F-35 Lightning II developments

[tally]

AN-07 F-007 first flight Feb 20, 2019.

Going quick now. One to go and then its up to Italy to deliver the remaining.

Wonder if the quality of the jets in Italy are equivalent? Remember something long time ago with the Starfighters that the ones build in Italy tend to perish at a higher frequency. Time will tell.

[Bunzing]

any ideas about US Serialnumbers F-003, F-004 RNethAF?

A photo published recently on Twitter shows 5302 on the right hand nose wheel door of F-003, suggesting that F-003 to F-008 are 17-5302 to 17-5307 (and F-009 + F-010 could be 17-5308 and 5309?). Which makes sense since the RNoAF jets run until 17-5301.

[Bjorn]

If this is true than something might get a little clearer in the total FY setup of LRIP XI.
BTW, it's not the Norwegians ending on 5301. Norway has 5288 till 5293.

As you know we were also surprised with the Norwegians starting at 5288, which doesn't add up with USAF having 53 jets in LRIP XI. USAF started with 17-5237 and thus not having enough 'serial' room for 53 jets. But the question of the Congressional Aid Package also still remains to fit into this. Could it just be that this CAP is integrated in LRIP XI? As far as I know only 10 F-35C were initially foreseen in LRIP XI as just 18 F-35B's. So what's the difference? Exactly, the 3 A's, 6 B's and 4 C's of the CAP. So time will tell but it might just be that the CAP jets are inserted into LRIP XI and added at the end of the package with a separate set of FY allocations.

As far as serials are concerned. If the Dutch start at 5302 and the Norwegians end at 5293, that leaves an 8 airframe gap. Presume these are the Aussi's than. This whole package could (and I reinstate this is just forward thinking and not confirmed in any way) give this as setup:

USAF - F-35A - 50 - AF-179/AF-228 - 17-5237/17-5286
Italy - F-35A - 1 - AL-11 - MM7361 - 17-5287
Norway - F-35A - 6 - AM17/AM-22 - 5288/5293 - 17-5288/17-5293
Australia - F-35A - 8 - AU-11/AU-18 - A35-011/A35-018 - 17-5294/17-5301
Netherlands - F-35A - 8 - AN-03/AN-10 - F-003/F-010 - 17-5302/17-5309
Turkey - F-35A - 4 - AT-03/AT-06 - 19-0003/19-0006
South Korea - F-35A - 10 - AW-07/AW-16 - 19-007/19-016
Israel - F-35A - 6 - AS-20/AS-25 - 92X/92X
Japan - F-35A - 6 - AX-11/AX-16 - 89-8711-99-8712/99-8716
USMC - F-35B - 18 - BF-77/BF-94
UK - F-35B - 1 - BK-18 - ZM152
USN - F-35C - 10 - CF-40/CF-49

USAF - F-35A - 3 - AF-229/AF-231
USMC - F-35B - 6 - BF-95/BF-100
USN - F-35C - 4 - CF-50/CF-53

To complete this. Since Turkey-South Korea-Israel-Japan total for serials 17-5310 till 17-5333 we will see if 17-5334 materializes as a USAF jet. Than we will know about the CAP.

Greets,

[Bjorn]

Another question. LRIP XI jets are cranking out now. Anyone has some info on the last LRIP X jet that still has to be seen being the last Israeli jet of LRIP X?

Greets,

[Hans van Herk]

Bjorn,
Read your overview on LRIP XI and the CAP aircraft.
See a view strange things, especially with the CAP aircraft for USMC and USN.

USMC LRIP XI are BF-77/94
Reported six extra for CAP.
I miss exactly six airframes in this serie: BF-71/76
LRIP X aircraft are BF-62/70

USN LRIPX XI are CF-40/49
Reported four extra for CAP.
I miss exactly four airframes in this serie: CF-36/39
LRIP X aircraft are CF-34/35

Israel LRIP XI are AS-20/25
I think LRIP XI are AS-16/21.
LRIP X aircraft are AS-10/15

Regards,
Hans van Herk

[Bjorn]

Hans, typo from my part in setting up the list. Sorry about that.

Your LRIP X data is correct. So F-35B LRIP XI will start from BF-71 as you stated and F-35C will start from CF-36 as you also stated.
Israeli LRIP XI jets are indeed AS-16/21. Wow, I really messed up things last night .

So the only LRIP X jet we are still missing is Israeli AS-15.

Greets,

[tally]

AT-03 first flight Feb 24, 2019. Yes, on a Sunday.

[Bjorn]

Serial 19-0003?

Greets,

[tally]

Serial 19-0003?

Greets,

Yes

[Starfighter_F-104G]

AS-015 may be the special F-35I test aircraft announched in may 2017

''In May 2017, it emerged that Lockheed was specially building a one-off sub-variant of the F-35I "Adir" – meaning "mighty one" in Hebrew – for Israel and expected to deliver it by 2020. The plane would act as a testbed for the country’s planned, but unspecified modifications.''

[felixVFA31]

Serial 19-0003?

Greets,

Yes

Not AT-3 is not 19-0003!!!
F-35A AT-3 serial 18-0003 foto: http://www.f-16.net/g3/uploads/AT3
F-35A AT-4 serial 18-0004 foto: http://www.f-16.net/g3/uploads/AT4

[felixVFA31]

Painting panthers on the tail.
F-35A 15-5169 63FS foto: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevin_bel ... 3309418218
You have the information, but it is real?
Thank you.

[Coati]

Singapore buys 4 F-35s, plus 8 more as options in the FY2019 budget as an initial order:

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/si ... 9-11300934

[Starfighter_F-104G]

01.03.2019 Luke
F-004 first training sortie
5303 on the right hand nose wheel door

[tally]

Serial 19-0003?

Greets,

Yes

Not AT-3 is not 19-0003!!!
F-35A AT-3 serial 18-0003 foto: http://www.f-16.net/g3/uploads/AT3
F-35A AT-4 serial 18-0004 foto: http://www.f-16.net/g3/uploads/AT4

I stand corrected and checked today with my mark I eyeballs