The proposal is one powerful lawmaker’s attempt to alleviate the impasse between Washington and Ankara over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., has proposed an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that would allow the purchase to be made using the U.S. Army’s missile procurement account. The move comes a year after the U.S. expelled NATO ally Turkey from the multinational F-35 program because it received the S-400 in a $2.5 billion deal.



Never happen but it would be hysterical.
 
You never know. Once Turkey will have secured their position in Lybia (and that won't be free of confrontations with "Russian" mercenaries), the leanest path for them would be to re-engage univocally with the US.
 
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You never know. Once Turkey will have secured their position in Lybia (and that won't be free of confrontations with "Russian" mercenaries), the leanest path for them would be to re-engage univocally with the US.
But why would Russia ever actually deliver them? Or have they already?
 
At least one battery has been delivered and the Russians have vowed to complete the order. That said, hocking the S400s would be a huge about face for Erdogan and embarrassing, and it would be a huge slap in the face to Russia. I think it would take Russian aircraft openly engaging the Turks in Syria for that to be remotely possible.
 

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