Posted on 09/15/2004 1:47:15 PM PDT by Spackidagoosh
September 14, 2004
JSF chief confident remaining problems will be resolved
By Laura M. Colarusso
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter weight issues have largely been resolved, but incorporating both a gun and a boom-refueling capability on the short-take-off variant has not been accomplished, top Navy, Air Force and industry leaders said today.
3rd article from post #50...
F-35 slims down, at least on paper
Engineers make about 400 design changes to cut 2,700 pounds
11:07 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 14, 2004
By RICHARD WHITTLE / The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON – Engineers have devised ways to cut 2,700 pounds from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, on paper solving a problem that slowed the $244 billion program, Lockheed Martin Corp. and government officials said Tuesday.
"Now it's a question of trying to prove it to everybody," said Rear Adm. Steve Enewold, the program's director. The Defense Acquisition Board, a high-level Pentagon panel, must sign off on the design changes.
Lockheed Martin and its partners on the program, which aims to build a stealth fighter jet in three versions for use by the U.S. and allied militaries, already are building the first plane, with final assembly in Fort Worth, Adm. Enewold said.
The weight problem arose in the short takeoff/vertical landing version, known as STOVL, designed for the Marine Corps and the British Navy but also wanted by the U.S. Air Force.
The weight reductions were obtained by making about 400 changes in the design of the F-35, with some reducing the weight by a few pounds and others by several hundred, Adm. Enewold and Lockheed executive Tom Burbage told reporters at an annual Air Force Association convention.
The STOVL plane will be heavier than the other two versions – one for flight from long runways, another for aircraft carriers – because of a "lift fan" in its midsection and a flexible exhaust nozzle that allow the plane to hover and land vertically.
The design changes to remove weight included cutting down the size of the STOVL version's weapons bay, but the plane will still be able to carry two 1,000-lb. satellite-guided bombs and two AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, Adm. Enewold said.
"It's going to be a year before all the detailed design is complete," he said.
The first flight is expected in summer 2006 and low-rate production of F-35s is to begin the next year, Adm. Enewold and Mr. Burbage said.
E-mail rwhittle@dallasnews.com
I wonder what was changed and cut (besides pilot saftey). Anytime you make that many changes, you introduce too many variables into the equation.
Don't get me wrong, the F-35 looks great on paper, but I wonder if we are simply preparing for the last war, rather than looking ahead to the next one.
They cut the size of the vertical stabilizers and the extra strength off of the langing gear, from what I could gather.
They also (on paper) changed the materials in the engine.
Redesigning an engine "after the fact" for mere weight savings strikes me as risky, btw.
Shudder...
The F-35 has got to go.
The AWB Has Expired - Gun Owners Have Won Again For All Americans!
The B-2 is indeed a penetration bomber. But you can't compare a 70s Gruman design to Northrop's microprocessor driven B-2.
You are correct, B-1s are being used, so are B-52s. We keep the good stuff for 'strategic reserve'. As long as we are at war, we have to keep looking forward. Today's technology is tomorrow's weakness.
Have you seen gas prices lately? ....\just kidding.
I believe you, but I don't understand it. I figure if you've got it, flaunt it and the A-10 in the CAS role seems like a good fit for Iraq. Has the situation moved beyond the need for the A-10? Is the CAS role now handled by Predators alone? Is the A-10 too slow for the mission?
How about comparing performance? RCS might give the B-2 the edge in being seen on radar, but it's slow and predictable, not to mention, expensive and single mission. Plus, beyond electronics, it has no real defensive capability.
The A-10 offers no unique capability to the Iraqi theater that requires their presence. As I said previously, CAS is now being conducted almost exclusively from medium altitude using precision guided munitions, including JDAMS, which A-10's currently don't employ. A-10's are currently being used in Afghanistan, where they are using exactly the same tactics and laser guided bombs being used by other fighters in Iraq. I am a huge fan of the A-10 and always have been. It was the ultimate CAS platform when the best CAS weapons were dumb bombs and gatlin guns. But that time has passed. In Iraq, you need an aircraft that can get to the scene of an ambush or rocket attack very quickly, and employ ordinance precisely enough to destroy the target without damaging the hospital sitting next to it. You mention the Predator...unfortunately for guys like me, it really isn't a bad CAS platform, but still not commonly used in that role. But give it time. The Predator B can carry two 500lb laser guided bombs, and that gives it a lot more destructive power than the Hellfire missiles it currently carries. Much of the time in a CAS mission is used ensuring the pilot of the delivery aircraft is sure of the target he is being directed to attack. When the commander on the ground can receive realtime video linked to him from a remotely piloted vehicle from which he can precisely employ a guided weapon against a target he selects, then we have created the ultimate CAS platform. Those days are not far away.
How many F-14s do you think it would take to make a strike on Bejing?
Thanks for the ping!
Agreed. The AF is looking ahead to the unmanned platforms. The JSF is only a replacement for the aging F-16. If the aircraft doesen't make VTOL cut, then so be it. The program will still save the services millions of dollars. I've heard talk about cuts in the F-22 also. Ridiculous. Unless they have something finished at skunkworks that we don't know about.
>>problem that slowed the $244 billion program, <<
The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$1.69 billion per day since September 30, 2003. Each citizen's share of this debt is $25,062.55.
Hmmmmmm Oh Shi...
You can use those same words to describe your post.
In the meantime, the Marine Corps (who is the service that knows THE most about CAS) is phasing out its AV-8B's and relying entirely on the F-18.
Incorrect. Harrier squadrons are currently deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Harriers will be in the FMF for a long time to come. You should spend more time at Cherry Point, Yuma, Iwakuni, Futenma and with the MEUs before flapping your gums.
What Army squadrons operated the Bronco?
When did Hagee say that? Source? The Marines didn't want the A-10 back in '90 when the decison was made to give some of them to the Corps and the Army; the Air Force was intent on fielding a CAS F-16, what makes you think they want them now?
I never stated AV-8B's weren't seeing action now. But they are no longer in production and will all be gone by 2015. But lets just assume I was completely wrong on that point. That was a single sub-bullet of post you describe as being full of crap. Why don't you refute the rest of my post to back up your claim.
A Marine AV-8B II Harrier conducts an aerial refueling operation with an Air Force KC-10 A, so it can continue to provide close air support to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) in central Afghanistan. The Harriers are deployed with the Aviation Combat Element of the 22nd MEU and recently logged their 1,000th combat hour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Photo by: Airman 1st Class Stephen Wendt
PhotoID: 2004630112413 Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Operation/Exercise/Event:
OEF Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
06/26/2004
A GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound hangs beneath an AV-8B Harrier II attack jet from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced), the aviation combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), finishes up attaching a 25mm gun pod to an AV-8B Harrier II attack jet before the aircraft leaves for a combat mission over south-central Afghanistan.
Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks
PhotoID: 200461241030
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Operation/Exercise/Event:
OEF Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
06/06/2004
Two tanks, rocket pod, GBU, gun pod, typically five hour missions. Looks like you're full of crap. Harriers are currently deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. "Experts" like you should actually spend some time at Kandahar before flapping your gums.
Again, you're full of crap.
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