Posted on 01/17/2015 5:51:36 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Top image shows an F-35A, at Edwards AFB, California,nexto to its F-35 Systems Development and Demonstration Weapons Suite the aircraft is designed to carry.
According to Lockheed Martin, the Joint Strike Fighter can carry more than 35-hundred pounds of ordinance in Low Observable (stealth) mode and over 18-thousand pounds uncontested.
The Lightning II is conducting testing required for full weapons certification through a campaign which included validating 2B weapons software and successfully executing several weapons separation and engagement tests.
“Comprehensive flight test on the F-35A variant GAU-22 25mm gun system is scheduled to begin mid-year at Edwards AFB, Calif., and will include ground fire tests, muzzle calibration, flight test integration and in-flight operational tests. The 25mm missionized gun pod carried externally, centerline mounted on the F-35B and F-35C also begins testing this year to meet U.S. service’s desired schedule for full warfighting capability software known as 3F. The 3F software is currently planned for delivery with the Low Rate Initial Production nine (LRIP 9) U.S. aircraft in 2017,” Lockheed Martin team say in a press release.
Among the most recent tests there is the first separation test of a GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, a 250-lb. precision-guided glide weapon (Oct. 21) and multi-separation test (Nov. 20); first external flutter tests flown with the AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) (Oct. 29) and Paveway IV missiles (Nov. 13); and the first supersonic-guided missile launch and the first JDAM release on target coordinates generated from the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) (Nov. 18-25 ).
The photo and updated weapons integration status report come few weeks after a report claimed the F-35 will be unable to use its gun until 2019.
Lockheed Martin Photo by Matt Short
Je suis American!
Which one is The Jericho? “Let one of these off the leash, and the bad guys won’t even want to come out of their cave.”
This is an illustration of how it’s always been with American warcraft builders. America likes multi-capability fighter bombers (we used to refer to the F-4 as a pig in Danang.)
The Commies build fighters, period. They have a few missiles and a cannon but that’s about it. The reason U.S. aircraft prevail in dogfights is superior training and that’s about the only diff.
IMHO
Its not enough. There is never enough.
There’s one thing it didn’t show: the B61 nuclear bomb. Given that the B61 is the primary gravity-dropped nuclear weapon in the US stockpile, one wonders if the F-35 has been tested to drop such a weapon.
Probably not as the current CIC would probably not retaliate in kind if the nuclear weapons would be used against the American homeland.
Hopefully if it ever comes to that, the current CIC is no longer around.
For all those who wonder why we don’t use the F-22 instead of the F-35, the answer is in station 4 and 8. The ability to carry large diameter bombs is not something the F-22 can do.
On the ground. Word is it can’t fly required missions.
I am curious.. How much of all this weaponry can the F-35 carry at once? Also, I thought it would have more 50 cal. bullets than that, considering how fast they are used up.
When configured for A/G, the JSF is no longer a true 5th gen jet. The F-22 can carry internal A/G loads and remain 5th Gen.
Still, both are better than any Russian, Chines, Indian iron pigs that are flying. . .
That is why I said station 4 and 8, the two internal bays. The internal bays are built for two normal sized JDAM type weapons up to 2000 lb. so they can deliver those two weapons while maintaining the stealth profile.
and with 10 more years of work they’ll try to attach the first weapon
They aren't .50s.
I am not sure but with all that junk hanging off it I don’t think the stealth features are going to be much good. It will give it the radar cross section of a school bus.
F-35, late and billions over budget. It barely flies with no attached arms, needs a trailing dedicated tanker and costs so much we only will buy a few. We’d be better buying the Red Chinese version built with stolen plans as it at least will cost less.
Those are 25 mm shells. The USAF F-35A CTOL has an internal gun and carries 180 rounds. The USN and USMC variants have an external gun pod which carries 225 rounds. Software is used to fire the gun, which is the problem they are having now.
By comparison, the F-16 has a M61 20mm cannon that carries 511 rounds. The F-15, 500 rounds; F-18, 578; F-22, 480. The A-10 carries 511 30mm shells.
The F-14 carried 675 20mm shells. The F-4E, 639. Earlier F-4's carried the SUU-23/A gun pod with 1200 20mm rounds.
In WWII, the P-51 Mustang carried 1880 .50 cal rounds shared among 6 Browning M2 machine guns.
Well...this oughta bring out all of FR’s aviation “experts”...can’t wait to read all of the “informed” posts vs. inane opinion. /s
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