F-35 Lightning II developments

[Starfighter_F-104G]

F-35A Catches Fire at Mountain Home Air Force Base
September 23, 2016

An F-35A caught fire during an exercise at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, the Air Force confirmed to Defense News.

The incident took place at around noon and involved an F-35A aircraft from the 61st Fighter Squadron located at Luke Air Force Base, the service said in a statement. No serious injuries seem to have been sustained by the pilot or nearby crew.

“The pilot had to egress the aircraft during engine start due to a fire from the aft section of the aircraft,” Air Force spokesman Capt. Mark Graff said in an e-mail. “The fire was extinguished quickly. As a precautionary measure, four 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit Airmen, three Airmen from the 366th Maintenance Group, and the 61st Fighter Squadron pilot were transported to the base medical center for standard evaluation.”

Seven F-35As from Luke AFB, which is one of the bases responsible for joint strike fighter pilot instruction, had deployed to Mountain Home to conduct surface-to-air training from September 10 to 24.

[Bjorn]

First picture of AL-06 seen. This marks the final LRIP VII delivery. The airframe is coded as 32-13. First five were coded 32-01 till 32-05. Anyone any idea why they jump in the sequence?

Greets,

[marcosommacal]

Hi,

Maybe it's related with the 13rd Gruppo, that should be the first one equipped with the F-35A within the AMI.

Best Regards
Marco

[ngroot]

First picture of the 8th British F-35B, ZM142 (169301) has been seen. Taken on October 28.
Now for the F-35B's and F-35C's in Lot 8 we only still miss BF-55 169297 and CF-31 169305.

Edit: F-35C CF-31 169305 has been noticed too at Fort Worth. Picture here.

[Coati]

Turkey commits to 2nd batch, spread over 2 lots (delivery in 2021-2022), apparently for a Total of 24 jets. They already ordered 14 (2+4+8). Eventually they plan for 100 jets.

[ngroot]

DT-III For the F-35B has started aboard USS America on October 28th. Source
From pictures here 5 aircraft can be identified (not 100% certain yet):

• BF-01 VX-23
  BF-05 VX-23 SD-65
  BF-16 168312 VMX-1 MV-52
  BF-20 168718 VMX-1 MV-56
  BF-39 169024 VMFA-211 CF-06

The article talks about that two more aircraft will follow. Two aircraft (BF-01 & BF-05) take part in DT-III, and five aircraft take part in Operational Testing.

[falcx]

DT-III For the F-35B has started aboard USS America on October 28th. Source
From pictures here 5 aircraft can be identified (not 100% certain yet):

• BF-01 VX-23
  BF-05 VX-23 SD-65
  BF-16 168312 VMX-1 MV-52
  BF-20 168718 VMX-1 MV-56
  BF-39 169024 VMFA-211 CF-06

The article talks about that two more aircraft will follow. Two aircraft (BF-01 & BF-05) take part in DT-III, and five aircraft take part in Operational Testing.

I believe the other two to be;

MV-55 VMX-1
CF-11 wearing no unit markings (yet).

Regards,
Charles

[ngroot]

I believe the other two to be;

MV-55 VMX-1
CF-11 wearing no unit markings (yet).

Regards,
Charles

Yep, seems right!
CF-11 is most likely BF-43 BuNo 169028, which was previously assigned to VMFAT-501 as VM-19.

MV-55 is a bit harder to figure out which aircraft it is. If I had to guess I would say it could be 168717.
BuNo 168717 was previously flying as MV-05, and was changed to MV-5x somewhere around July 2016 according to the Database. 168717 was the first aircraft to be delivered to VMFA-121 in November 2012 as VK-15, while it was flying with VM-14 at Fort Worth.
MV-55 would fit perfectly before MV-56 and three aircraft after MV-52 (BuNo order).

We'll just have to wait for some more pictures where there's a BuNo readable!

[Melchior Timmers]

MV-55 confirmed being 168717:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5632/3009 ... e645_b.jpg

CF-11 was already confirmed being 169028

[tally]

BF-54 delivered Thursday, Nov 17, 2016.
BF-52 delivered Wednesday, Nov 23, 2016.
Both to VMFA-121 at MCAS Yuma.

[ngroot]

BF-54 delivered Thursday, Nov 17, 2017.
BF-52 delivered Wednesday, Nov 23, 2017.
Both to VMFA-121 at MCAS Yuma.

Thanks tally, much appreciated. Don't you mean 2016?
No sign of BF-55 yet?

[tally]

BF-54 delivered Thursday, Nov 17, 2017.
BF-52 delivered Wednesday, Nov 23, 2017.
Both to VMFA-121 at MCAS Yuma.

Thanks tally, much appreciated. Don't you mean 2016?
No sign of BF-55 yet?

Big fingers I guess. BF-55 was being worked on but no sign of it yet. AX-2 (second Japanese) is slated to make its first flight soon as well.

[Coati]

LM has a new form order from Israel for 17 additional F-35A. Total number ordered by Israel is now 50.

Greece requested info for 20 F-35A jets. Nowhere near an order, but interesting info nevertheless.

[Lordofthedragons]

The first Japanese jointed the F-35 fleet at Luke for training it's pilots

http://www.944fw.afrc.af.mil/News/Artic ... -luke.aspx

[Starfighter_F-104G]

MM7357 32-07 AL07 f.f. 29.11.2016