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F-35 Cancelled, then what ?

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F-35 Cancelled, then what ?

Old 12th Nov 2018, 15:47
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Originally Posted by glad rag
are there any current or future platform that could do the same mission?
Current or future? Sure!! In the future they'll have a starship in orbit with sensors that can detect a gnat approaching the carrier battle group. But on a more serious note, the F-35 currently has a suite of sensors unique to that aircraft and now it can share that sensor data with the battle group. No other aircraft can currently do what F-35 does in the arena of passive detection. When the Block 3 Super Hornets arrive they'll have an upgraded sensor suite that may (or may not) do everything the F-35 does. (The final block 3 configuration is not yet defined.)
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Old 12th Nov 2018, 16:12
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But on a more serious note, the F-35 currently has a suite of sensors unique to that aircraft
Unique is certainly a suitable word. Antiques have a certain rarity value......

Hence Raytheon having the contract to replace the current suite WEF 2023. Which raises, yet again, the issue of the obsolescence of the current aircraft being delivered - and whether they can be upgraded or will need to be replaced.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...300665689.html

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Old 15th Nov 2018, 23:37
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More B models ordered.


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Old 20th Nov 2018, 13:28
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F-35A drops GBU-49 precision bomb for first time in combat training

Another box ticked. (On Flight Global)

The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II dropped a GBU-49 precision bomb for the first time in combat training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

The test on 7 November was conducted by the US Air Force 388th Fighter Wing’s 34th Fighter Squadron, which is stationed at Hill AFB, Utah. The GBU-49 is made by Raytheon. It is a converted “dumb” bomb that uses a laser and GPS to be guided to its target. The precision weapon can be used in a variety of weather conditions, against moving or stationary targets.

“Like any new weapon, what we learned, and what we will learn as we continue to train with the GBU-49, will directly impact our tactics and will make the F-35A even more lethal,” says Lt Col Matthew Johnston.



F-35A dropping GBU-49

US Air Force

USAF F-35A pilots had been training to drop the GBU-49 in flight simulators at Hill AFB, but plan to use continued live training to refine their tactics and techniques. Weapons crews, maintainers, and pilots were assessed on their ability to build, load, and drop the weapons during the combat training, says the service.

The USAF says further training on the Utah Test and Training Range with live and inert GBU-49s will begin soon. Hill AFB is scheduled to be home to three F-35 fighter squadrons with a total of 78 aircraft by the end of 2019, says the service.

The first combat training drop of the GBU-49 from the F-35A comes as the Department of Defense granted Lockheed Martin an $83.1 million contract on 15 November to make the aircraft dual capable – able to launch conventional or nuclear weapons – by February 2024.
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Old 20th Nov 2018, 13:42
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UK MoD says:
MOD awarding a £160m contract to Kier VolkerFitzpatrick to build a F-35 flight simulator, maintenance unit, new hangars and storage facilities at RAF Lakenheath. This will ready the Suffolk airbase for two squadrons of US F-35s,
https://modmedia.blog.gov.uk/2018/11...november-2018/

Since this is a US base, and these facilities are for USAF aircraft, I have to wonder why the UK MoD is paying for it. Yes I know it's called RAF Lakenheath, but that's just a treaty thing - all USAF bases in UK are called RAF Whatever. Doesn't mean we have to pay for them. Or are we just sucking up to POTUS?

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Old 21st Nov 2018, 05:20
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Originally Posted by airsound
UK MoD says:

https://modmedia.blog.gov.uk/2018/11...november-2018/

Since this is a US base, and these facilities are for USAF aircraft, I have to wonder why the UK MoD is paying for it. Yes I know it's called RAF Lakenheath, but that's just a treaty thing - all USAF bases in UK are called RAF Whatever. Doesn't mean we have to pay for them. Or are we just sucking up to POTUS?

airsound
More likely the mod is paying from funding received from NATO surely.
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Old 21st Nov 2018, 06:26
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iIRC they are indeed RAF bases, which is why they have an RAF station commander, currently Sqn Ldr Jerry Neild, the USAF being, officially, lodger units. Hence the MoD will award the contract - who supplies the cash to pay the bills is a separate matter.

https://www.lakenheath.af.mil/About-...r-jerry-neild/
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Old 21st Nov 2018, 07:43
  #11608 (permalink)  
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Depends how you read it. Rather than see it as the IAF supplementing the F-35 with new F-15s, I read it as the IAF agreeing to continue trickle buying F-35s as the cost of being allowed to buy a new generation of F-15s.

Interesting about the aircraft capability as well. For decades the suspicion in the Arab world was that the aircrfatbthey were sold were always inferior to the model of the same aircraft supplied to Israel - here it would appear the IAF is playing catch-up.

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,...409130,00.html

IAF to supplement F-35 stealth jets with upgraded F-15 IA

The new F-15 IA was chosen by the IDF and Israel Air Force (IAF) as the new fighter jet to be acquired over the next decade, according to an official announcement Saturday. The purchase has already been approved by the government, and the first of the aircraft is expected to arrive in Israel as soon as 2023. In the meantime, the IAF will continue purchasing stealth attack aircrafts.

The F-15 IA performance, considered to be superior to the older F-15 aircraft—which has been in IAF use since 1998—is what swayed the decision. Indeed, the new F-15 can fly longer distances, has higher survivability, more advanced avionic systems, and a much better ordnance-carrying capacity. The jet can carry up to 13 tons of explosives—a capability unmatched by any other attack aircraft.

In the field of air-to-air warfare, the F-15 IA plane is capable of carrying 11 missiles, in addition to 28 heavy, smart bombs for ground targets. In addition, the aircraft has the capability to carry all the weapons at the IAF’s disposal, including unique Israeli-made missiles, laser and electro-optical systems, and more.

The plane was built by Boeing for the air forces of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and initially the United States Air Force (USAF), through which the IAF purchased the planes, pressed Israel not to request to purchase the jets. This is because the Americans had an interest in continuing the development of the stealth F-35 line, which have been acquired by the US military's air and naval forces.

In the past year the USAF has begun to take an interest in the new F-15 IA plane, which gave Israel the green light to enter negotiations for its purchase. It seems as though the Americans have agreed to supply Israel with the new plane on condition that it will continue purchasing the F-35 stealth attack aircrafts.

The IAF emphasized that the new F-15 will not completely replace the F-35 stealth fighter, but is intended to reinforce the systems currently in place to enhance the range of capabilities to an optimal position vis-à-vis its missions—from Iran to Gaza.

According to a document presented by the IDF to outgoing Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman recently, the IAF intends to complete the purchase of the third stealth squadron at a lower rate—with up to three planes a year. Once the third squadron is complete, approximately in 10 years time, the IAF will have at least 75 F-35 stealth aircraft at its disposal.......





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Old 21st Nov 2018, 10:37
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Originally Posted by ORAC
Depends how you read it. Rather than see it as the IAF supplementing the F-35 with new F-15s, I read it as the IAF agreeing to continue trickle buying F-35s as the cost of being allowed to buy a new generation of F-15s.
Apples and Oranges surely - two different roles? Replacement of the older IAF strike Eagles
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Old 21st Nov 2018, 13:14
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Massive F-35 deal covers production into 2023

On Flight Global

Snip:-
Lockheed Martin has won a $22.7 billion contract to supply 255 F-35 Lightning II fighters for the three branches of the US armed services and international operators.

The contract covers 106 F-35s for the USA, comprising 64 F-35As for the air force, 26 F-35Bs for the marines, and 16 F-35Cs for the navy, a US Department of Defense contract announcement states.

In addition, 71 F-35As and 18 F-35Bs will go to international programme participants, and 60 F-35As to customers under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process.
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Old 21st Nov 2018, 14:45
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Yep, nothing like going into full scale multi-year contracts when you are still in the middle of testing and trials and critical defects still to be fixed.
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Old 21st Nov 2018, 19:26
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U.S. Air Force Has First F-35 'Elephant Walk' Mass Drill

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Old 21st Nov 2018, 21:39
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Some professional filming, but discounting quips of ‘same way …’, Balbo, or the real Lightning’s diamond 16 or 28 ship launch within 2 mins, what was the message in the video?
Does this take us back to page 1 of the thread; what’s this aircraft for; followed by 11500+ responses attempting to explain this; a ‘void of confusion’ (stealth confusion).

Smart sensors, but sensors can be to other aircraft, fusion - smart comms, which could also be fitted to other aircraft. On board intelligence and management, why put all of the expensive brains in the front line whereas with data link the real smarts could be elsewhere.
Longer range weapons - other aircraft. So this leaves ‘stealth’; what for, when, where, and how long will it be effective.
Is a 32 ship ‘walk’ about to answer these questions; I doubt it, so what other purpose was there?
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Old 22nd Nov 2018, 13:44
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Originally Posted by PEI_3721
Is a 32 ship ‘walk’ about to answer these questions; I doubt it, so what other purpose was there?
Because they felt the need to demonstrate that they could?

Still a fugly jet though
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Old 22nd Nov 2018, 16:34
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Originally Posted by PEI_3721
Smart sensors, but sensors can be to other aircraft, fusion - smart comms, which could also be fitted to other aircraft. On board intelligence and management, why put all of the expensive brains in the front line whereas with data link the real smarts could be elsewhere.
you can add lotsa new tech to old aircraft, but it's usually a lot harder than it looks. Take the Typhoon. AESA radars have been around for well over a decade and after years and years of testing, the Typhoon fleet has yet to get it. Super Hornet Block 3 is in the works and it does not have everything in terms of sensors and systems that F-35 already has. As for onboard processing vs off board processing, doing the processing on board tremendously reduces the datalink bandwidth required to transmit raw sensor data. The price of computing continues to go down so it makes sense to process locally, while no matter how many very very expensive secure transponders they put in orbit, we never have enough bandwidth to go around. Further, processing locally means the pilot is able to act on the data immediately and independent of ground support. And further still, it means the pilot can turn off his datalink as necessary to preserve/enhance stealth.

Longer range weapons - other aircraft. So this leaves ‘stealth’; what for, when, where, and how long will it be effective.
Is a 32 ship ‘walk’ about to answer these questions; I doubt it, so what other purpose was there?
What purpose? Usually the purpose of such exercises, especially the first time they are done, is not to answer questions but to enable planners to ask the right questions so as to develop the best tactics and procedures to best employ the available assets. Later exercises will wring out the tactics and (hopefully) answer more questions than they raise.

And BTW, one of the reasons for a huge exercise like this is not to test the aircraft or even the flight crews, but to test the maintainers and the logistics infrastructure. If a mass launch is required, can the maintainers and the logistics tail provide enough airframes all at once to satisfy such a massive surge requirement. Once they're satisfied the logistics can handle such a massive surge, the next step will be to see if the armorers can handle such a massive surge. It's one thing to launch dozens of fully fueled full mission capable aircraft at once. It's another to launch get them all fully armed. Learn to walk before you try to run.


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Old 23rd Nov 2018, 23:01
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Originally Posted by KenV
you can add lotsa new tech to old aircraft, but it's usually a lot harder than it looks. Take the Typhoon. AESA radars have been around for well over a decade and after years and years of testing, the Typhoon fleet has yet to get it. Super Hornet Block 3 is in the works and it does not have everything in terms of sensors and systems that F-35 already has. As for onboard processing vs off board processing, doing the processing on board tremendously reduces the datalink bandwidth required to transmit raw sensor data. The price of computing continues to go down so it makes sense to process locally, while no matter how many very very expensive secure transponders they put in orbit, we never have enough bandwidth to go around. Further, processing locally means the pilot is able to act on the data immediately and independent of ground support. And further still, it means the pilot can turn off his datalink as necessary to preserve/enhance stealth.

What purpose? Usually the purpose of such exercises, especially the first time they are done, is not to answer questions but to enable planners to ask the right questions so as to develop the best tactics and procedures to best employ the available assets. Later exercises will wring out the tactics and (hopefully) answer more questions than they raise.

And BTW, one of the reasons for a huge exercise like this is not to test the aircraft or even the flight crews, but to test the maintainers and the logistics infrastructure. If a mass launch is required, can the maintainers and the logistics tail provide enough airframes all at once to satisfy such a massive surge requirement. Once they're satisfied the logistics can handle such a massive surge, the next step will be to see if the armorers can handle such a massive surge. It's one thing to launch dozens of fully fueled full mission capable aircraft at once. It's another to launch get them all fully armed. Learn to walk before you try to run.

"all fully armed"

Nice one..
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Old 26th Nov 2018, 14:11
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Japan Set to Procure F-35B STOVL Aircraft for JMSDF Izumo-class 'helicopter destroyer' 26 Nov 2018

https://www.navyrecognition.com/inde...destroyer.html

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Old 26th Nov 2018, 17:05
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Originally Posted by TEEEJ
That video is a bloody pain in the butt to listen to: they can't be bothered to use a human being to narrate; they had a robot voice "reading" the text from a prepared script.
Dear USAF: that video production was bush league, guys and gals. You can do better.
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Old 26th Nov 2018, 17:18
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UK F-35B - 17 Sqn Edwards AFB, CA

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Old 26th Nov 2018, 21:11
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Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09
Thank you, a professionally produced video. Interesting that the speaker has flown both F-22 and F-35B.
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