F-35 Cancelled, then what ?

[SpazSinbad]

VIDEO: Serious Container Abuse by GBU-32

VIDEO HERE: F-35 fighter jet passes bomb accuracy test | Video | Reuters.com
Weapons release completes F-35 flight test milestone 12 Dec 2013 australianaviation.com.au

"Lockheed Martin has proclaimed a successful test flight and verification year for weapons integration following the successful employment of a GBU-32 JDAM from an F-35B’s internal weapons bay against a fixed ground test target.

The F-35B aircraft, BF-18, launched from the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base was piloted by US Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Jon “Miles” Ohman, and operated with Block 2B software. The 100 [1,000] pound GBU-32 was released from an altitude of 25,000 feet.

Lockheed Martin vice president of F-35 test and verification said: “This milestone completed the 2013 U.S. Government and Lockheed Martin integrated test force team commitment to perform a Weapon Delivery Accuracy test for each of the Block 2B software weapon types, which includes the AIM-120, GBU-12, and GBU-31/32.”

It was the final weapons test of 2013 for the program."

Weapons release completes F-35 flight test milestone | Australian Aviation Magazine

[orca]

That will shut the doubters up - or they may question how much of said accuracy is in the jet and how much is in the JDAM. Hmmm, tricky.

[Heathrow Harry]

not the smallest target I've ever seen................

[Squirrel 41]

"JDAM hits 40' x 40' target under test conditions" shocker....

S41

[FODPlod]

Impact point seven feet above target dead centre? Get the designator some spectacles!

[orca]

Errr, suspect weapon went through dead centre of target mass and not totally convinced of the need for a designator. But good banter nonetheless.

[Willard Whyte]

That will shut the doubters up - or they may question how much of said accuracy is in the jet and how much is in the JDAM. Hmmm, tricky.

Looking at a list of compatible a/c, my money's on JDAM.


Have 'we' got anything like it, or are we playing our usual game of catch-up whilst pompously announcing that nothing is rotten in the state of Denmark.

suspect weapon went through dead centre of target mass

Were I a pprune pedant I would probably suggest it went through the centroid (Which admittedly for shipping containers is pretty much one and the same.)

[Turbine D]

First real budget since 2009, immediate effect for the DoD is at least a budget increase of 21 billion$.

I think I said before the United States DoD was inept, a better word might be dysfunctional. If you go back to the Reagan administration and adjust defense spending for inflation, we currently have one half the forces and capability we had then, but at today's higher levels of expenditures. Instead of 600 ships, we have 280 ships, instead of a 20 division army, we have a 10 division army and we have less than one half the number of bombers and fighter aircraft as we had then. Now you might say, but the ships, planes and army are more capable today than then but that not necessarily true. The average cycle time now for all weapons procured by the DoD under DoD acquisition regulations is 22 years. Whatever technological advantage included in the prolonged cycle is tempered or mitigated, only shortened time to market produces the technological edge, with longer times, others catch up.

Furthermore, over half the active military personnel sit behind desks or are on staff jobs. Additionally, DoD currently have 1.5 million civilian employees divided between civil servants and contract personnel, more than double that of 25 years ago. Joint Task Force staffs have increased from 7 in 1987 to 250 today. It is costly bureaucracy at its finest. There is ~$400 billion in unfunded cost growth in current Pentagon programs. It is no wonder we have less of everything. The budget increase of $21 billion will be quickly swallowed up, but not by funding more equipment, but by paying for the bureaucracy and bureaucrats.

[Courtney Mil]

Aren't we being a tiny bit scathing? Agreed, it should be able to hit a barn door, but always good to see that it can and that the end-to-end system check was successful.

[Heathrow Harry]

Well it can take out the "Emma Maersk" anyway

EMMA MAERSK (IMO: 9321483, MMSI: 220417000, Callsign: OYGR2) ship photo by Lichtschrijver - 433483 - FleetMon.com

[ORAC]

Well it can take out the "Emma Maersk" anyway

You really think 2 x 1000lbs exploding somewhere amongst 14,000+ containers is going to sunk it?

They'd probably wonder what the bang was and spend days looking for the problem*.......

*Hypebole, but you get the point.

[Heathrow Harry]

Orac

I suspect there aren't any people on the Emma Mearsk anyway.................. it's all run from an office in Copenhagen...............

after all if anyone gets in the way they can just run over them..............

[orca]

Courtney,

On reflection you are probably correct. It is actually great to see a Gen 5 aircraft loosing off a GPS guided weapon 5 years prior to ISD and 35 years before it's OSD. I am led to believe that the 'stealthy as a breeze block' Eurofighter 2000 might even field PW4 next year a mere 14 years past the gate and with only 17 before the scrap heap beckons.

Have a good week end all, it's red wine o'clock!

[Courtney Mil]

It is red wine o'clock, my friend.

[kbrockman]

It's Friday ,as in fish eating day, as in no red but white whine day.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Now Red Wine O'clock over the Pond. Cheers all

[Contact Approach]

order c152's and be done with it.

[SpazSinbad]

Choke on your Banans (Swiss Variety) or regurgitate youse vino but now the UK has 3% and the Dutchies 2% of the F-35 produce:

Lockheed Martin Celebrates 100th F-35 Lightning II · Lockheed Martin

'Fox3WheresMyBanana' I have the location of the A-4 banan dispenser if you require it.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

PM appreciated. I've been asked to go back to two former jobs this week already - best to be prepared

[SpazSinbad]

A-4 Banana Bending Machine

I reckon the location of the vending device can go pubelik these days - only WarBirds, Draken and Brazilian Navy flog A-4s these days..... No?

One happy chappie - suckcess....