via NAVAIR
“We are working toward a new set of firsts for the X-47B,” said Matt Funk, X-47B lead test engineer. “We’ll test the new capabilities of the X-47B wing-fold and tailhook retract system, and will demonstrate compatibility with a carrier jet-blast deflector on the flight deck for the first time.”Interesting.
The proven use of these functions will allow the air vehicle to take off, land, and hold in the same pattern as manned aircraft, the next step toward UAS operations aboard aircraft carriers without disruption to normal carrier flight deck operations, he said.
“This at-sea period will mark the first time manned aircraft and the X-47B will operate together on the flight deck,” Duarte said. The goal is to clear the deck within 90 seconds after landing and demonstrate deck handling on par with manned aircraft.
The Navy will conduct X-47B flight operations over the next year to mature technologies for the future Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike system and refine the concept of operations to demonstrate the integration of unmanned carrier-based aircraft within the carrier environment, Duarte said.
While the F-35 plods along at a snails pace, the UCLASS or UCAV gets ready for its second set of sea trials.
The F-35 hasn't even caught the wire aboard deck yet!
Its beyond obvious. The X-47 is ready for prime time.
Don't get too excited. Navy already lowered the expectation for UCLASS. It will be an ISR only platform, at least which is what they are working out right now, no plan for weapon integration. We are talking out eyes and ears, but toothless.
ReplyDeletethey just playing budget wars publicity games. if they came out and said that the UCAV would be a deep penetration, aerial refueling, missile carrying backup to the Super Hornet then the F-35 mafia would go crazy. as it now stands they can get this thing in production and aboard ship before the F-35 and then quietly kill the F-35 because of cost and declare this a done deal before the mafia can respond.
Deleteits brilliant.
I actually likes the piece of news that said the Navy first has to clarify before proceeding forward, its philosophy and future use/utility of these new unmanned navy mules. But offcourse, before any philosophy gets set in stone, people do have to carry out full testing and explore every possibility.
DeleteThe reason why F-35 moves DEV slower that X-47 are:
ReplyDeleteManned vs unmanned: Testing & Safety requirements for a manned program are much tighter than an unmanned one.
Production vs X Program: Being an "X" program means that the X-47 can get away with MUCH less quality control and can take more risks & shortcuts when it comes to doing anything.
Tri-Version & multi-role vs single version, single role: The F-35 is dozens if not 100+ times more complex than the X-47.
the F-35 had a more than 10 year headstart and was also given an X-plane designation which would probably add another 5 years. long story short. we've waited almost two decades for the F-35 to deliver and we're still waiting.
DeleteLook at the X-35, it was flying supersonic within 4 years of the X-35 prototype contract being awarded.
DeleteKeep in mind that the F-35C, being the last to go IOC, is the last to do the DEV because it did not need it.
thats weak. and you know its weak. the F-35 has been habitually late and we all know it. if the F-35 was a person at a job it would be fired for not showing up to work!
Deleteyou say we can't argue the capabilities because they're secret. i say ok, but by the looks of what supporters are saying its primary weapon is to act as a mini-awacs. i say thats not good enough. other than that the plane doesn't bring a thing to the fight.
its fat, its slow, its late and its not worth it.
we can't argue what we don't know but what we do indicates one thing. we should cancel the thing.
By no means is the program innocent in all of this. I was just pointing out that the programs are completely different in their testing procedures, safety requirements, and development schedule.
DeleteFor the F-35C specifically, it was the last to start production, last to start DEV, and will be the last to go IOC. The hook issues certainly did not help, but it was always scheduled to go IOC a couple of years after the A and several years after the B.
whoa whoa......comparing the F-35 to the X-47??.....have we gone mad ? For one, one is manned, the other unmanned. While the x-47 was a sole navy program where the navy retained all ownership, design philosophy, future usage etc. The F-35 became a free for all Pinata with 3 competing services. I am gonna be blasted by the Marines for this but if the USMC had not insisted on the F-35 to be a Harrier Replacement, with the Air Force retaining every shpere of this program, the F-35 would have come out much better.
DeleteAnd as regarding killing of the F-35, no need for it. ALl you need to do is REMOVE big Blotch of Un-aerodynamic shit Downward Thrust Engine that is fitted on the Vertical version of the aircraft. Kill that particular version, save tons of money to give the Marines their Preffered A-10's and also remove tons of weight and space and air resistance from the F-35 to be a true PAK-FA killer.
DeleteRegardless of Stealth dragging down dogfight design, if anyone has seen the sleek mid-section of the PAK-FA and the Big Blotch Mid-section of the F-35, you would agree that killing off the Vertical version and just making do with a re-designed sole air superiority version would be the best thing to do.
DeleteIn the top photo the 47B missed the first wire and may have caught #2 or 3. Here's a video of a 47B arrestment where it went over the 1st wire last summer and caught #2 or 3.
ReplyDeleteX-47B Completes First Carrier-based Arrested Landing (2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPaH8CCtRVU
One problem the 35C has is its geometry. Again looking at the top 47B photo one can see the hook further back from the gear than on the 35C, photo here. The gear bounces the wire which doesn't recover in time for the hook, is the story.
http://malaysiaflyingherald.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/f_35cgetsdirtyscreenshot_246.jpg
Reading the air blogs, there are comments that the Navy supplied bad info on the wire, e.g.:
"The X-47B guys have had to redesign their tail hook a number of times now due to the same inaccurate Navy-supplied wire dynamics model that was partly responsible for the F-35C’s woes."
But L-M has indicated that the 35C's design is solely to blame for its inability to catch a wire.
"The reason the problem with the hook arose in the first place is because of the inherent constraints of building a stealth fighter, said Burbage. The F-35 is the first naval stealth fighter and as such, Lockheed had the unique challenge of designing the jet with a tail-hook that had to be concealed when it’s not being used."
Bottom line, Solomon nails it:
"While the F-35 plods along at a snail's pace, the UCLASS or UCAV gets ready for its second set of sea trials. The F-35 hasn't even caught the wire aboard deck yet!"
They are both correct (LM & the Navy). The LM design failed but the design depended on numbers supplied by the Navy.
DeleteThe Design as built is less forgiving and could not compensate for the bad Navy numbers. It it had the right numbers I am sure the design would n have been different from day one.
Aug 2011-- All eight run-in/rolling tests undertaken at NAS Lakehurst in August 2011 to see if the F-35C could catch a wire with the tail hook have failed.
DeleteOver three years to redesign a hook?
With the production hook / AHS Arrest Hook System installed this is the latest news....
ReplyDeleteLt General Christopher C. Bogdan PEO F-35 SASC Statement 02 Apr 2014
http://www.airforcemag.com/testimony/Documents/2014/April%202014/040214bogdan.pdf
"...The program also saw improvements with the redesigned F-35C arresting hook system on our CF-3 aircraft. In January 2014, the F-35 team accomplished 36 for 36 successful roll-in arrestment tests at Lakehurst, NJ. The aircraft is now at Patuxent River where it is continuing its ship suitability testing. Thus far CF-3 accomplished 8 for 8 fly in arrestments while at Patuxent River; however, testing has been delayed for approximately 60 days as we discovered a minor nose gear issue. These tests are expected to lead to a certification of the F-35C for shipboard flight trials, which are planned to commence fourth quarter 2014...."
Yes the AHS was redesigned - not just the 'hook' was redesigned, since when the problem was discovered until whenever the timeline stops. The faulty USN data was not discovered at the beginning of the redesign. Any quotes about fixes for the failure to arrest problem must be seen in historical order to account for that fact.
fourth quarter 2014? damn thats slow. you can't excuse the snails pace that the program is on. while the F-35 is crawling the X-47 is galloping toward the finish line. additionally this "Blame the Navy" meme is getting old.
Deleteeither Lockheed Martin can build carrier aircraft or they can't. from the looks of things they can't.
As for the comment about which wire the X-47B targets.... Any carrier aircraft does not target the No.1 wire because that will increase the chance of a ramp strike. There must be adequate 'hook to ramp clearance' at all times, which safe height will be decreased if No.1 wire targeted. On a four wire older CVN the target wire is No.3. On newer three wire CVNs the target wire is ....? For the X-47B using JPALS, installed specifically for the X-47B, any wire can be targeted; whilst it took the targeted wire at all times. Only in some extreme weather conditions, with the carrier moving at limits of flying ops use, might the No.1 wire be used as the target wire; but I doubt that. Carrier pilots in error may catch the No.1 wire. IF they land before the No.1 wire, in LSO jargon, that is a 'Taxi One' which will get a reprimand most likely, and not just from the LSO. Too many No.1 wires and said pilot will be beached. Sometimes severe sea conditions may cause a 'Taxi One', then everyone is just glad pilot/aircraft are back in one piece.
ReplyDeleteTesting the production AHS on the F-35C is rigourous and NOT just a few roll ins and fly in arrests in ideal land based conditions. At NAS Patuxent River the tests will continue (when nose gear problem fixed) for several months when unideal shipboard conditions are replicated in the test environment. This special testing will require special test pilot skills as per: [a lot more info about this testing for the Super Hornet for example can be provided - I'll guess once the F-35C tests are successful we will see more info]
ReplyDeleteSTRIKE TEST NEWS Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 Newsletter 2011 Issue
FIXED WING SHIP SUITABILITY (SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL) LT David “La Douche” Hafeman - Page 18
http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.download&id=769
"Every aircraft, store, or sensor that flies off the ship at some point needs to be tested to ensure that it can meet the demanding loads associated with a catapult shot or an arrested landing.
Sometimes referred to as “Shake, Rattle and Roll” testing, this is a unique specialty area of flight test that we do more of than anyone else in the world. Shake testing includes both catapults and arrested landings. Catapults build up in longitudinal acceleration up to 5.5g, and include shots with the aircraft deliberately off center in the shuttle. Arrested landings include high sink rates up to 20 feet per second (which translates to 1200 feet per minute or about a 5° flight path angle), maximum deceleration points, free flight engagements, and 18 foot off center points. There is both art and science involved in flying and waving these demanding test points...."
you said all that to say what? the F-35 is still YEARS late. thats it. no equivocation, no excuse making, no bullshitting.
Deletethe X-47 is going through the same testing and its moving forward. the F-35 is languishing. the F-35 can't get out of its own way. the F-35 DESERVES TO BE CANNED!
but the F-35 mafia and LM money is keeping it afloat while all it delivers is promises. lies. and a bigger bill.
"I'll guess once the F-35C tests are successful we will see more info"
DeleteThe Second Coming will be sooner.
But it's smart of Navy to drag their hook this way.
The word came down: Make that Shake, Rattle & Roll take forever. Got it?
Greenert rules. The only service chief who does what is right instead of what is popular.
Almost makes me wish I wore blue. (just kidding)
Greenert is doing whats right AND whats popular. name five defense blogs that are in full support of the F-35. Greenert is simply doing that rarest of things today. USING COMMON SENSE (which isn't so common). he's looked at the specs, compared it to what the Super Hornet brings to the table ... added in the UCAV and simply followed the practical course.
DeleteDO WHAT IT TAKES TO DELAY THE ABOMINATION KNOWN AS THE F-35!
If killing the F-35 were popular I'd probably be trying to save it. :-)
DeleteI mean of course in the corridors that Greenert walks in, which don't include any blogs. Places where 'common sense' isn't common, nor even significant.
The rarified air of big power and big money, and nothing is bigger money than F-35.
The F-35, bringing the day closer to when the Majority of Western Pilots go to a Dogfight with just 1 Engine. Simply Marvelous. Maybe the Marvel Universe will have to lend you some superheroes as well.
DeleteTo say what? Can't you read? Perhaps you are just as dumb as your (fence) posts.
ReplyDeleteya i can read you stupid son of a bitch. i was asking whats your point dumbass? get a fucking clue bitch.
DeleteSpaz is being a true fanboy, trying to wow us rubes with a lot of tech-talk about the first wire and a unique specialty area of flight test thinking that it would take our rustic minds off the fact that the F-35 carrier er, hangar variant is not a true contender.
Deleteyou're being kind Don. i'm tiring of the arrogant know-all bullshit that these idiots spoon feed to each other over at F.16net. they're school boys that refuse to take a step back and say what the fuck? how long are we suppose to wait? how much money are we suppose to waste? when do we decide that enough time and money has been wasted and that its time to end this abomination to aviation!
Delete