The stealthy F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5TH Generation fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including AV-8B Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets and United Kingdom Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers.
Posted on 09/21/2006 9:28:10 PM PDT by nametrader
Mighty F-35 Lightning 2 Engine Roars To Life by Staff Writers Fort Worth TX (SPX) Sep 21, 2006 The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II completed its first series of engine runs on Monday afternoon, culminating in a full-afterburner test that unleashed 40,000 pounds of thrust - the most ever from a jet-fighter engine. The testing began on Friday, Sept. 15, when Chief Pilot Jon Beesley moved a cockpit switch to the "run" position and brought the Pratt and Whitney [NYSE: UTX] F135 engine to life.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacewar.com ...
More american engineering greatness shines through.
Is it the second engine that lit up?
The stealthy F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5TH Generation fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including AV-8B Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets and United Kingdom Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers.
The F-35 Lightning II lights its afterburner during a ground test at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday afternoon, Sept. 18. The Pratt and Whitney F135 engine is the most powerful engine ever in a jet fighter, producing 40,000 pounds of thrust.
Please enlighten those of us civilian-types that are not aware of what sounds to be another great triumph in creating more wonderful military breakthroughs..
And replace the Warthog, sniff, sniff, sniff....
Can anything replace the Warthog? Not even!
Too Cooooooool. Wish I was a fighter pilot.
Does this advance our air superiority over everyone?
Can anything replace the Warthog?
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That will be a good trick indeed.
I haven't seen the armament this puppy is slated to carry but I would suspect it will come with all kinds of weapons options.
Ahh... the Devil's Cross. We're fortunate enough to have an A-10 sqaudron based here in CT and it's AWESOME when they do fly-overs. I love that plane!
Does this advance our air superiority over everyone?
Yes, but it will also be a shared one as this is a joint effort so many nations, all allies, will be flying this aircraft for many years.
If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.
Wish I was a fighter pilot.
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Me too.
http://www.jsf.mil/
The F-35 Lightning II Program (also known as the Joint Strike Fighter Program) is the Department of Defense's focal point for defining affordable next generation strike aircraft weapon systems for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and our allies.
Is that Steve Jobs in the cockpit...
Nothing can replace the A-10 IMO (a former Army grunt)
The A-10 is much better suited to close air support with air supremacy than any fast jet in the inventory or entering the inventory.
It's armor, efficiency, and ability to loiter over a target area for a long time allowing a pilot to self-acquire targets cannot be duplicated in a mega-million dollar jet.
The cannon on the A-10 is also a much more affordable alternative to destroying small mobile targets than horribly expensive smart bombs.
It makes strategic, tactical, and economic sense to maintain the A-10 program for years to come.
40,000 lbs of thrust could make a Pack of Elephants Fly
I agree with your assessment, and hope for the sake of our ground forces we don't phase out the A-10
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