F-35 Lightning II developments

[Starfighter_F-104G]

Nearly all F-35A/B/Cs inspected and cleared to resume flight ops, following earlier grounding for oil-leak

[Piet Luijken]

F-35 Lightning II Program Status and Fast Facts
June 5, 2014

Program Status
 SDD flight test activity totals for 2014 as of May 28, are provided below:
o F-35A Flight Science aircraft have flown 95 times
o F-35B Flight Science aircraft have completed 166 flights
o F-35C Flight Science aircraft have flown 103 times
o The Mission Systems Test Aircraft have flown 213 times

 Since December 2006, F-35s have flown more than 17,000 cumulative flight hours.

F-35 Delivery Status
101 F-35s have been delivered to the Department of Defense as of April 22:
 81 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Aircraft
o There are 48 LRIP F-35s based at Eglin AFB, Fla. (27 F-35A (two international aircraft), 16 F-35B
(including three international aircraft) and 5 F-35C).
o There are 2 LRIP F-35As, 2 LRIP F-35Bs, and 1 F-35C based at Edwards AFB, Calif. on loan for
SDD.
o There are 6 LRIP F-35As based at Edwards AFB, Calif., for Operational Testing.
o There are 16 LRIP F-35Bs based at MCAS Yuma, Ariz.
o There are 4 LRIP F-35As based at Nellis AFB, Nev.
o There is 1 LRIP F-35A at Luke AFB, Ariz.

 20 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) aircraft complete the test and development fleet:
o There are four F-35As assigned to Edwards AFB, Calif., and five F-35Bs along with four F-35Cs
stationed at PAX River NAS, Md. This count includes six static aircraft and AA-1.

Highlights of the Last Two Months
 The final F-35A delivered to Eglin AFB, marking the 58th
Fighter Squadron as the first complete Air Force F-
35A squadron. (May 28)
 The 33rd
Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB surpassed 5,000 combined sorties (May 28)
 An F-35B sequentially engaged two aerial targets with two AIM-120 AMRAAMs for the first time during a
Weapon Delivery Accuracy mission (May 27)
 F-35C completed a landing at its maximum sink speed to test the aircraft’s landing gear, airframe and
arrestment system at NAS Patuxent River (May 27)
 The F-35B made its East Coast performing debut during the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Air Show
(May 16)
 The Turkish Ministry of Defence announced its intent to purchase the country's first two F-35As (May 6)
 An F-35A flew the first local training sortie at Luke AFB (May 5)
 The U.K. announced the F-35Bs European debut at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough Air
Shows (May 2)
 Australia announced additional procurement of 58 aircraft (April 23)
 U.K. Ministry of Defense announces F-35 participation in first international airshows this July (April 16)
 F-35 fleet surpasses 15,000 flight hours (April 7)

Planned Quantities*

USAF 1,763 F-35As
USN 260 F-35Cs
USMC 340 F-35Bs/80 F-35Cs
U.K. RAF/RN 138 F-35Bs
Italy 60 F-35As/30 F-35Bs
Current as of June 5, 2014
Produced by Lockheed Martin F-35 Communications Team
Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Netherlands 37 F-35As
Turkey 100 F-35As
Australia 100 F-35As
Norway 52 F-35As
Denmark 30 F-35As
Canada 65 F-35As
Israel 19 F-35As
Japan 42 F-35As
*Based on current programs of record.

Funding
 Long-lead funding LRIP lot 9 (57 aircraft)
 Long-Lead funding LRIP lot 8 (43 aircraft)
 Full funding approved for LRIP lots 6&7 (71 aircraft)
 Full funding approved for LRIP lot 5 (32 aircraft)
 Full funding approved for LRIP lot 4 (32 aircraft)
 Full funding approved for LRIP lot 3 (17 aircraft)
 Full funding approved for LRIP lot 2 (12 aircraft)
 Full funding approved for LRIP lot 1 (2 aircraft)

Cost
 The U.S. government has stated the projected cost of an F-35 purchased in 2018 will be $85 million.
That’s the equivalent of $75 million today.
 More than $500 million reduction in concurrency costs over the first five production lot contracts.
 Unit costs have dropped more than 55 percent since the procurement of the first production aircraft.
 The average aircraft unit cost for an LRIP 6 aircraft is approximately 2.5 percent lower than LRIP 5
aircraft. An LRIP 7 aircraft has an average unit cost approximately six percent lower than LRIP 5 aircraft.
 LRIP 6 Aircraft Costs (not including engine):
o 23 F-35As CTOL - $103 million/jet
o 6 F-35B STOVL - $109 million/jet
o 7 F-35C CV - $120 million/jet
 LRIP 7 Aircraft Costs (not including engine):
o 24 F-35As CTOL - $98 million/jet
o 7 F-35B STOVL - $104 million/jet
o 4 F-35C CV - $116 million/jet

F-35 Quantities by Variant and Country for LRIP 1  8
LRIP 1 (2 Total) - 2 U.S. / 0 International
United States
o 2 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force

LRIP 2 (12 Total) - 12 U.S. / 0 International
United States
o 6 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force
o 6 F-35B STOVL for the U.S. Marine Corps

LRIP 3 (17 Total) - 14 U.S. / 3 International
United States
o 7 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force
o 7 F-35B STOVL for the U.S. Marine Corps
International
o 1 F-35A CTOL for the Netherlands
o 2 F-35B STOVL for UK

LRIP 4 (32 Total) - 30 U.S. / 2 International
United States
o 10 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force
Current as of June 5, 2014
Produced by Lockheed Martin F-35 Communications Team
Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
o 16 F-35B STOVL for the U.S. Marine Corps
o 4 F-35C CV for the U.S. Navy
International
o 1 F-35A CTOL for the Netherlands
o 1 F-35B STOVL for the UK

LRIP 5 (32 Total) - 32 U.S. / 0 International
United States
o 22 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force
o 3 F-35B STOVL for the U.S. Marine Corps
o 7 F-35C CV for the U.S. Navy

LRIP 6 (36 Total) - 31 U.S. / 5 International
United States
o 18 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force
o 6 F-35B STOVL for the U.S. Marine Corps
o 7 F-35C CV for the U.S. Navy
International
o 3 F-35A CTOL for Italy
o 2 F-35A CTOL for Australia

LRIP 7 (35 Total) - 29 U.S. / 6 International
United States
o 19 F-35A CTOL for the U.S. Air Force
o 6 F-35B STOVL for the U.S. Marine Corps
o 4 F-35C CV for the U.S. Navy
International
o 3 F-35A CTOL for Italy
o 2 F-35A CTOL for Norway
o 1 F-35B STOVL for the UK

LRIP 8 (43 Total) - 29 U.S. / 14 International (4 UK, 2 Norway, 2 Italy, 4 Japan, 2 Israel)
United States
o 19 F-35A CTOL for the USAF
o 6 F-35B for the U.S. Marine Corps
o 4 F-35C for the U.S. Navy
International
o 4 F-35B STOV for UK
o 2 F-35A CTOL for Norway
o 2 F-35A CTOL for Italy
o 4 F-35A CTOL for Japan
o 2 F-35A CTOL for Israel

[Starfighter_F-104G]

Fire Breaks Out on F-35 at Eglin Air Force Base, Pilot Safe
23-06-2014
This is a breaking news event. This post will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

A Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was severely damaged — possibly destroyed — in a Monday morning fire on the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., USNI News learned.

No injuries were reported and officials have begun an investigation into the incident, defense officials told USNI News on Monday.

“The aircraft was preparing to conduct a continuation training mission at the time of the incident, but aborted during takeoff at Eglin Air Force Base due to a fire in the back end of the aircraft,” according to a Monday statement provided to USNI News from the Air Force.
“Emergency responders extinguished the fire with foam.”

The aircraft was a F-35A — the Air Force variant of the fighter — assigned to the 33rd “Nomads” Fighter Wing. The wing is schoolhouse for all versions of the JSF and trains sailors, airmen and Marines.

“We have a robust and extensive training program in which every pilot and aircraft crew member is trained in order to respond quickly and correctly in the event emergencies occur,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Paul Haas, the 33rd Wing vice commander in the statement.
“In this case, the pilot followed the appropriate procedures which allowed for the safe abort of the mission, engine shutdown, and egress.”

The base had trained for a F-35 ground fire as recently as mid-May, according to a separate release from Eglin.

Lockheed officials did not immediately return calls from USNI News for comment.

This is the first incident this severe for the JSF during the life of the tri-service program.

There are currently 104 Joint Strike Fighters in the U.S. inventory — split between U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps variants, according to information from Lockheed.

Eglin — located on the Florida panhandle — is the home the training centers for pilots and maintainers for all three U.S. variants of the JSF as well as international vairants.

The 33rd was designated as the F-35 schoolhouse in 2009 and received its first F-35 in 2011. The wing is set to receive an estimated 59 aircraft by 2018.

The wing is part of the larger F-35 Integrated Training Center which plans to have annual output of 100 pilots and 2,100 by 2018.

The JSF fleet was grounded earlier this month after a Marine variant of the aircraft suffered an engine oil leak in flight.

[Richard from Rotterdam]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/0 ... 6qiKRZY4gM

Japan to deploy F-35 fighters at Misawa Air Base from fiscal 2017
KYODO
JUN 25, 2014

AOMORI – Next-generation F-35 fighter jets will be deployed at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture from fiscal 2017, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Wednesday.

“We will coordinate with the U.S. side so local residents will not have to feel concerned,” Onodera told Aomori Gov. Shingo Mimura in a meeting in the city of Aomori.

Asked by Mimura to take steps to prevent accidents or other incidents involving the aircraft that could endanger the public, Onodera pledged efforts to ensure safety.

About 20 F-35 jets will be deployed at the Air Self-Defense Force’s Misawa base, the defense chief told reporters after the meeting.

The deployment plan for the stealth fighter aircraft was revealed following the launch of temporary operations early this month of U.S. Global Hawk surveillance drones at the U.S. Misawa base on the same site.

[pilotman6012]

Today the Pentagon grounded Entire fleet F-35 Aircraft over Engine Problems:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pen ... ms-n148066.

[Le Addeur noir]

Today the Pentagon grounded Entire fleet F-35 Aircraft over Engine Problems:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pen ... ms-n148066.

Probably no Lightning IIIs in the UK this month, then.

[pilotman6012]

As of now they are still preparing 2 for UK Appearances later in the month,however they will make the final decision on that early next week.

[atla]

The flying Fyra: Dutch F-35 build in Italy.
http://www.jsfnieuws.nl/?p=1236

[Alpha Kilo One]

News of/for the Norwegian JSF's, a parachute is added.

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=138

Ronald

[evhest]

The appearance at Farnborough is now also cancelled, despite the grounding being replaced by a somewhat vague 'limited flight clearance' earlier today.

[pilotman6012]

NNS140715-04. Navy,Air Force Approve Return To Flight for F-35

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=82217

[Starfighter_F-104G]

F-35A RAAF 12-5060 AU-01 A35-001
F-35A RAAF 12-5061 AU-02 A35-002

[Coati]

F-35 rollout highlight’s RAAF’s “greatest opportunity for evolutionary change”

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Brown has told the rollout ceremony of the first RAAF F-35 that the aircraft represents the “greatest evolutionary change” in Australian military aviation history.

The first of a planned fleet of 72 F-35A Lightnings was revealed to dignitaries and invited guests at a “rollout celebration” at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facilities on Thursday, and represents the most significant milestone in Australia’s acquisition of the sometimes controversial fighter aircraft.

“Today represents a very significant day for the Royal Australian Air Force as we step down as the fourth nation in the world to take delivery of a fifth generation aircraft, and that enables the transition of the Australian Defence Force into a fifth generation defence force,” Air Marshal Brown said.

“The F-35 is perhaps the greatest opportunity for evolutionary change the RAAF has been presented. We’re introducing into service a revolutionary capability, and our evolution as a force must align with the opportunities this offers us.”

Australia’s first two F-35s – AU-1, which was the focal point of the rollout event, and AU-2 – have both completed final assembly and painting and are due to fly in coming weeks. They are due to be formally handed over to the RAAF in coming months before being delivered to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona where from early 2015 they will operate as part of a training pool of aircraft there.

Beyond the first two aircraft, subsequent jets will be delivered from 2017 through until 2022. But F-35s won’t arrive in Australia until late 2018 or early 2019, when the RAAF begins its own operational test & evaluation process.

“Like any revolutionary capability its potential to generate effects beyond the mainstream will have far reaching impacts in any future application,” CAF said.

The Australian government was represented at the rollout event by Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, while Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO Marillyn Hewson, Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall also spoke at the event.


http://australianaviation.com.au/2014/0 ... ry-change/

[Coati]

Luke AFB F-35A fleet has (LF) now grown to 5 aircraft, last Tuesday 5035/LF joined the four F-35s already based there (61st FS).

[sdamico]

F-35A 'Strike 11' (serial unknown) departed to Luke yesterday (18 August).

SD