F-35 News

[Penguin]

A versão B não corre o risco de ser cancelada?

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Corre sim. Se nao sanarem satisfatoriamente as dificuldades tecnicas.

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[Penguin]

Até a presente data o Canadá investiu USD 168mi no programa JSF que rendeu contratos de USD 350mi a empresas canadenses.

To date, Canada has invested approximately $168 million in the JSF program. This has translated into an estimated $350 million in contracts to 64 Canadian companies, research laboratories and universities. Canada has already seen a two-to-one return on its investment.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bi ... le=release

Os custos de desenvolvimento do F-35A/B/C são estimados em torno de USD 48bi.

Participação Internacional: aprox. USD 5bi
Reino Unido: USD 2,5bi
Itália: USD 1,0bi
Holanda: USD 800mi
Turquia: USD 195mi
Canadá: USD 160mi
Austrália: USD 144mi
Noruega: USD 122mi
Dinamarca: USD 110mi

[soultrain]

Triste pagar 2,5b e não ter acesso a nada importante...O motor RR não passou de promessas. Ainda por cima com operação limitada e dependente...

[Penguin]

BAe (UK):

Capabilities
BAE Systems is a key partner on the F-35 programme and brings military aircraft expertise that is critical to the F-35 Lightning II airframe and systems.

Key Expertise:
Digital design and precision manufacturing techniques
Systems modelling and simulation
STOVL heritage from Harrier programme
Lean manufacturing
Through-life support

Lead work share areas:
Aft fuselage
Vertical & horizontal tails
CV wing tips
Fuel system
Crew escape
Life support
Prognostics Health Management integration
UK aircraft carrier integration support

Support work share areas:
UK weapons integration
Vehicle management systems
Mission systems
Structural testing
Autonomic Logistics and Global Sustainment (Support)

Flight sciences including:
Hot Gas Ingestion
Thermo Acoustic
Wind Tunnel

Employee numbers:
Military Air Solutions has c1200 F-35 Lightning II employees at its Brough, Samlesbury, Warton and Woodford sites. MAS also has a team of employees based at Lockheed Martin’s site in Ft Worth, Texas working in specialist roles on the programme.

Brough
Design/engineering of horizontal tails

Samlesbury
Design, manufacture and assembly of aft fuselage
Manufacture and assembly of horizontal and vertical tails

Warton
Systems – fuel, crew escape and life support, prognostics health management integration, mission systems
Functional support

Woodford
Design/engineering of vertical tails

In addition approximately 400 BAE Systems Inc employees work on the F-35 programme at sites in Johnson City, New York; Ft Wayne, Indiana; Nashua, New Hampshire; and Wayne, New Jersey.

http://www.baesystems.com/ProductsServi ... 03850.html

[Penguin]

JSF UK Industry Team

The JSF UK Industry Team is an informal alliance between BAE Systems, Cobham, GE Aviation, Honeywell, Martin-Baker, MBDA, Qinetiq, Rolls-Royce, SELEX Galileo and Ultra Electronics.

http://www.jsf.org.uk/JSF-UK-Industry-T ... -Team.aspx

[soultrain]

Boas vendas!

[Carlos Mathias]

E mesmo assim tiveram que ameaçar comprar Rafale (argh!) e o escambau prá receber um F-35 menos pé de boi.

[Penguin]

US Marine Corps buying 80 F-35C fighter jets

AFP/US Navy/File
Mon Mar 14, 9:16 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Marine Corps is buying 80 F-35C joint strike fighter planes, the Pentagon said, casting doubt on plans to buy a vertical-landing version still under development.

A short take-off, vertical landing model the F-35B destined for the Navy has run into "considerable" development difficulties and has been given two years by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to resolve the issues or risk the program being scrapped.
On Monday Chief of Naval Operations Gary Roughead and Commander of the Marine Corps General James Amos signed a protocol to buy 80 F-35C aircraft destined to equip aircraft carriers, the Marine Corps said in a statement.
The accord "incorporates a plan to provide five US Marince Corps squadrons of F-35C Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft to the Navy's carrier air wing," the statement said.
But it stressed "it is important to note that the continued development of F-35B remains the centerpiece" of the Corps's tactical fixed wing modernization program.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]

"The Marine Corps remains unequivocally committed to the success of the F-35B program," said spokesman Major Joseph Plenzler in the statement.
"Our hope was that we would be able to someday fly those versions off of naval aircraft carriers. In the meantime, it would seem prudent that we would buy some number of C variants (even early on) so that we can begin to transition our force," he said.
Plenzler said the US currently has 11 carriers and 11 large-deck amphibious ships, flying tactical fixed wing aircraft.
"A couple years from now, with F-35Cs on board 11 aircraft carriers and F-35Bs flying off of 11 large-deck amphibious ships, our nation would have, for the very first time, 22 capital ships with fifth-generation aircraft flying off of them," he added.

[Penguin]

Plan Improves Navy, Marine Corps Air Capabilities


(Source: US Department of Defense; issued March 14, 2011)



WASHINGTON --- Navy and Marine Corps leaders today signed an agreement by which the Corps will join the Navy in buying the F-35 joint strike fighter variant designed for aircraft carriers, service leaders announced today.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. Amos signed a memorandum of agreement today on the purchase of F/A-18E/F and F-35B/C fighter jets they say will improve air capabilities for both services.

Under the agreement, the two services will buy 680 F-35s. The Navy will buy 260 of the F-35C carrier variant, and the Marine Corps will buy 80 of the F-35Cs, along with 340 of the F-35Bs, a short-take off, vertical-landing variant. The Corps will assign five of its air squadrons to flying the F-35Cs in the Navy’s carrier air wing, the agreement says.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced in January that he was placing the F-35B on the equivalent of two years’ probation due to testing problems with the STOVL aircraft.

Today’s agreement demonstrates the commitment of Gates, Mabus and Roughead to the purchase of the F-35B, Thomas E. Laux, the Navy’s deputy assistant secretary for air programs, said during a press briefing. “These quantities match the fiscal 2012 budget request,” he said.

The F-35Cs will be assigned to the Navy’s aircraft carriers, while the “B” variants are assigned to L-class ships, Laux said. “Our priority is to do testing of the F-35Cs on the carrier,” he said. “We will learn a lot about the F-35Bs on the L ships” to determine if the STOVLs may be used on carriers.

The agreement reflects the “enduring partnership” of Navy and Marine Corps aviation, Laux said. Training for the aircraft will be “completely integrated,” and there will be only one pipeline, he said.

The combination of F-35B and C variants, along with the F-18s, will improve the services’ advance air capabilities, service officials said.

“Together, the Navy and Marine Corps are stronger than they are alone,” Laux said. “Together, we are more formidable than we are apart.”


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he will cancel the V/STOL F-35B if its development problems are not fixed in two years, so the real reason for this MoU is to transfer to the Marines 80 production slots for F-35Cs currently earmarked for the US Navy.
This will ensure the Marines have enough aircraft to begin JSF training on schedule, thus keeping its fixed-wing component alive even if the F-35B is subsequently cancelled. It also reduces the Navy’s purchase of the F-35, which its leaders would like to see disappear altogether.) (ends)


SECNAV, CNO, CMC Sign MOU to Join Navy, Marine Corps Forces


(Source: US Navy; issued March 14, 2011)



WASHINGTON --- The secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) met with the chief of naval operations (CNO) and the commandant of the Marine Corps March 14 to commit to achieving greater combat capability in naval aviation by signing a Tactical Aviation (TACAIR) Integration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

"Today we reaffirm the enduring partnership of the Navy and Marine Corps. This MOU ensures that our aircraft apportionment is best suited to meet the needs of both services and fulfill the variety of missions undertaken by both," said SECNAV Ray Mabus. "Together, the Navy and Marine Corps are stronger than they are alone. And together, they will continue to be the most formidable expeditionary fighting force the world has ever known."

The joint commitment will bring increased combat capability to the nation for the foreseeable future, while reducing the force structure and the number of aircraft required to source requirements for both the Navy and Marine Corps. It also recognizes the service unique requirements of the Navy and the Marine Corps.

The MOU establishes a framework under which the Marine Corps will provide five squadrons of F-35C aircraft to carrier air wings. As part of the F-35 transition plan, the Marine Corps will procure 80 F-35Cs and 340 F-35Bs; the Navy will procure 260 F-35Cs.

The MOU also eliminates the need for the Navy to provide an expeditionary F/A-18 squadron as part of the Unit Deployment Program, supporting forward deployed forces in Japan.

"The Marine Corps' decision to purchase the F-35C is representative of our commitment to tactical air integration with the Navy," said Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos. "With this decision, it is important to note that the continued development of F-35B remains the centerpiece of the USMC tactical fixed wing modernization program."

"This reaffirms the way the Navy and Marine Corps serve the nation over time," said CNO Adm. Gary Roughead Chief of Naval Operations. "This brings a new capability into our forces and provides the nation with greater expeditionary capability."

Because of the dynamic nature of carrier and expeditionary operations, the MOU will be reviewed every five to seven years to ensure alignment with current missions. Additionally, a TACAIR Integration Team will annually examine current situations and attempt to forecast future requirements to be included in updated MOUs.


Marine Corps Continues Flying with Joint Strike Fighter Program


(Source: US Marine Corps; issued March 14, 2011)



ARLINGTON, Va. --- Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, took another step towards a stronger future for the Marine Corps by signing a memorandum of understanding on tactical aircraft integration on March 14. The memorandum, signed also by the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Navy Operations Admiral Gary Roughead, incorporates a plan to provide five Marine Corps squadrons F-35C, the carrier-based variant of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, to the Navy’s carrier air wing.

The Marine Corps will procure 80 F-35C aircraft in addition to 340 F-35B, the short take-off/vertical landing variant. The continued development of the F-35B remains the centerpiece of the Corps’ “fixed-wing,” or jet plane, modernization program.

The decision to purchase C-model Joint Strike Fighters is representative of the Corps’ commitment to tactical air integration with the Navy.

The F-35B is the world’s first supersonic and radar-evading stealth aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing capabilities. The aircraft can operate from a variety of ships, roads and austere bases. The JSF’s abilities are vital to conduct expeditionary operations in the future, said Amos.

The earlier than anticipated procurement of the F-35C allows the Marine Corps to simultaneously meet its enduring commitment to carrier tactical aircraft integration while continuing the measured transition to a 5th generation F-35B expeditionary capability.

Today, with 11 carriers and 11 large-deck amphibious ships, the U.S. has 22 capital ships flying tactical fixed-wing aircraft missions from them. The goal is to have F-35Cs on board 11 aircraft carriers and F-35Bs flying off of 11 large-deck amphibious ships, giving the country, for the very first time, 22 capital ships with 5th generation aircraft mission capabilities.

The Marine Corps remains unequivocally committed to the success of the F-35B program.

-ends-

[soultrain]

Alguns números sérios:

http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cf ... e177aef2a8

- prices for the 37 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines under the LRIP 4 fixed-price contract agreed in February are $14.99m for the CTOL/CV variant and $32.07m for the STOVL variant. Add those to the LRIP 4 aircraft prices and you get $126.6m for an F-35A, $141.5m for an F-35B and $157.9m for an F-35C.

- deliveries of F135 engines are behind schedule. This first three in 2011 were three weeks late, the next three will be two weeks late, and the rest of this year's deliveries are expected to be on schedule.

- all 16 production aircraft scheduled for delivery this year "have their weight on their landing gear in the factory" and are tracking to the manufacturing plan, which was adjusted as recently as September.

- the four highest development risks are: software development concurrency, pilot-vehicle interface, vertical lift bringback payload and helmet-mounted display.

- expects a two-year delay in the F-35A's IOC, which would push it back to 2018.


A estes valores, julgo ser necessário juntar os valores de desenvolvimento e ainda são valores objectivo, sem garantia.

[[]]'s

[Carlos Lima]

Tá ficando cada vez mais com cara de "bala de prata"!

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CB_Lima

[Penguin]

Joint Strike Fighter: Restructuring Should Improve Outcomes, but Progress Is Still Lagging Overall: Summary


(Source: Government Accountability Office; issued March 15, 2011)


DOD continues to restructure the JSF program, taking positive, substantial actions that should lead to more achievable and predictable outcomes. Restructuring has consequences--higher up-front development costs, fewer aircraft bought in the near term, training delays, and extended times for testing and delivering capabilities to warfighters.

Total development funding is now estimated at $56.4 billion to complete in 2018, a 26 percent cost increase and a 5-year schedule slip from the current baseline.

DOD also reduced procurement quantities by 246 aircraft through 2016, but has not calculated the net effects of restructuring on total procurement costs nor approved a new baseline.

Affordability for the U.S. and partners is challenged by a near doubling in average unit prices since program start and higher estimated life-cycle costs. Going forward, the JSF requires unprecedented funding levels in a period of more austere defense budgets.

The program had mixed success in 2010, achieving 6 of 12 major goals and progressing in varying degrees on the rest. Successes included the first flight of the carrier variant, award of a fixed-price aircraft procurement contract, and an accelerated pace in development flight tests that accomplished three times as many flights in 2010 as the previous 3 years combined.

However, the program did not deliver as many aircraft to test and training sites as planned and made only a partial release of software capabilities.

The short takeoff and landing (STOVL) variant had significant technical problems and deficient flight test performance. DOD directed a 2-year period to evaluate and engineer STOVL solutions.

After more than 9 years in development and 4 in production, the JSF program has not fully demonstrated that the aircraft design is stable, manufacturing processes are mature, and the system is reliable.

Engineering drawings are still being released to the manufacturing floor and design changes continue at higher rates than desired. More changes are expected as testing accelerates.

Test and production aircraft cost more and are taking longer to deliver than expected.

Manufacturers are improving operations and implemented 8 of 20 recommendations from an expert panel, but have not yet demonstrated a capacity to efficiently produce at higher production rates. Substantial improvements in factory throughput and the global supply chain are needed.

Development testing is still early in demonstrating that aircraft will work as intended and meet warfighter requirements. About 4 percent of JSF capabilities have been completely verified by flight tests, lab results, or both.

Only 3 of the extensive network of 32 ground test labs and simulation models are fully accredited to ensure the fidelity of results.

Software development--essential for achieving about 80 percent of the JSF functionality--is significantly behind schedule as it enters its most challenging phase.

(EDITOR’S NOTE:This is not the GAO’s eagerly-awaited annual report on the JSF, but the prepared testimony by Michael Sullivan, GAO’s Director Acquisition and Sourcing Management, before the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, Committee on Armed Services, of the House of Representatives. On past record, the annual report should follow by the end of the month.)


Click here for the full report (25 pages in PDF format) on the GAO website: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11450t.pdf

Click here for other testimony at the same hearing, on the Subcommittee’s website.

ends-

[Penguin]

http://www.aereo.jor.br/2011/03/16/fuzi ... -do-f-35b/

[Carlos Lima]

Interessante essa disposição dos mísseis ar-ar de curto alcance.

Para o PAK os russos viram isso como uma desvantagem e criaram para esses mísseis locais específicos para que possam ser lançados rapidamente.

Interessante ver como cada design arruma uma solução diferente para problemas semelhantes.

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CB_Lima

[Penguin]

Interessante essa disposição dos mísseis ar-ar de curto alcance.

Para o PAK os russos viram isso como uma desvantagem e criaram para esses mísseis locais específicos para que possam ser lançados rapidamente.

Interessante ver como cada design arruma uma solução diferente para problemas semelhantes.

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CB_Lima

Foi realmente ampliada a capacidade do bomb bay?!

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