F-35 Lightning II - Discussione Ufficiale

[Scagnetti]

.....

Grazie per le chiarifiazioni

[Andrea75]

Eglin Completes 500TH F-35 Sortie

 

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Nov. 5, 2012 – The Integrated Training Center (ITC) here completed its 500th combined sortie for both the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft Friday. Flight operations for the F-35 began on the Emerald Coast March 6. There are currently 22 F-35s at Eglin as the fleet continues to grow supporting the team as it trains instructor pilots and maintainers. The team accomplished the 500 sorties in 238 days cutting the time between each milestone sortie:

 

100th sortie – July 12 - accomplished in 123 days

200th sortie – Aug. 24 - accomplished in 44 days

300th sortie – Sept. 21 - accomplished in 28 days

400th sortie – Oct. 16 - accomplished in 25 days

500th sortie – Nov. 2 - accomplished in 16 days

[-{-Legolas-}-]

Il sostentamento dello F-35 per i prossimi cinquant'anni vale 1 Trilione di dollari, e le industrie si preparano a non farsi scappare la loro fetta di torta.

 

Articolo a fonte Defense News: Clicca qui.

[Scagnetti]

Dichiarazioni cautamente ottimiste sulle prestazioni dell'F-35 dal punto di vista manutentivo e dell'affidabilità operativa generale dei sistemi.

Le dichiarazioni sono da parte di un ufficiale USAF, quindi da parte di un organo più "neutrale" rispetto a LM e al suo VP O’Bryan: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-air-force-praises-early-performance-of-lockheed-martin-f-35-378578/

 

The F-35 is in its infancy, but the stealthy type is already proving to be relatively stable from a maintenance standpoint, says Col Andrew Toth, commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing.

 

"The system right now is behaving as advertised, [although] occasionally, we will have some issues with it on the ground," he says. However, this is usually easily fixed by shutting the aircraft down and then restarting it,

 

Once the JSF is airborne there are "very limited" issues, with the aircraft's hardware, software and Pratt & Whitney F135 engine all performing well, he says.

 

"That's all good news," Toth says, but cautions: "We're a very young system and we still have very long way to go."

 

Credo però che non siano stati presi in considerazione i problemi relativi alll'avanzatissimo casco, la principale interfaccia tra pilota e mezzo che mi pare sia il problema tecnico principale attuale del programma.

Modificato 6 Novembre 2012 da Scagnetti

[Andrea75]

Australia's Chief of Air Force Visits Northrop Grumman's F-35 Production Facility in Palmdale

 

The Royal Australian Air Force's Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown, met Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) executives during a visit to the company's F-35 Lightning II production facility in Palmdale on Nov. 2. As part of his visit, Air Marshal Brown received an update on the F-35 program and observed the first F-35 center fuselage being manufactured at Palmdale for the Royal Australian Air Force as part of the low-rate initial production Lot 6.

 

 

Northrop Grumman Signs Agreement With Danish Composite Manufacturer for F-35 Lightning II Program

 

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has entered a long-term agreement (LTA) with the advanced composites manufacturer Terma A/S in Denmark to manufacture component parts for the international F-35 Lightning II program. The LTA, which has a potential value of more than $97 million upon completion of all follow-on options, was signed on Sept. 20 and further emphasizes the company's commitment to supporting F-35 Lightning II partner countries.

 

The LTA covers production of 34 unique F-35 Lightning II composite components, including door, panel, skin assembly and straps through 2019. The LTA further strengthens the partnership between Northrop Grumman and Terma A/S, which began in 2006. The first purchase order placed in 2007 during the Low Rate Initial Production 1 statement of work solidified the collaborative relationship between Northrop Grumman and Terma A/S, which has manufacturing responsibility for hardware on all three F-35 aircraft variants.

 

The LTA signing has spurred discussions on how Northrop Grumman and Terma A/S can collaborate on affordability initiatives benefitting both companies and the F-35 program as a whole. The companies will explore technologies, set a path forward to achieve manufacturing efficiencies to meet rigorous quality requirements and work toward establishing Terma A/S as a premier supplier of composite parts.

 

 

... una novità nel mondo degli Stealth: Lockheed’s Dubious Claim: Stealth Fighter Will Get Stealthier with Age (excerpt)

 

In the latest issue of Air Force magazine, O’Bryan insi sted the single-engine JSF, which is projected to cost $1 trillion to develop, buy and maintain, is fundamentally different than its predecessors. “The surface material smooths out over time, slightly reducing the F-35’s original radar signature, according to the Lockheed Martin official,” John Tirpak wrote.

With the older F-22, B-2 and F-117 stealth warplanes, the opposite happened. All three of the previous models saw their surfaces gradually degrade and all required expensive upgrades just to maintain their radar-avoiding qualities at the original levels. In light of other empty promises Lockheed has made regarding the F-35, it’s highly unlikely the new jet will buck this historical trend. (end of excerpt)

 

 

The F-35’s Race Against Time

 

The F-35’s radar cross section, or RCS, has a "maintenance margin," O’Bryan explained, meaning it’s "always better than the spec." Minor scratches and even dents won’t affect the F-35’s stealth qualities enough to degrade its combat performance, in the estimation of the company. Field equipment will be able to assess RCS right on the flight line, using far less cumbersome gear than has previously been needed to make such calculations.

In designing the new fighter, Lockheed Martin engineers assumed they would guess wrong about some access doors; it would be necessary to put some in different places during the course of its lifetime.

Thus, said O’Bryan, the company left open several ways to make field modifications that can create a quick-release door in the aircraft’s skin. These doors won’t then need tape or caulk to restore stealthiness, the application of which is a time-consuming and expensive chore in other stealth aircraft.

The repair and upkeep of low observables has been one of the F-22’s "main maintenance drivers," he said, "and that goes away with [the] F-35."

The F-35A has a serpentine inlet making engine fan blades invisible from any point outside the fuselage. That factor eliminates one of the biggest RCS problems for stealth designs.

Moreover, the air intakes constitute a single piece of composite material devoid of seams, rivets, or fasteners. These types of parts are huge RCS reflectors and caused massive signatures on earlier-generation aircraft. Their absence dramatically aids the F-35’s stealthiness.

That’s not all. No antennas protrude from the aircraft’s surfaces. These elements are instead embedded in the leading and trailing edges of the wings. Their positioning there not only reduces the radar signature but also yields a far wider, deeper, and more precise picture of the battlespace.

Stealth, said O’Bryan, has to be "designed in from the beginning" and can’t be added as an afterthought or upgrade. That means radar, electronic warfare, data links, communications, and electronic attack "need to be controlled" and must be fused from the start to work in concert with the special shapes and materials of the airframe itself.

...

Cost and performance trade-offs were made when it came to designing the F-35’s exhaust system, O’Bryan said. Lockheed Martin chose not to employ a two-dimensional thrust-vectoring nozzle, as it had on the F-22 Raptor.

For one thing, the decision reduced cost. For another, it eliminated one of the larger practical challenges to maintaining the stealth characteristics of the F-35.

The classified "sawtooth" features that ring the nozzle help consolidate the exhaust into a so-called "spike" signature, while other secret techniques have been employed to combat and minimize the engine heat signature.

"We had to deal with that, and we dealt with that," O’Bryan said, declining to offer details.

Much speculation has swirled around the question of the F-35’s electronic warfare and electronic attack capabilities. The Air Force has resolutely refused to discuss any specifics. Yet experts have pointed out that, in its most recent EW/EA roadmap, USAF has failed to mention any plans for a dedicated jamming aircraft. It is a conspicuous omission.

O’Bryan certainly couldn’t go into the subject of the fighter’s EW/EA suite in any detail, or the way it might coordinate with specialized aircraft such as the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-8 JSTARS, or EA-18G Growler jammer aircraft.

He did say, however, that F-35 requirements call for it to go into battle with "no support whatever" from these systemsThe F-35 meets or exceeds the services’ infrared signature specifications. Many of the standard fighter engine features such as a big afterburner spray bar assembly and related piping are missing from the F-35. The F135 power plant, built by Pratt & Whitney, is truly a "stealth engine," he said.

...

As F-35s criss-cross enemy airspace, they also will automatically collect vast amounts of data about the disposition of enemy forces. They will, much like the JSTARS, collect ground moving target imagery and pass the data through electronic links to the entire force. This means the F-35 will be able to silently and stealthily transmit information and instructions to dispersed forces, in the air and on the ground.

Because it was designed to maneuver to the edge of its envelope with a full internal combat load, the F-35 will be able to run rings around most other fighters, but it probably won’t have to—and probably shouldn’t.

"If you value a loss/exchange ratio of better than one-to-one, you need to stay away from each other," said O’Bryan, meaning that the fighter pilot who hopes to survive needs to keep his distance from the enemy. ... the F-35 was provided with the ability to fuse sensor information from many sources, triangulating with other F-35s to locate, identify, and fire on enemy aircraft before they are able to shoot back.

The F-35’s systems will even allow it to shoot at a target "almost when that airplane is behind you," thanks to its 360-degree sensors.

According to O’Bryan, the F-35 also can interrogate a target to its rear, an ability possessed by no other fighter.

If you survive a modern dogfight, O’Bryan claimed, "it’s based on the countermeasures you have, not on your ability to turn."

If the situation demands a turning dogfight, however, the F-35 evidently will be able to hold its own with any fighter. That is a reflection on the fighter’s agility. What’s more, a potential future upgrade foresees the F-35 increasing its air-to-air missile loadout from its current four AIM-120 AMRAAMs to six of those weapons.

The F-35, while not technically a "supercruising" aircraft, can maintain Mach 1.2 for a dash of 150 miles without using fuel-gulping afterburners.

 

 

Lockheed’s Dubious Claim: Stealth Fighter Will Get Stealthier With Age

 

Lockheed’s O’Bryan told reporter Tirpak that the F-35′s advanced technology will reverse this trend of gradually eroded stealth. In contrast to old-style coatings, “the conductive materials needed to absorb and disperse incoming radar energy [on the F-35] are baked directly into the aircraft’s multilayer composite skin and structure,” Tirpak reported, citing O’Bryan.

Over time the JSF’s skin will settle, O’Bryan boasted, making it even smoother and more radar-evasive — all without any of the expensive upgrades required by previous stealth planes.

The F-35, of which the Pentagon plans to buy more than 2,400, is a brand-new design that’s still only part-way through testing, so it’s impossible to verify O’Bryan’s claim. Only time will tell for sure.

But it’s worth noting the extreme pressure on O’Bryan and other Lockheed execs to extol, even exaggerate, the F-35′s capabilities. When JSF development began around 15 years ago, only the U.S. possessed stealth warplanes. But today Russia, Japan and most notably China are also working on their own radar-defeating models. It’s no longer enough for the F-35 to merely duplicate the skills of older U.S. stealth jets; it must significantly improve on them in order to stay ahead of foreign rivals. In this context it’s not hard to see why O’Bryan would promise the impossible, or at least improbable.

Modificato 7 Novembre 2012 da Andrea75

[TT-1 Pinto]

Una realizzazione imponente ....

 

 

Sull'ultimo numero del mensile "Volare" il resoconto di una visita alla FACO di Cameri .... con le prime immagini delle strutture in via di ultimazione .... e interviste ai generali Bernardis e Debertolis ....

 

[Andrea75]

Japan to make F35 parts under relaxed arms ban

 

Japan will allow domestic firms to take part in production of the F-35 fighter, the first such case since Tokyo last year relaxed a self-imposed ban on arms exports, a report said Thursday.

Japanese firms will make up to 40 per cent of parts that will be used in the stealth jet from 2017, the Yomiuri Shimbun said in its evening edition, without citing sources.

...

"Japanese firms' participation in production of parts for F35 should help maintain and improve domestic defence technology," the centre-right Yomiuri said.

"It could also bring economic benefit as the aviation industry covers a wide range of companies," it said.

 

Nell'articolo non vengono specificate le componenti in questione.

[Andrea75]

Japanese Firms to Make F-35 Parts

 

The government plans to allow domestic companies to start manufacturing in fiscal 2017 parts for the F-35 stealth jet, which will be introduced by the Air Self-Defence Force in fiscal 2016 as the nation's next-generation fighter, sources said Thursday.

 

The government is in the final stage of negotiations to make a formal decision on the matter as early as Friday, in a meeting to be held on the day with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and such related ministers as Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto, the sources said.

 

It will be the first time Japanese firms can take part in such manufacturing, as the joint development or manufacturing of defence equipment with other countries, including the United States and European nations, was not possible under Japan's long-standing three principles on arms exports.

 

However, the government relaxed the conditions of this policy in December.

 

The principles originally prohibited Japan from selling weapons and military-related technologies to communist states and countries subject to embargoes under UN resolutions.

 

The policy has raised concerns about the escalating costs of procuring defence equipment and the declining technical defence capabilities of the nation.

 

Japanese businesses' participation in the manufacturing of F-35 parts is expected to help maintain and enhance such domestic capabilities.

 

It is expected to create a positive economic impact too, as there are many aviation-related businesses in the country.

 

Additionally, the government is eyeing the export of Japan-made defence equipment parts in the future, the sources said.

 

During the selection process for the F-35 jet as the next frontline fighter in the ASDF's arsenal, Japan agreed with the United States in December that Japanese companies would manufacture up to about 40 per cent of the parts used in assembling F-35s should they participate.

 

Specifically, Japanese firms are in line to manufacture F-35 body parts, including main wings, tails and avionics information processing systems.

 

Noda is expected to tell US President Barack Obama about the domestic companies' participation during talks between the two leaders to be held on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Cambodia scheduled from Nov. 18.

[Andrea75]

La Cina pubblicizza il 2^ stealth e ... Singapore (probabilmente in compagnia dell'India) si interessa all'F35 Lockheed Sees Increased Singapore Interest In F-35 Fighter

 

Singapore is showing increased interest in buying Lockheed Martin Corp’s (LMT.N) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a top executive with the company said late on Thursday, a week after China unveiled a second stealth fighter called the J-31. ... Singapore became a security partner on the international fighter program in February 2003, along with Israel, which has already ordered an initial batch of the jets.

As security partners, Singapore and Israel both pledged to contribute about $50 million to the F-35 development effort, according to the globalsecurity.org website.

“Their (Singapore’s) interest in the program is still quite strong,” Tom Burbage, general manager of the F-35 program, told Reuters late on Thursday after a speech to the Royal Aeronautical Society at the British embassy in Washington.

“Their activity has picked up a little bit and it makes us think that they’re going to become more active,” Burbage said, when asked about Singapore’s plans to place F-35 orders.

Washington is actively encouraging more export of weapons systems such as the F-35 to strengthen ties with allies, and offset a budget-driven decline in its own procurement programs.

...

Defense consultant Loren Thompson said China’s military expansion was putting increasing pressure on Singapore and other countries in the region to buy next-generation fighter planes.

“Every time China tests a new fighter it’s a wake-up call for countries like Singapore,” Thompson said.

Chinese media last week published images of a second Chinese stealth fighter jet after it made its maiden flight in the northeast province of Liaoning.

Aviation experts said the plane bore a strong resemblance to the F-35, fueling U.S. concerns about Chinese espionage efforts that were underscored in a draft of the 2012 report to Congress by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

 

 

... nel frattempo iniziano i test di valutazione della versione A USAF hopes to complete flying portion of F-35 OUE next week

 

The US Air Force's first Lockheed Martin F-35A training unit, the 33rd Fighter Wing (FW) at Eglin AFB, Florida, expects to complete the flying portion of the jet's operational utility evaluation (OUE) early next week.

"As of this morning [9 November], we have flown 20 of 24 planned OUE sorties and completed the checkout for our first non-Eglin based pilot," says Col Andrew Toth, the commander of the 33rd FW.

Major Joe Scholtz, one of two operational evaluators who are assessing the training system for the stealthy single-engine jet, is now fully checked out in the F-35A. Scholtz is assigned to the elite 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nevada. If all goes as planned, the Nevada-based unit will be receiving their first F-35As in the very near future.

In addition to the two evaluators, who are part of the Pentagon's Joint Operational Test Team (JOTT), there are two 33rd Fighter Wing cadre pilots assigned to the OUE class along with two alternates. If there are no problems with the weather or aircraft, the 33rd FW expects to complete the OUE by either Tuesday or Wednesday. Once the flying portion of the OUE is complete, the evaluators can begin writing their assessment of the F-35 system and the training pipeline at Eglin AFB. The resulting report will eventually be forwarded to Gen Edward Rice, commander of the USAF's Air Education and Training Command.

If Rice is satisfied that the F-35 and the 33rd FW is ready to start training operations, he will give his formal assent.

Modificato 12 Novembre 2012 da Andrea75

[Andrea75]

Delays Appear In South Korea’s Big Military Decisions

 

South Korean Air Force tested all three of the planes that are on offer during three months. In the case of the Lockheed Martin plane, the F-35, South Korean pilots couldn’t fly in it because it only has one seat and there wasn’t enough time to train someone on the brand new plane.

 

A Lockheed executive, David Scott, said Friday, “This is an important decision, a decision that will last many decades. It needs to be done carefully and properly. Lockheed supports Korea on whatever timeline they want to work.”

[-{-Legolas-}-]

Il che è giusto. Nessuno vola se non propriamente addestrato e abilitato, e che LM supporti appieno la Corea affinchè possano farlo.

[madmike]

Japanese Firms to Make F-35 Parts

 

 

Specifically, Japanese firms are in line to manufacture F-35 body parts, including main wings, tails and avionics information processing systems.

 

Forse questo dettaglio era sfuggito

[Andrea75]

TAE deliver their first parts for Australia’s first two Joint Strike Fighters

 

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced that Australian aerospace company TAE has manufactured and delivered their first parts for Australia’s first two F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters.

 

Mr Clare said Brisbane-based TAE will supply advanced liquid cooled electronics chassis assemblies for the F-35A.

 

“This work is potentially worth in excess of $15 million over the life of the Joint Strike Fighter Program,” Mr Clare said.

 

“TAE has shown it is a globally competitive manufacturer which has won work on the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world.

 

“The parts made here will be installed on every Joint Strike Fighter. That means there will be a little bit of Queensland in every plane.”

 

Australia’s first two F-35As are being manufactured by Lockheed Martin at its Fort Worth facility in Texas.

 

The planes are due to be delivered to a United States-based training facility in 2014/15. Royal Australian Air Force pilots will then travel to the United States for initial training.

 

Australian companies have won $300 million in Joint Strike Fighter work to date. Almost 10 per cent of that work will be done by Queensland-based companies.

 

Over the life of the Joint Strike Fighter Program there is more than $1.5 billion worth of potential work for Australian industry.

[madmike]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/16/us-lockheed-fighter-logistics-idUSBRE8AF09L20121116?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29

 

Now, as the Marine Corps prepares to set up its first operational squadron of F-35s next week, some experts say other security risks may lurk within such a large and highly networked weapons support system.

 

One concern: Lockheed shored up political backing for the F-35 by choosing suppliers in nearly every U.S. state. But having such a large and widely dispersed group increases exposure to cyber attacks, said Ben Freeman, national security investigator with the non-profit Project on Government Oversight.

 

The heightened concern comes as computer attacks are on the rise. Lockheed cyber experts said Monday that the company had seen a large increase in the number and sophistication of attacks on its networks. It accused governments that it did not name of targeting and breaking into the networks of its suppliers.

 

Lockheed officials said millions of suspicious emails were directed at the company each day, including a handful that were considered advanced persistent threats from foreign nations.

[-{-Legolas-}-]

E' qui che Panetta vuole arrivare. Maggior Cyber sicurezza.

 

http://defensetech.org/2012/11/15/will-it-take-a-cyber-pearl-harbor-to-break-congressional-deadlock/

[Andrea75]

F-35A OUE events completed, success handed to AETC for review

 

A major step in the building the Air Force's F-35A Lightning II training program was accomplished when the 33rd Fighter Wing completed the training and flying portion of the service's operational utility evaluation on schedule Nov. 15.

Four pilots began training when the evaluation started Sept. 10, expecting it to last approximately 65 days. Six weeks of academic training and 24 sorties later, they are all fully-qualified F-35A pilots.

"We were able to conduct the flying portion in less than half the time than we planned for because things went so well with the flying, weather was good, maintainers were doing a great job getting jets out on the line and instructors were doing a good job of teaching these guys," said Col. Andrew Toth, 33rd Fighter Wing commander.

From no experience to fully qualified joint strike fighter pilot was the hallmark of the success according to wing leaders and instructor pilots.

Lt. Col. Eric Smith, 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations and first Air Force F-35 instructor pilot, recalled leading one of four OUE students, Maj. Joseph Scholtz, during an Instrument qualification course Nov. 9.

"Four weeks before the first pilot qualified, he was an A-10 pilot at Nellis Air Force Base (Nev.) and hadn't been involved much in the F-35 program other than what he read in the news about what was going on," said Smith. "The 33rd Fighter Wing testament to all of the hard work that has been going on here the last three and a half years of standing this place up, getting ready to train pilots, was when we took him out today and he pretty much flew a flawless F-35 mission. It's also a testament to Lockheed Martin partners involved in helping the Nomads, the men and women of 33rd, build a training system down here, develop it and go out and execute it."

During the flying portion, students demonstrated their ability to take off into restricted airspace, train flying in formation while airborne, conduct instrument approaches at a neighboring military base and clear the traffic pattern to land at Eglin. Their "check ride" was an hour-long flight culminating in full qualification to fly the F-35.

"Maintainers have done a fantastic job of generating sorties," Smith said.

The OUE provided the setting to test the 135 trained maintainers in generating up to six flights a day utilizing nine F-35As.

"Maintenance really stepped up to the plate," said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Burch. "They are learning the fifth generation way of maintenance quickly."

As they go along in their daily routine, maintainers find themselves rewriting joint technical data to pave the way for the future "play book" of maintaining F-35As alongside their contract logistics partners.

"Training conducted here at Eglin then enables the rest of the Air Force organizations to start standing up too, begin their training and test and evaluation piece - big steps in the F-35 program," said Toth.

Scholtz will give feedback, as others going through training do, before going back to his unit at Nellis, the 56th Test and Evaluation Squadron where the joint strike fighter will arrive next year.

The other qualified F-35A pilots trained during the OUE were Lt. Col. Brian O'Neill of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and Majors Cougar Wilson and Scout Johnston from the 33rd FW.

"A great part of all of this is the fantastic job of all the services. The OUE was a great couple of weeks flying, and we couldn't ask for any more," said Toth. "We are ready for the Joint Operational Test Team to write their report, provide us a quick-look out brief then formally brief our command on what they thought of the training system here. Once we receive the Air Education and Training Command's approval stating we are 'Ready For Training,' we can begin our first class."

Smith and his team of instructors are ready to train six pilots early next year as soon as they get that notice.

"We'll receive the training system for the block 1B operational flight program, the suite of software in the jets," he said. "It'll be our first class in this configuration. We are calling it a small group tryout, a contractual thing to make sure courseware developed is up to standards. It will take two months."

After its first year of training, the wing expects to see "normalcy" in its program.

"Concurrency of testing and training in the Air Force F-35 program means basic training of operational test pilots will happen first at Eglin in the near term," said Toth. "The pilots will then follow-on to Nellis or Edwards to conduct testing on new F-35 systems and capabilities before the wing adapts them in the training environment, resulting in the growth of the program becoming much more normalized. Meanwhile, the game plan for other military services and international partners will continue. Eventually there will be 2,100 maintenance students and 100 U.S. military F-35 pilots a year."

 

... segnalo inoltre questo paper F-35 and the Future of Canadian Security che spiega come il programma JSF incontri le esigenze canadesi

 

Canada’s participation in the Joint Strike Fighter project has been fraught with much controversy and a lack of clarity. This study aims to assess how the F-35 meets Canadian defence requirements over the next few decades. It concludes:

• The global balance of power is currently shifting towards greater multipolarity, with a growing rivalry between a tier of rising new powers and established powers;

• Demographic, economic and political shifts in Western states may push the calculus of intervention towards aerial campaigns rather than ground invasions with large, manpower intensive armies;

• The international proliferation of highly effective air-to-air and ground-to-air systems pose a major threat to current generation fighters;

• Canada possesses several unique considerations involving northern defence, including long range capability, good reliability and an advanced sensor package.

 

The F-35 capabilities are an important response to these trends:

• The low observable features and avionics will enable the F-35 to operate in contested airspace denied to earlier generations of aircraft;

• Its avionics are essential to integrate into on-going networking trends and ensuring long-term affordability and viability;

• The F-35 should greatly enhance Canada’s ability to perform its northern sovereignty operations, without risking pilot safety;

• Interoperability with the United States and other partners will vastly increase the effectiveness of Canada’s F-35 fleet and maintain long-term affordability;

• The projected F-35 fleet size and aircraft serviceability are sufficient to maintain and even improve the capability of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

 

Several risks remain however, that must be acknowledged:

• Although the F-35 aircraft should meet the projected acquisition cost set out in the 2010 estimates, there is little flexibility left in the budget for further increases;

• The sequestration process set out in the United States Budget Control Act 2011 represents a major threat to the affordability of the F-35;

• The F-35’s sustainment and logistical systems are in their infancy, and their development will be critical in determining operations and maintenance costs.

 

Based on these recommendations the government of Canada should:

• Remain engaged as a partner in the JSF program and continue to participate in its development;

• Closely observe and consider the fighter’s progress in order to better inform its final decision to purchase the fighter after 2016;

• Ensure that the unique features of the F-35 operation are fully understood by all levels of government and implemented properly if purchased.

[Simone]

Un aspetto positivo sembra essere la "facilità di pilotaggio" dell'F-35 rispetto ai mezzi che lo hanno preceduto, in fondo è una caratteristica non rara nel mondo dei trasporti, l'autopilota si occupa di buona parte del carico di lavoro ed anche le manovre più complicate sono eseguibili con poca pratica. Data l'onnipresenza dei computer nella vita quotidiana dell'Americano benestante (classe sociale da cui vengono quasi tutti gli ufficiali) , avere un velivolo così tanto computerizzato non è un grande problema, come potrebbe essere per piloti di altre nazioni. Queste dichiarazioni fanno pensare che non vi siano problemi relativi al software di volo e che non vi siano ulteriori prove da fare a tal proposito

Si spera che l'entrata in servizio effettivo deli primiF-35 A sia possibile entro il 2013

[Flaggy]

Il pilotaggio può essere semplice finché ti pare, ma l’aereo è in piena fase di sviluppo e con i test volti ad espandere l’inviluppo di volo e a tante altre cosucce.

Di entrata in servizio il prossimo anno non se ne parla nemmeno.

[TT-1 Pinto]

Now, as the Marine Corps prepares to set up its first operational squadron of F-35s next week ....

Fonte .... http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_11_16_2012_p0-518070.xml

[Scagnetti]

Sì ma è cosa diversa dal raggiungere per lo meno la capacità operativa iniziale (initial operational capability - IOC)

 

Vedi a pagina 4 dello stesso articolo che hai linkato.

 

The Navy “hacking” had threatened to derail plans by the Marine Corps to set up its first operational squadron of F-35 fighters at an air base in Yuma, Arizona, next week.

 

The Marines will be the first military service to start using the planes, probably around 2015, because their existing fleeting of F/A-18 fighters and Harriers is aging and expensive to maintain.

 

Comunque interessante il testo, con la storia dell'attacco cibernetico "interno" da parte della Navy a LM....

Modificato 16 Novembre 2012 da Scagnetti

[TT-1 Pinto]

Evidentemente il termine "operational squadron" va inteso in senso molto lato.

Non a caso i primi tests in mare, svoltisi poco più di un anno fa sulla "USS Wasp", dovranno essere seguiti da altri nel 2013 ....

 

The testing for the F-35 and its sea-based operations will continue over the next several years.

....

The next sea trial, DT-2, is scheduled for 2013 after Wasp receives additional modifications for F-35B operations.

Fonte .... http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.NAVAIRNewsStory&id=4802

 

Quindi .... giusto .... prima che gli F-35B possano cominciare ad operare sui ponti delle navi passeranno ancora anni ....

 

Altrettanto dicasi della versione "C" ....

 

After the new hook design undergoes shore-based qualification trails, the F-35C will undergo sea trials on a carrier in late 2013 or early 2014.

Fonte .... http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/f-35-problems-on-their-way-to-being-fixed-372074/

[Flaggy]

Le varianti A e B sono più avanti nello sviluppo (con il B i Marines hanno fretta) rispetto al C e in questi mesi stanno distribuendo a degli “operational squadron” degli “operational aircraft”. Cioè dei reparti militari che utilizzeranno il velivolo per il compito loro assegnato (in questo caso addestrare piloti e sviluppare un numero infinito di procedure che diventeranno standard) stanno ricevendo velivoli che hanno tutto l’hardware di missione a bordo al posto delle apparecchiature di prova.

 

Un aereo però diventa operativo quando ci sono piloti e velivoli in grado di svolgere la missione loro assegnata (almeno parzialmente con una IOC) e non quando dei piloti (tra l’altro futuri istruttori) si addestrano su un aereo che vola con un inviluppo di volo limitato, un software provvisorio e un hardware da testare e magari ancora da implementare nelle ultime soluzioni correttive..

Ci sono ancora velivoli completamente strumentati che stanno svolgendo dei test di volo e dei velivoli completamente equipaggiati che ne fanno altri per sviluppare la suite di missione, senza contare le cellule per prove statiche.

 

Non c’è insomma tanto spazio a fraintendimenti, se non altro perché in questa discussione sono anni che seguiamo lo stato di avanzamento del programma.

Le informazioni raccolte dalle innumerevoli (e spesso opinabili) fonti vanno dunque sempre inserite nell’arcinoto contesto, altrimenti su questo aereo si può dire (e ridire) tutto e il contrario di tutto.

 

Qui siamo al primo "operational F-35B aircraft" (il BF-19) che arriva a Yuma dove il VMFA-332 dovrebbe essere il primo reparto ad ottenere la IOC.

 

http://www.dvidshub.net/video/191080/marine-corps-welcomes-first-f-35b-aircraft-yuma-ariz#.UKcHfb64bF8

 

E' evidente che per la IOC manca qualche altro aereo e tanto lavoro da fare nei prossimi mesi per tutti quei militari che ora posano felici davanti all'F-35B che hanno lungamente atteso.

Modificato 17 Novembre 2012 da Flaggy

[Flaggy]

Un' immagine relativa all’evento.

 

 

Con conferma di quanto sopra detto in merito alle tempistiche.

 

VMFA-121 is set to become the first operational F-35B unit anywhere, but the Pentagon has yet to decide when any version of the F-35 will be declared operational.

Questo primo aereo dunque è assegnato al VFMA-121 anche se a Yuma è previsto che ci siano 4 squadriglie (fino all'anno scorso si parlava del VFMA-332 come del primo) con 16 aerei ciascuna più un Operational Testing and Evaluation squadron con fino ad altri 8.

 

http://www.dvidshub.net/image/784512/yuma-receives-first-f-35b

Modificato 17 Novembre 2012 da Flaggy

[Scagnetti]

Devo segnalare una notizia che segna il raggiungimento di un'importante tappa, forse più decisiva anche se meno vistosa della notizia del primo aereo operativo presso i Marines.

 

Questa riguarda la versione A e l'USAF che decise di sottoporre il velivolo a un' Operational Utility Evaluation.

 

La valutazione si è conclusa prima del previsto e con esiti apparentemente molto positivi: http://www.eglin.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123326090

 

Questo significa che la versione A sarà presto in grado di essere inserita in linea per l'addestramento (sia di piloti/istruttori di volo che di manutentori).

 

A Joint Operational Test Team will write its report of its evaluation here for Air Education and Training Command's review and approval, "Ready For Training," needed for the wing to begin formal F-35A training.

 

 

Inoltre:

 

"Concurrency of testing and training in the Air Force F-35 program means basic training of operational test pilots will happen first at Eglin in the near term," said Toth. "The pilots will then follow-on to Nellis or Edwards to conduct testing on new F-35 systems and capabilities before the wing adapts them in the training environment, resulting in the growth of the program becoming much more normalized. Meanwhile, the game plan for other military services and international partners will continue. Eventually there will be 2,100 maintenance students and 100 U.S. military F-35 pilots a year."

 

 

Un numero crescente di addetti alla manutenzione (oltre che un numero di piloti) sta ottenendo qualifiche operative e per addestrare altri addetti su quella che sarà la versione fondamentale.

 

 

Devo ricordare però, che sussistono sostanziali problemi per il casco/visore - la principipale interfaccia uomo/macchina come evidenziato dall'ultimo rapporto del GAO e del software che controlla l'aereo.

[TT-1 Pinto]

Ancora a proposito di Yuma .....

 

Marines’ First Frontline Stealth Fighter Lacks Vital Gear .....

 

The U.S. Marine Corps has received its first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that, in theory, is meant for actual combat. But that doesn’t mean the pricey, long-delayed JSF is going to be dropping bombs on enemy targets anytime soon. The Lockheed Martin-built plane’s computerized logistical system, flight software and special helmet still aren’t ready — and it lacks weapons.

 

No, the Marines have taken possession of the combat-designated, but not combat-ready, F-35 in order to begin building up its stealth-fighter fleet. Not yet, anyway. The advance preparation should ensure that the Corps can send the new JSF squadrons into combat the moment the jet is finally fully equipped … whenever that might be

 

Fonte ..... http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11/marines-jsf/