F-35 Cancelled, then what ?
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The UK/US EW sharing issues, you may all be pleased to hear, are as good as ever. Where the "labs" are based are of no concequence to the F-35 programme. The U.K. Is not disadvantaged by location, locacation, location.
EDIT to add. A1Bill, you are being a bit of a petulant child here, as has been mentioned. My advice is to tone it down a bit. Just advice, nothing else.
EDIT to add. A1Bill, you are being a bit of a petulant child here, as has been mentioned. My advice is to tone it down a bit. Just advice, nothing else.
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Apologies, further research shows the aircraft in service date to be 2009, so hopefully it's sorted by now...
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no, you were right, our first one has just come off the lot 38 line.
"The reductions will be mitigated through projected savings negotiated on the Lot 38 airframe procurement, the AEA
kit procurement, and other various GFE contracts within the budget. Synergies with procurement of the Royal
Australian Air Force EA-18G and the FY 2013 eleven F/A-18E congressionally-added aircraft increased
procurement quantities, which result in reduced unit costs for all procurements."
http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/Reading_...ber2013SAR.PDF
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...uction-400660/
"The reductions will be mitigated through projected savings negotiated on the Lot 38 airframe procurement, the AEA
kit procurement, and other various GFE contracts within the budget. Synergies with procurement of the Royal
Australian Air Force EA-18G and the FY 2013 eleven F/A-18E congressionally-added aircraft increased
procurement quantities, which result in reduced unit costs for all procurements."
http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/Reading_...ber2013SAR.PDF
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...uction-400660/
M2 - I see your point about location. This is the age of the Intertubez after all.
On the other hand, it is consequential that the labs depend on the U.S. military for power, communications and access and are 50 percent U.S.-staffed.
Thought experiment: what if the U.K. had been flying U.S. aircraft under such terms in 1982, and Jimmy Carter had been re-elected in 1980? Would the information access issue have been of no consequence then?
On the other hand, it is consequential that the labs depend on the U.S. military for power, communications and access and are 50 percent U.S.-staffed.
Thought experiment: what if the U.K. had been flying U.S. aircraft under such terms in 1982, and Jimmy Carter had been re-elected in 1980? Would the information access issue have been of no consequence then?
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To be (operational), or not be (operational)...
And then one paragraph later...
Full article- https://www.f35.com/news/detail/f-35...nues-to-evolve
-RP
"The 61st FS is up, running and fully operational," said Lt. Col. David Lercher, 56th Fighter Wing F-35 division chief. "In order to be considered fully operational the squadron must have 24 primarily assigned aircraft."
The 62nd FS is on track to have eight F-35s by the end of 2015 and be fully operational by the end of 2017
Full article- https://www.f35.com/news/detail/f-35...nues-to-evolve
-RP
Gun shoot
buuuuurrrrrrrpppppppp..............
Gun has been fired in the air. A few bursts from AF-2
F-35A completes first successful aerial gun test - IHS Jane's 360
Looks like a a straight and level run.
Gun has been fired in the air. A few bursts from AF-2
F-35A completes first successful aerial gun test - IHS Jane's 360
Looks like a a straight and level run.
Rhino Power,
Maybe I'm being dumb (it wouldn't be the first time), but I don't see the problem.
One quote refers to the 61st FS being operational, implying it has 24 jets.
The next quote, with regard to only currently having 8 jets, refers to the 62nd FS.
Two different squadrons, at different stages of development, with different aircraft numbers at this time - so where is the issue?
Maybe I'm being dumb (it wouldn't be the first time), but I don't see the problem.
One quote refers to the 61st FS being operational, implying it has 24 jets.
The next quote, with regard to only currently having 8 jets, refers to the 62nd FS.
Two different squadrons, at different stages of development, with different aircraft numbers at this time - so where is the issue?
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Originally Posted by LO
On the other hand, it is consequential that the labs depend on the U.S. military for power, communications and access and are 50 percent U.S.-staffed.
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Biggus,
I believe it is a tongue-in-cheek comment because the USAF doesn't intend to declare any sort of "operational" capability until next August, when they should hopefully declare IOC. Therefore any implication that a sqn is operational, by virtue of having 24 PAA, sort of misses the point of what "operational" means.
I believe it is a tongue-in-cheek comment because the USAF doesn't intend to declare any sort of "operational" capability until next August, when they should hopefully declare IOC. Therefore any implication that a sqn is operational, by virtue of having 24 PAA, sort of misses the point of what "operational" means.
But... I'm gonna go with, MSOCS version of events! 
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This Helmet thing still has me a bit mystified. Just read and article that quotes $400,000 US a unit. Each is custom fitted to the individual pilots head for comfort and calibration.
The Helmet comes with the price of the aircraft. Well, the first one does. So there's 4000 Helmets. If you leave 2000 aircraft on the ground, and give 2000 pilots a spare, at least that save an aircraft being potentially grounded thanks to a Helmet malfunction at least.
And then there's training replacement pilots, so a course of 10 studes costs $4M straight up. You wouldn't want to flunk the course on your first week!!
It just seems to me like the weakest link, especially without an external HUD. Break a part of the aircraft and you hopefully have spares on site.
The Helmet comes with the price of the aircraft. Well, the first one does. So there's 4000 Helmets. If you leave 2000 aircraft on the ground, and give 2000 pilots a spare, at least that save an aircraft being potentially grounded thanks to a Helmet malfunction at least.
And then there's training replacement pilots, so a course of 10 studes costs $4M straight up. You wouldn't want to flunk the course on your first week!!
It just seems to me like the weakest link, especially without an external HUD. Break a part of the aircraft and you hopefully have spares on site.
A pricey bit of personal kit - yes. Compared to the price of the airplane? Peanuts.
I wonder about things like mass and volume in a cockpit where keeping one's head on a swivel is important. And I wonder about how the displayed information holds up under the dynamics of moving target, moving airplane, moving head and all that. Also, as primary display, it happens to be monochromatic - so distinguishing all the kinds of information - in a hurry seems like a challenging prospect. God bless our awesome skilled pilots.
The helmet is the "primary display" and I wonder what's left when the unthinkable - display failure - occurs. A $400,000 helmet can't really fail, though, can it? What was I thinking?
I wonder about things like mass and volume in a cockpit where keeping one's head on a swivel is important. And I wonder about how the displayed information holds up under the dynamics of moving target, moving airplane, moving head and all that. Also, as primary display, it happens to be monochromatic - so distinguishing all the kinds of information - in a hurry seems like a challenging prospect. God bless our awesome skilled pilots.
The helmet is the "primary display" and I wonder what's left when the unthinkable - display failure - occurs. A $400,000 helmet can't really fail, though, can it? What was I thinking?
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It is my understanding that there is a moulded insert for the helmet to be fitted. I don't know if the actual helmet size varies. There may be a small, medium and large as a guess.
I don't know if the actual helmet size varies. There may be a small, medium and large as a guess
Plus a large watch holder......
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First RNoAF pilot Morten "Dolby" Hanche had his first training flight yesterday
151110-F-BI157-161 by 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, on Flickr
151110-F-BI157-219 by 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, on Flickr
151110-F-BI157-161 by 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, on Flickr151110-F-BI157-219 by 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, on Flickr