F-35 Lightning II - Discussione Ufficiale

[TT-1 Pinto]

Ha volato il primo esemplare destinato alla Turchia ...

... https://combataircraft.keypublishing.com/2018/05/11/first-turkish-f-35-flies/...

... https://theaviationist.com/2018/05/11/turkeys-first-f-35a-lightning-ii-stealth-aircraft-makes-maiden-flight/...

[Alpino]

Secondo voi gli israeliani hanno già usato il Lightning nei raid sulla siria?

[Liger30]

Non mi sorprenderebbe minimamente.

[nik978]

Ne avevamo parlato prima: conoscendoli, e' altamente probabile. Ma sempre conoscendoli, e' altamente IMprobabile che la notizia trapeli in tempi brevi.....

[TT-1 Pinto]

F-35 e Turchia ... una bella gatta da pelare per Stati Uniti e NATO ...

Should U.S. Block F-35 Deliveries To Turkey ?

Lara Seligman and Jen DiMascio - Aviation Week & Space Technology - May 15, 2018

In 2019, Turkey is scheduled to receive two major new pieces of military equipment: the U.S.-made F-35 stealthy fifth-generation fighter and the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

Deployment of both systems in the same country has already made U.S. and NATO officials so concerned about security that the Pentagon and the State Department are trying to halt S-400 deliveries to Ankara.

However, U.S. lawmakers are divided over exactly how they should respond.

One bipartisan group of senators is moving to block the transfer of Lockheed Martin F-35s to Turkey, even as Lockheed prepares to deliver the first Turkish aircraft to Luke AFB, Arizona.

And a contingent of House lawmakers is considering a provision in a fiscal 2019 defense policy bill that would stop short of restricting F-35 deliveries but could impede shipments of other U.S. exports there.

The back-and-forth on Capitol Hill adds another layer of complexity to the controversial geopolitical situation that the Pentagon and State Department have been grappling with.

But it remains to be seen whether the U.S. will ultimately take any concrete steps to prevent the sale.

The U.S. has $9.7 billion in active Foreign Military Sales (FMS) with Turkey, the last of which was a $70 million deal for laser-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), which Congress was informed of in 2015.

Between 2013 and 2017, the U.S. made another $1.7 billion in direct commercial sales there.

Turkey is also an original production partner making key components for the F-35, “a testament to the strength of our defense trade partnership and continued potential for future growth,” a State Department official notes.

The U.S. has long tried to sell Turkey air and missile defense systems such as Raytheon’s Patriot.

But Ankara ultimately opted for the Almaz Central Design Bureau’s S-400 in a $2.5 billion deal.

The systems were originally scheduled for delivery in 2020, but that date has since been accelerated.

“In pursuing a U.S. air and missile defense solution, Turkey would benefit from top-of-the-line technology, as well as NATO interoperability,” the official says.

“In contrast, an S-400 acquisition could potentially trigger actions under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (Caatsa) and have serious ramifications for U.S.’ ability to do business with Turkey across the defense trade spectrum.”

But as the date for deliveries nears, lawmakers may take additional action.

Standalone legislation proposed by Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) would prohibit the use of U.S. government funds to transfer F-35 aircraft, intellectual property or technical data related to maintenance support to Turkey, according to the text of the bill.

Because the sale is not by the U.S. government but by the international F-35 consortium, Congress does not have the legal authority to block it.

Ankara is a development partner on the program and plans to purchase 100 F-35As in total, the first of which will soon be delivered to Luke AFB.

Given the limitations, lawmakers appear to have realized the best approach to preventing Ankara from receiving the Joint Strike Fighter is to eliminate funds for the planned transfer of the jets from Luke to Turkey in 2019.

Blocking the transfer of intellectual property and technical data would also mean Ankara could not perform maintenance on U.S. engines or service their own aircraft.

Turkey has been chosen to be the hub of F135 engine depot overhaul for all the European operators.

Engine production and maintenance would take place at the First Air Supply and Maintenance Military Center in Eskisehir, which already services F-16 engines, among others.

Turkish industry stands to make $12 billion through F-35 work, Lockheed estimates.

Under the senators’ bill, President Donald Trump could waive the limitation, but the terms are stringent.

Trump must certify to Congress that Turkey is not taking steps to degrade NATO interoperability; exposing NATO assets to hostile actors; degrading the general security of NATO member countries; seeking to import or purchase defense articles from a foreign country under U.S. sanctions; or unlawfully detaining U.S. citizens.

Officials are likely concerned that if Turkey operates both the S-400 and the F-35, the fighter’s security could be compromised.

And NATO allies, including the U.S., see the S-400 as a security issue for NATO’s wider missile defense network.

Czech Army Gen. Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, says the S-400 is not just a sophisticated target-acquisition radar.

Even more important is that it is a database, he says, and Russian experts who come to install the system in Turkey could populate the database with NATO data.

“There is a big challenge,” Pavel cautions.

The House provision stops far short of prohibiting the sale of F-35s, because such a restriction would hurt the U.S. and its allies more than it would affect Turkey, according to a House Republican aide.

Rather, the legislation seeks a report on the impact that “increasing strains” between the U.S. and Turkey, “caused by provocative actions taken by the Turkish government over the past year, will have on all U.S. military and diplomatic activities currently conducted in Turkey, including joint operation of the F-35 and other military platforms.”

Other FMS sales, such as JDAM deliveries, could also be delayed.

Despite recent congressional moves, experts say it is unlikely the U.S. will take punitive action against Turkey over the S-400 purchase.

Kate Kizer, policy director of The Center for International Policy’s Win Without War program, says the U.S. government’s “paranoia” about losing market share to China and Russia is “a little bit overblown.

“The paradox of the U.S. being the largest arms exporter, I think, is that there is a paranoia, particularly in Congress, about losing the market share in some way. If we don’t sell these weapons to [Turkey] then China and Russia are going to move in and do it and then we will lose our ally,” she says.

“The whole baby gets thrown out with the bathwater.”

Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, says Russia has not been successful in marketing its technology to the rest of the world.

There is a big difference, he says, between the one or two S-400s Turkey will receive from Russia and the more-than-100 F-35 buy.

“They haven’t really shown that they are very good in transferring technology and helping other states to build up their arms industry,” says Wezeman.

“I really doubt if we are going to see a very big change in the arms transfer relationship between the U.S. and Turkey.”

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

F-35 ... ciascun servizio dovrebbe fare, d'ora in avanti, da sè per quanto concerne lo sviluppo della propria versione del velivolo ...

​

In the interest of “speed and agility” in prosecuting their pieces of the National Defense Strategy, the services should now begin evolving their unique versions of the F-35, Air Force Materiel Command chief Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski said Tuesday.

Speaking with defense reporters in Washington, Pawlikowski agreed with Pentagon acquisition, technology, and logistics chief Ellen Lord that “it’s time to start this transition” from one where the Joint Program Office oversees all of the services’ variants of the Joint Strike Fighter to service-specific program offices more tuned to the unique needs of their mission.

Fonte: airforcemag.com ... Pawlikowski Says It’s Time For F-35 Variants to Evolve Along Service Lines ...

[TT-1 Pinto]

Nuova azione legislativa per tentare di bloccare la vendita degli F-35 alla Turchia ...

... http://thehill.com/policy/defense/388241-house-lawmaker-introduces-bill-to-halt-f-35-sale-to-turkey

... https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-introduces-bipartisan-ban-f-35-joint-strike-fighter-sales-turkey-act

[TT-1 Pinto]

Addio 'Lightning II' ...

Qualcuno ha cominciato a chiamarlo ... 'Pantera' ...

It's Viper for the F-16, Warthog for the A-10, Moose for the C-17, Rhino for the F-4, and the list goes on.

The USAF, along with the other services, have long histories of giving their combat aircraft new names, oftentimes of the animal kingdom variety, after the planes had already received their official monikers.

This was near certain to be the case for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter once it was assigned the less than thrilling official name of Lightning II.

Now it's become clear that a new name has caught on for the stealth jet among the top echelons the USAF's F-35 cadre, and that nickname is 'Panther.'

Fonte: thedrive.com ... The Air Force's Elite Weapons School Has Given The F-35 A New Nickname ...

[Flaggy]

...E speriamo continui perchè Lightning II fa proprio pena come nome.

[TT-1 Pinto]

... E speriamo continui perchè Lightning II fa proprio pena come nome.

 

La tradizione ... Flaggy ... la tradizione ...

[Flaggy]

La tradizione non lo rende meno penoso e men che meno più appropriato.

[Signs_of_Life]

Come mai non ti piace questo nome, Flaggy? E' un nome come un altro... col plus dell'heritage storico. Panther non mi sembra né più bello né più appropriato.

[Flaggy]

Il P-38 è stato uno dei velivoli più veloci del suo tempo. Idem per il BAC Lightning inglese.

Il nome però evoca i due predecessori, ma certo l'F-35 non verrà ricordato per essere un fulmine.

Nessuno obbliga a legare necessariamente il nome alle prestazioni o alle caratteristiche, ma se lo si fa è un plus innegabile e se devo pensare a un nome per un velivolo come questo, penso al passo felpato di un felino, non alla velocità di un fulmine che associato all'F-35 risulta quasi ironico.

Non mi piace poi come suona e anche a pronunciarlo si ingroppa la lingua.

Infine...de gustibus.

[Loneflyer]

Però il nome Lightning (volendo) può anche rimandare al modo in cui i fulmini colpiscono il suolo: in maniera inesorabile e del tutto senza preavviso. Del resto l'espressione lightning strike richiama l'atto del colpire, e l'attacco al suolo è proprio la missione primaria dell'F-35. A mio parere il nome che hanno scelto ci sta bene.

[Flaggy]

Appunto, volendo…anche se forse bisogna volerlo oltre le intenzioni di chi gliel’ha dato e che nel darglielo ha pensato di omaggiare i suoi due illustri e veloci antenati più che sottolinearne le capacità aria-suolo.

 

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-names-lockheed-martins-f-35-jsf-the-lightning-207685/

 

Comunque è un discorso ozioso visto che qualsiasi nome avrebbe trovato sostenitori e contrari e a prescindere un corollario di nomignoli più o meno popolari fra appassionati e addetti ai lavori.

[TT-1 Pinto]

Programma F-35 ... una donna al comando ...

Lockheed Martin named Michele Evans as its deputy executive vice president for its Aeronautics business area starting June 4.

The company said Evans would be based in Fort Worth, Texas and responsible for programmes including the F-35, F-16, C-130 and Advanced Development Programs, also known as Skunk Works.

She will report to the business area's executive vice president, Orlando Carvalho.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ... Lockheed Martin names Evans to top Aeronautics post ...

... lockheedmartin.com ... MICHELE EVANS NAMED AERONAUTICS DEPUTY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ...

[Liger30]

L'aviazione israeliana conferma ufficialmente di aver impiegato l'F-35 in due dei recenti attacchi, e di averlo in volo per le operazioni "su tutto il Medio Oriente".

 

https://twitter.com/AAhronheim/status/998816196546973696

[TT-1 Pinto]

Dal sito della IAF ...

 

"The 'Adir' (F-35I) aircraft are already operational and flying combat missions. In fact, we have performed the first operational F-35 strike in the world. We attacked twice in the Middle East using the F-35 – we are the first in the world to do so. The Israeli Air Force is a pioneer and a world leader in operating air power".

These are the words of IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, spoken today (Tuesday) at the International Air Force Commander Convention's opening at Israel's Air Force Auditorium.

 

http://www.iaf.org.il/4473-50208-en/IAF.aspx

 

In sostanza ... nonostante tutti i dubbi in merito ... lo hanno fatto e lo hanno annunciato ufficialmente ...

[nsauro]

Anche La Stampa ne parla in questo articolo in italiano.

[TT-1 Pinto]

Il commento di FlightGlobal ...

 

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israeli-f-35is-make-combat-debut-with-two-air-strike-448789/

[TT-1 Pinto]

Dopo il recente primo impiego in operazioni di combattimento dello F-35 da parte delle Forze Aeree Israeliane ... ci si domanda quali potrebbero essere i futuri sviluppi ...

... defensenews.com ... Israel just showed that the F-35 can fight. So what’s next? ...

[engine]

Molto over Beirut ( 5000 m ? ).

Del resto penso che F-15 e F-16 facciano , più o meno, la stessa cosa.

 

Ulteriori sviluppi ?

 

Se ci sono altre grane, altri attacchi , soprattutto dove ci sono gli iraniani .

 

Il problema più grosso , però , si chiama Turchia .

[TT-1 Pinto]

Italia ... la sorte dello F-35 alla luce della probabile formazione del nuovo governo ... un mistero ...

... defensenews.com ... Future of F-35 in Italy remains a mystery under new government ...

[Umberto]

Da notare i riflettori radar ancora installati nella foto sopra Beirut

[engine]

 

Italia ... la sorte dello F-35 alla luce della probabile formazione del nuovo governo ... un mistero ...

... defensenews.com ... Future of F-35 in Italy remains a mystery under new government ...

 

 

 

Al di là delle dichiarazioni di partito , Di Maio si è incontrato con il mondo finanziario inglese ( e forse anche americano ) a Londra , in un incontro a porte chiuse , alla fine di Gennaio / inizio Febbraio. Per quella gente il tempo è denaro , ergo se si sono parlati vuol dire che lo appoggiano.

 

http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2018-02-01/lost-translation-giallo-londra-e-strategia-di-maio-post-voto-123945.shtml?uuid=AEbQYjsD&refresh_ce=1

 

Resta , tuttavia la pregiudiziale dei grillini contro l'aereo e contro le spese militari .

 

Quanto al lustrascarpe di Di Maio , l'ingenuo Salvini , non ci vorrà molto per fargli credere che un aereo " padano " come lo M346 armato potrà sostituire egregiamente lo AMX , per le missioni di guerra umanitaria in cui l'italietta è solita impelagarsi.

 

Il destino della presenza italiana nel programma è appeso a un filo e all'estero saranno contenti se ci leviamo di torno : più deboli noi e più lavoro per loro.

Modificato 26 Maggio 2018 da engine