PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - F-35 Cancelled, then what ?
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Old 29th Jan 2016, 20:08
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KenV
 
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Also, it was stated the F-22 pilots are limited to flying the F-22s to only 10-12 hours per month. It costs $58,000 per flight hour or 42 man-hours of maintenance per flight hour. Half the man-hours are spent repairing the RAM coating. The USAF can't afford more air hours. Would these statements be somewhat accurate?
Arguably, the biggest advance in the F-35 is the RAM coatings. One reason USN has not had a stealth aircraft is for that very reason: it can't be maintained in a carrier environment. The F-35s RAM coating technology is reportedly much more robust and much less maintenance intensive, making it the first stealth aircraft that can routinely operate from a carrier. And that technology is reportedly being back fitted to F-22s.

And although cheaper to fly than an F-22, F-35s will nevertheless be expensive to fly. That's why USAF and USN are both looking at offloading some of the F-22/F-35 pilot training hours onto a cheaper aircraft. Indeed that's one of the driving requirements for the T-X, to enable 5th gen pilots to train on it instead of their real ride.

Last edited by KenV; 29th Jan 2016 at 20:27.
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