F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

[PuckChaser]

That's  $107M USA an aircraft, depending on the models that looks appropriate for F35A with engine as it's still LRIP.

 

[MarkOttawa]

PuckChaser: Contract is only with LockMart--separate contracts done with P&W for engines:

F-35 Joint Program Office Awards Pratt & Whitney LRIP 10 Contract for F135 Engines

RAF Fairford, U.K., Friday, July 8, 2016

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, a $1.5 billion low rate initial production (LRIP) contract for the tenth lot [that's US FY16, started Oct. 1 2015] of F135 propulsion systems to power all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. Combined with previous long lead and sustainment awards for this lot, the LRIP 10 contract now totals $1.95 billion. This tenth LRIP contract will cover 99 total engines, as well as program management, engineering support, production non-recurring efforts, spare modules and spare parts [so just under $20M per engine all in].

"The propulsion system team has kept their word in delivering on their price reduction commitments for the F135 propulsion system, which is critical to making the F-35 more affordable for the U.S. military and our allies," said Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, F-35 program executive officer. "Now that we are ramping up production with increased volume from Pratt & Whitney and from their global supply chain, the program is really gaining momentum."

Compared to the previous LRIP production contract, unit prices for 86 conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and carrier variant (CV) propulsion systems were reduced by 2.6 percent, and unit prices for 13 LRIP 10 short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion systems, including Rolls-Royce Lift Systems, were reduced by 4.2 percent...
http://www.utc.com/News/PW/Pages/F-35-Joint-Program-Office-Awards-Pratt-Whitney-LRIP-10-Contract-for-F135-Engine.aspx

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

Do we still prefer a serious hook for northern FOLs (note last sentence)?

Dutch join Norwegians on F-35 brake chute development

The Netherlands will join Norway on the development of the brake chute for the Lockheed Martin F-35, the Norwegian government confirmed last week.

In a 25 November bill presented to the Norwegian Parliament, the Dutch government agreed to pay Norway 96 million NOK ($11.4 million) to cover their share of development costs. That cost share will allow the Norwegian government to redirect those funds to other areas of its F-35 programme, according to a post by the minister of defence.

While most international partners’ F-35s are indistinguishable from the US fighters, Norway and now the Netherlands will incorporate drag chutes to help the aircraft land on icy runways.

“Though relying on the aircraft’s hydraulics for power, it is a separate add-on system with its own wiring and hard points,” the Norwegian government says in a statement. “The benefit of the system is that it makes it both easier and safer to operate the F-35 on slippery runways, as we often will be doing in Norway during the winter months.”

Lockheed will test the brake chute at Edwards AFB, California this summer and will begin testing on icy runways in Alaska in late winter 2017, a company spokesman tells FlightGlobal.

Canada also expressed interest in the modification, FlightGlobal reported in 2014...
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dutch-join-norwegians-on-f-35-brake-chute-developmen-432109/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

F-35s scheduled to be in service around world by 2019:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/feature/5/179243/navair-projects-f_35-to-need-50-maintenance-hours-per-flight-hour.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[RaceAddict]

A very cool read about the F-35's capabilities: https://theaviationist.com/?p=40658

The combined F-35 fleet now has over 75,000 flight hours, yet many continue to question the performance and value of the aircraft.  Much of this can be expected given early program challenges, and the reality that many of the F-35s capabilities are classified.  Add that many do not grasp the war the F-35 was designed to deter – or fight.  21st century warfare and capability has about as much in common with wars of the past as your 1970’s land line has to your smartphone.  It is in this “smartphone” battlespace that the F-35 is designed to fight and to do so with a distinctly unfair advantage.

 

[MarkOttawa]

Meanwhile in the Middle East:

F-35 Triggers Conceptual Overhaul in Israel Air Force

Nearly a decade of planning preceded Monday's scheduled delivery of the first F-35Is to the Israel Air Force (IAF), but once they touch down at the stealth fighter’s desert base at Nevatim, another process will just begin, with vast implications on how Israel wields airpower near and very far from home.

From the single network that will support the IAF’s ability to use the fifth-generation Adir (Awesome/Magnificent) alongside fourth-generation fighters to hunt and fight in packs to the means by which it trains and maintains its combined force, the new F-35Is will be driving wholesale changes throughout the mightiest air force in the Middle East.

“The IAF needs to adapt itself to this fifth-generation plane, and not vice versa,” a general officer on the IAF Air Staff told Defense News.

“We need to look at all our existing concepts and to re-evaluate them as a result of this capability. We’ll ask questions we never asked before, because we’ve been used to training, operating and supporting according to fourth-generation concepts.”

From “Day 1” of the Adir’s arrival, the general officer said the new fighters will be co-located with an F-16I “escorting squadron” to allow the service to determine all it needs for seamless integration of its frontline fighter force. 

“We need this quality team from Day 1 to live together, train together and learn all they need to speak the same language,” the officer said.

“We’ve defined the team’s mission as escorting the Adir and leading the way to joining fourth- and fifth-generation elements of our force,” he said.

“Of course, this F-16I squadron will have other missions. It’s not a dedicated team in the purest sense, since we don’t have the luxury of a stand-alone squadron. But their mission is clear: As smartly and as quickly as possible, we need to create a truly integrated force of fourth- and fifth-generation assets.”
 
As an example of  “refusing to be locked into old concepts,” the officer cited the distances at which IAF fighters currently fly in operational formation; distances now determined by visual contact.

“We shouldn’t be using this plane in visual range. So it’s likely that we’ll fly differently in the formation,” he said...
http://www.defensenews.com/articles/f-35-triggers-conceptual-overhaul-in-israel-air-force

Mark
Ottawa

 

[tomahawk6]

Most of the recent revelations concern the naval version such as the wings arent strong enough to carry missiles.Also there is “excessive F-35 vertical oscillations,” or shaking, in catapult launches from aircraft carriers must be resolved.Maybe its time to fire the Navy Project Manager ?

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/12/chief-tester-f-35-says-f35-will-not-be.html

 

[Ping Monkey]

Wonder where he'll go with this?

The Associated Press
Published Monday, December 12, 2016 10:37AM EST 

NEW YORK -- Shares of Lockheed Martin fell as U.S. president-elect Donald Trump tweeted that making F-35 fighter planes is too costly and that he will cut "billions" in costs for military purchases.

Lockheed makes the F-35 one-seat fighter aircraft for the U.S. and is a major defence contractor. The F-35 program made up 20 per cent of Lockheed's total revenue last year.

This is the second time in a week that Trump has blasted U.S. aircraft spending. Last week, Trump tweeted that costs to build new presidential planes by Boeing Corp. were "out of control" and ended the tweet with "Cancel order!"

Representatives from Lockheed, based in Bethesda, Maryland, did not immediately have a comment.

Lockheed Martin Corp. shares fell 4.1 per cent to $248.86 in morning stock trading Monday.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/lockheed-falls-as-trump-tweets-that-f-35-program-is-costly-1.3199585

 

[RaceAddict]

Maybe The Donald and JT will get along well after all...  :

 

[Journeyman]

Maybe The Donald and JT will get along well after all...  :

"Informed diplomacy" based on angry tweets and empty selfies?  op:

 

[Bearpaw]

Perahaps DT is basing his oponion on the following:

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/12/chief-tester-f-35-says-f35-will-not-be.html

Bearpaw

 

[jmt18325]

And that's why it doesn't make and sense for us to buy it right now.

 

[Quirky]

And that's why it doesn't make and sense for us to buy it right now.

Only countries with actual national defence needs i.e. Israel, are purchasing them right away.  :nod:

 

[a_majoor]

President elect Trump is signalling his opening position to the US defence contractor community.

When you consider the number of abandoned US programs which have come to fruition in the ROK, such as the K-11 rifle/grenade launcher system (US OCIW), KSTAM (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition) (US TERM (Tank Extended Range Munition)) and the composite body of the K-21 IFV, the problem isn't know how, but rather poor management of the programs and a lack of incentive to actually get the job done on time and on budget.

Trump is signalling that things will be changed, and program management will have to be either smartened up or heads will start rolling. It is about time as well. Recent studies by the Pentagon identified the possibility of saving $125billion over the next five years simply by streamlining the "back end" of civilian employees and contractors, as Instapundit put it, "If we had as much military power as we actually pay for, we’d be the United States of Earth and Neighboring Satellites and Planets by now."

 

[FSTO]

President elect Trump is signalling his opening position to the US defence contractor community.

When you consider the number of abandoned US programs which have come to fruition in the ROK, such as the K-11 rifle/grenade launcher system (US OCIW), KSTAM (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition) (US TERM (Tank Extended Range Munition)) and the composite body of the K-21 IFV, the problem isn't know how, but rather poor management of the programs and a lack of incentive to actually get the job done on time and on budget.

Trump is signalling that things will be changed, and program management will have to be either smartened up or heads will start rolling. It is about time as well. Recent studies by the Pentagon identified the possibility of saving $125billion over the next five years simply by streamlining the "back end" of civilian employees and contractors, as Instapundit put it, "If we had as much military power as we actually pay for, we’d be the United States of Earth and Neighboring Satellites and Planets by now."

Go to the 1hr 39 minute of this Senate Hearing on the LCS Program where the senators and witnesses hit the entire US defence procurement system square in the middle of the forehead with a 2x4. It's not pretty.

http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/16-12-01-oversight-acquisition-testing-and-employment-of-the-littoral-combat-ship-lcs-and-lcs-mission-module-programs

 

[PuckChaser]

Pratt and Whitney has ended development phase of F-135 engine, ready for full production:

https://www.skiesmag.com/news/pratt-whitney-ends-development-prepares-full-production-f135/

Pratt & Whitney ends development, prepares for full production of F135
Posted on December 20, 2016 by Chris Thatcher

The Italian Air Force took delivery of two Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jets at Amendola Air Base on Dec. 12, 2016, the first such operational aircraft built outside the United States.

That same day, the Israeli Air Force received its first two operational F-35I “Adir” (F-35I) at Nevatim AFB, both of which were assembled in the U.S.

The deliveries marked yet another important milestone for the JSF program as it transitions from developmental to operational aircraft. In August, the U.S. Air Force declared its first squadron of F-35As ready for operations.

While the F-35 program is not expected to conclude system development and demonstration (SDD) flight testing until Oct. 31, 2017–a date the Joint Program Office says will likely need to be extended by a couple of months–for engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, it has been “pencils down” on the development phase of the F135 engine since mid summer.

“Our development program is over,” Clifford Stone, vice president of international programs and business development at Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, told Skies in a recent interview. “We completed SDD in July.”

Of 38,000 specification points related to the engine, Stone said just seven remain to be resolved, and most of those can only occur once the aircraft reaches enough flying hours. “With some engines, we would say you are mature after 250,000 flight hours; [the F-35] has 50,000 flight hours.”

Just under 300 of the F135 engines, a growth derivative of the F-22 Raptor engine, have been delivered over the past 10 years. But the pace of production is about to ramp up significantly.
- See more at: https://www.skiesmag.com/news/pratt-whitney-ends-development-prepares-full-production-f135/#sthash.CrpWmK9z.dpuf

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Good!

Maybe Pratt & Whitney can now concentrate on finishing the development and starting full scale production of the ultra quiet engines for the Bombardier C-Series that has been delaying production for the last two years (Yes! It's the engine production by this very American company that is delaying full production - not Bombardier problems - contrary to Canadian press "Let-screw-anything-coming-out-of-Quebec" crowd).

 

[MarkOttawa]

F-35 JPO PEO, amongst others, meets with PEOTUS:

Trump convenes Pentagon brass 'to bring costs down'
Several of the military leaders who met with Trump oversee nuclear weapons and strategy.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-pentagon-defense-budget-232908

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Rifleman62]

Trump just tweeted:


Donald J. Trump Verified account
‏@realDonaldTrump

Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet!

 

[PuckChaser]

Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet!

He's asking for a unicorn. The SH cannot and will not ever be comparable to the F-35 unless they dump similarly hundreds of billions into R&D.