The F-35 thread, Mk II
Stalled F-35 upgrades will delay next improvements, Wittman warns
Wittman said that deadline — more than a year late — is “very problematic, especially since we have a platform that we spent a significant amount of time and money on, and one that we know isn’t up to its full capability because of software inadequacies.”
Wittman said he’s not confident the Pentagon and Lockheed will be able to deliver on the latest mid-2024 deadline for TR-3.
“I want to be positive, but call me skeptical,” he said…..
Wittman said that deadline — more than a year late — is “very problematic, especially since we have a platform that we spent a significant amount of time and money on, and one that we know isn’t up to its full capability because of software inadequacies.”
Wittman said he’s not confident the Pentagon and Lockheed will be able to deliver on the latest mid-2024 deadline for TR-3.
“I want to be positive, but call me skeptical,” he said…..
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Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
F-35 Operational Test Force officially becomes multinational with full integration of UK & Australia. Welcome mention of Meteor specifically. UK's 17 Sqn at Edwards is only non-US unit with instrumented F-35s (with exception of the unique israeli bird).
https://www.afotec.af.mil/News/Artic...and-australia/
F-35 Operational Test Expands to Include United Kingdom and Australia
https://www.afotec.af.mil/News/Artic...and-australia/
F-35 Operational Test Expands to Include United Kingdom and Australia
809 Naval Air Squadron will rise from the ashes tomorrow, the RAF Marham and Royal Navy Facebook pages report.
Last edited by SLXOwft; 7th Dec 2023 at 12:18. Reason: image
Thanks, it was a close call. We saved the universe, by me deleting my post. We were close to spiraling into the sun. We wouldn't have a Second Coming.
Edit:Though I don't think the Israelis have a test instrumented F-35.
Edit:Though I don't think the Israelis have a test instrumented F-35.
Last edited by golder; 8th Dec 2023 at 00:19.
They do, it was delivered to the IAF Flight Testing Center (FTC) at Tel-Nof air force base on November 11 2020.
Israel receives its unique experimental F-35I Adir fighter
P.S. I found it useful to have a partial quote of the article but chacun ŕ son goűt.
Israel receives its unique experimental F-35I Adir fighter
P.S. I found it useful to have a partial quote of the article but chacun ŕ son goűt.
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Perhaps an interesting detail with lots unknown of course. Let’s Talk About the One-of-a-kind F-35I Adir Test Aircraft the Israeli Air Force Has Just Received 13 Nov 2020 https://theaviationist.com/2020/11/1...just-received/
"...the EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) which appears to be painted in the same color of the rest of the airframe. It is not known if this is some particular paint that lets the sensor see through it or if the sensor is entirely missing and replaced by a fairing which replicates its shape. In the latter case, we could hypothesize that the IAF will receive a custom variant of the EOTS developed by Rafael, the same developer of the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod and the RecceLite reconnaissance pod...."
"...the EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) which appears to be painted in the same color of the rest of the airframe. It is not known if this is some particular paint that lets the sensor see through it or if the sensor is entirely missing and replaced by a fairing which replicates its shape. In the latter case, we could hypothesize that the IAF will receive a custom variant of the EOTS developed by Rafael, the same developer of the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod and the RecceLite reconnaissance pod...."
They do, it was delivered to the IAF Flight Testing Center (FTC) at Tel-Nof air force base on November 11 2020.
Israel receives its unique experimental F-35I Adir fighter
P.S. I found it useful to have a partial quote of the article but chacun ŕ son goűt.
Israel receives its unique experimental F-35I Adir fighter
P.S. I found it useful to have a partial quote of the article but chacun ŕ son goűt.
The Israeli Air Force has taken delivery of a unique experimental F-35I Adir aircraft which arrived at the IAF Flight Testing Center (FTC) at Tel-Nof air force base on November 11.
Designated specifically for flight experiments, the F-35I will be instrumental in allowing the IAF to integrate certain indigenous technologies into the F-35.
“With the new addition of the ‘Adir’ to the lines of experimental aircraft in the Israeli Air Force’s FTC Squadron, we are witnessing a historic event, the magnitude of which cannot be underestimated – a meaningful corner stone in the IAF’s inauguration and development of the F-35 division”, said Brig. Gen. Oded Cohen, Commander of Tel-Nof AFB.
In the majority of the acquisitions made in cooperation with the United States, the IAF is given the opportunity to install its own electronic warfare, communications and weapons systems – all to accommodate the platforms to the relevant operational needs and requirements. For the F-35I, the situation is more complicated: “In the ‘Adir’ program, the IAF doesn’t have access to everything, and cannot fully intervene”, described Lt. Col. Y, Commander of the FTC Squadron.
“The experimental F-35I will act as the main building block for acquiring new flight capabilities, and allow for independent installation of munitions,” Lt. Col. Y. continued. “New weapons affect the aircraft in different ways. We run an entire series of tests to certify a capability, such as load testing, fluttering, and release fluency.”
In the near future, concurrent with the integration of the aircraft, American teams from “Lockheed Martin” will arrive at the squadron to deliver system instructions to its personnel. “The ‘Adir’ speaks a different language, one that we must connect with and learn to understand”, mentioned Maj. Manny and Lt. Col. Y added: “The IAF knows how to operate the “Adir”, but does not yet know how to operate an experimental model. We need to receive the relevant knowledge in order to operate the aircraft and fly it prior to the testing process”.
To date, the only experimental F-35 models manufactured were aeromechanical testing aircraft of limited operational ability or testing models meant to examine specific systems. The arriving ‘Adir’ model has advanced aeromechanical testing capabilities and full operational capabilities. Similar to other equipped testing aircraft in the FTC, we could, if necessary, convert the model to an operational one, Lt. Col. Y explained.
“The test ‘Adir’ model is the first-ever to be manufactured in the United States, per our request. Now, they will likely produce additional aircraft based on the current model for themselves,” he concluded.
Last edited by golder; 8th Dec 2023 at 10:44.
Perhaps an interesting detail with lots unknown of course. Let’s Talk About the One-of-a-kind F-35I Adir Test Aircraft the Israeli Air Force Has Just Received 13 Nov 2020 https://theaviationist.com/2020/11/1...just-received/
"...the EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) which appears to be painted in the same color of the rest of the airframe. It is not known if this is some particular paint that lets the sensor see through it or if the sensor is entirely missing and replaced by a fairing which replicates its shape. In the latter case, we could hypothesize that the IAF will receive a custom variant of the EOTS developed by Rafael, the same developer of the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod and the RecceLite reconnaissance pod...."
"...the EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) which appears to be painted in the same color of the rest of the airframe. It is not known if this is some particular paint that lets the sensor see through it or if the sensor is entirely missing and replaced by a fairing which replicates its shape. In the latter case, we could hypothesize that the IAF will receive a custom variant of the EOTS developed by Rafael, the same developer of the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod and the RecceLite reconnaissance pod...."
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(LEAD) S. Korea signs contract to buy 20 additional F-35A stealth fighter jets 27 Dec 2023
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231227002951315
"SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's arms procurement agency said Wednesday it signed a contract with the U.S. government earlier this month to buy 20 additional F-35A stealth fighter jets... Currently, the South Korean Air Force has 39 F-35A fighters after purchasing 40 F-35As from 2019 to 2022. The Air Force decided to retire an F-35A stealth jet earlier this month as it was seriously damaged by a bird strike last year...."
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231227002951315
"SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's arms procurement agency said Wednesday it signed a contract with the U.S. government earlier this month to buy 20 additional F-35A stealth fighter jets... Currently, the South Korean Air Force has 39 F-35A fighters after purchasing 40 F-35As from 2019 to 2022. The Air Force decided to retire an F-35A stealth jet earlier this month as it was seriously damaged by a bird strike last year...."
Spaz,
I don't think it was reported that Australia's Labor Govt (i.e. Defence spending is not in their DNA) cancelled the option of a further 28 F-35As for the RAAF.
Currently of the contract for 72, about 63 appear to have been delivered. (Ref F-16.net - The ultimate F-16, F-35 and F-22 reference)
The option for 28 was to take our total to 100, but the Super Hornet / Growler wing will now have to soldier on.
I don't think it was reported that Australia's Labor Govt (i.e. Defence spending is not in their DNA) cancelled the option of a further 28 F-35As for the RAAF.
Currently of the contract for 72, about 63 appear to have been delivered. (Ref F-16.net - The ultimate F-16, F-35 and F-22 reference)
The option for 28 was to take our total to 100, but the Super Hornet / Growler wing will now have to soldier on.
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Vaguely I recall that the RAAF Supers were going to be updated for sure some time back. The GROWLERS FOR CERTAIN.
The F-16.net link has not been read by me so far. Meanwhile this is a quote about the situation from mid this year 13 Jul 2023: https://aviationweek.com/defense-spa...re-competition
"LONDON—A missing piece in Australia’s fighter inventory will be filled in the short term by extending the life of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet for at least another decade and then afterward will be opened up for competition as a new generation of air combat aircraft are scheduled to arrive in service, the head of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) told Aerospace DAILY July 13....
...“What the fourth squadron of F-35s has become is the Super Hornet replacement, not just [a plan to buy] the fourth squadron of F-35s,” Chipman [Air Marshal Robert Chipman, the RAAF chief] said.
The F-35 remains a candidate for the Super Hornet replacement, but the RAAF will consider alternatives. In the mid-2030s, those might include collaborative combat aircraft such as the Australian-built Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat, and next generation fighters produced by the U.S., a British-Japanese-Italian consortium and a French-German-Spanish group.
“We will look at the F-35 and we’re very, very comfortable and very happy with the capability of the F-35,” Chipman said. “But it would be remiss of me not to look at what else is available for us to replace our Super Hornets in the future.”"
The F-16.net link has not been read by me so far. Meanwhile this is a quote about the situation from mid this year 13 Jul 2023: https://aviationweek.com/defense-spa...re-competition
"LONDON—A missing piece in Australia’s fighter inventory will be filled in the short term by extending the life of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet for at least another decade and then afterward will be opened up for competition as a new generation of air combat aircraft are scheduled to arrive in service, the head of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) told Aerospace DAILY July 13....
...“What the fourth squadron of F-35s has become is the Super Hornet replacement, not just [a plan to buy] the fourth squadron of F-35s,” Chipman [Air Marshal Robert Chipman, the RAAF chief] said.
The F-35 remains a candidate for the Super Hornet replacement, but the RAAF will consider alternatives. In the mid-2030s, those might include collaborative combat aircraft such as the Australian-built Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat, and next generation fighters produced by the U.S., a British-Japanese-Italian consortium and a French-German-Spanish group.
“We will look at the F-35 and we’re very, very comfortable and very happy with the capability of the F-35,” Chipman said. “But it would be remiss of me not to look at what else is available for us to replace our Super Hornets in the future.”"
The F-35 remains a candidate for the Super Hornet replacement, but the RAAF will consider alternatives. In the mid-2030s, those might include collaborative combat aircraft such as the Australian-built Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat, and next generation fighters produced by the U.S., a British-Japanese-Italian consortium and a French-German-Spanish group.
“We will look at the F-35 and we’re very, very comfortable and very happy with the capability of the F-35,” Chipman said. “But it would be remiss of me not to look at what else is available for us to replace our Super Hornets in the future.”"
“We will look at the F-35 and we’re very, very comfortable and very happy with the capability of the F-35,” Chipman said. “But it would be remiss of me not to look at what else is available for us to replace our Super Hornets in the future.”"