GK and others,
Some good posts here, with good information, but....
Is it just me, or is there a baseline presumption of trouble/stupidity/omission when it comes to the JSF programme? This is definitely not to be confused with healthy cynicism and free speech, of course.
The F-35B programme has taken particular pains to investigate, measure and model the efflux of the jet operating from a number of surfaces. The result is the best understanding that has ever been achieved of the temperatures, pressures and flow velocities around and under the aircraft, and on the surfaces called out in the specification. This effort was led by the Brits and carried out ion an exemplary manner (according to the US tech specialists who were watching VERY closely).
On top of this, the USN is a knowledgeable and demanding customer that will not do ship trials on any other basis than professionally and carefully.
So, what does all this mean? It means that the team getting the 35B to sea know what they are doing and are not, repeat not, trying to hide any bad news. Were there any, you can bet anyone's bottom dollar that it would have been fully reported, like all the other F-35 issues.
Here's the bottom line as I understand it. The F-35B efflux is different to the Av-8B's, and the aft nozzle is certainly hot and energetic. However, existing deck coatings can stand quite a bit of exposure to it, and predicted coating lives were not much worse than those for Harrier. There are ways to mitigate the effects, the best being to do a 'creeping' landing with a knot or two forward speed. This 'smears' out the hot exhaust footprint and greatly reduces deck wear. This technique was developed in the 60s for 'Mexepad' operations by the Kestrel joint test squadron.
Cross decking to unmodified decks should be wholly practicable, in my view.
I know that these facts are less entertaining than the stories we get about 'deck steel melting' and 'ship trials being rigged for
PR purposes'. Sorry about that. However, just occasionally, I'd like to see the teams doing the hard work getting a little credit.
Best Regards As Ever
Engines