The other very long thread mentioned has many pages as I recall about 'stealth maintainability' and 'how it is measured after repair' onboard.
CM needs to download the indicated with URL [
https://www.f35.com/assets/uploads/d...ober_2014).pdf ] 'LM Fast Facts PDF'. And I agree the otherwise 'FACTS' web page is less than useful in a lot of respects.
On page 5 of this thread 'KenV' made statements about maintainability with reference to the engine, with a response from 'Engines'.
Here is a story from print media - not available online I guess:
GRIM REAPERS July 2014 Mark Ayton; AIR International F-35 Special Edition
“...Changing and Handling an F135 Engine
To date, the squadron’s maintenance department has changed one F135 engine on F-35C BuNo 168733/ ‘NJ101’ – the first one delivered from Fort Worth. According to CDR Lookabaugh the process was “much slower” compared to a Hornet or Super Hornet, but not because the maintainers were unfamiliar with the procedure. “Changing an engine [on the F-35C] requires a quite different mindset,” he said. “That’s why you don’t want to do it unless you absolutely need to, because it’s going to take more time than on the legacy platforms.”
Physically, it involves a different way of doing things. “You pull it straight out rather than drop it,” said Lookabaugh. “You have to take panels off to get at the many connections, and you have to remove the tail hook truss. So there are lot of parts that have to come off before you can take the engine out. All you do with a legacy platform is drop the doors and its engine comes straight out.”
The size of the F135 engine, compared to the F404 and F414 power plants used by Hornets and Super Hornets, is “not going to affect us much” according to CDR Luke Kremer, VFA-101’s Safety Officer. He added: “It’s going to make the handler mad, though. He’s the guy who has to park up the jets. Because the F135 is not dropped down, he’s going to have to make more room behind the aircraft to allow for the motor to be pulled out. That means he will have fewer spots to park jets in the hangar bay.”
CDR Lookabaugh explained: “Certain spots are considered dead spots: those where we wouldn’t move the aircraft after we’d started working on it. They will probably be the spots where we will position an aircraft that requires the engine to be removed. This will not impede the flow of traffic moving through the hangar bay. Typically, the handlers do a whole dance of moving aircraft around at night to get the right one down-stairs and others upstairs. Any aircraft stuck in a certain position will impede movement. It will be a challenge, but nothing that hasn’t been overcome before.”
Also, because of its size, handling an F135 engine between the hangar bay and the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department will eventually be helped by an engine removal and installation trailer specifically designed [by MARAND, Australia] for the Pratt & Whitney power plant, although engine handling testing has not happened yet....”