RT is exactly right. The Pentagon expects foreign buyers to bail them out of this SNAFU program. (Oooops - it's not "Situation Normal," it's much worse.)
The Pentagon acquisition guy, Frank Kendall, has recently expressed displeasure with the high cost of the F-35. He went on to say that to reduce F-35 unit cost it is necessary to more than double the current low rate manufacturing rate, which by the way is illegal, and since US spending is curtailed by sequestration then foreign buyers should be expected to pony up a lot of money to procure these faulty prototypes and pull the Pentagon out of its fiscal hole.
The F-35 program office has projected foreign sales of 730 planes but through seven low-rate production runs to date, seven countries have ordered only fifteen planes. Of course there are no approved production planes available, since the program is still deep in development, so that's a huge factor.
The best part of the video was to confirm how similar from above is the F-35C and the Super Hornet. The same happens pretty much in the frontal view. The only significant difference in the frontal part of the so call "5th Gen figters" is how they have two different hemispheres separated by an equatorial line, to deviate up and down the X-Band waves coming laterally to the airplane. In the frontal view that design has no advantage compared with the conical shape of the super hornet nose tat also deviates the radar waves. But even fom the side view, the main part of the super hornet nose has the same inclination of the vertical stabilizers to deviate down those radar waves. As Ricardo Traven says, the Super Hornet is a trully 5th Gen fighter, with "future" capabilities today, and conpares the F-35 with a shiny Broshure of promises.
Oh look, Pierre Sprey, the guy who thinks the F-16 is too large and heavy to be a proper fighter. Guy is still convinced missiles don't work as far as I can tell.
If we killed programs anytime a problem was encountered we'd never make any sort of improvement. Why do we do testing? To find the problems and fix them so the plane works as intended in combat!
Might I remind the commenter praising the Super Hornet about the significant problems that program faced? Did you forget how much opposition that aircraft had earlier in its life? All of those shouting (and not entirely without reason) that improved F-14s were a better choice? We heard the SAME "can't turn, can't run" talk about the Super Hornet, it encountered structural problems, they even had to cant the weapon pylons (meaning more drag) to allow for proper stores separation.
Your idea that the Super Hornet is almost as stealthy as the F-35 is simply foolish. Canted tails don't equal VLO stealth.
Nobody is saying don't develop new planes, and nobody is saying give up when there are problems. The point here is that nobody should consider buying this plane until they have a finished product that is certified and does meet the specs.
They continue to profess that they have a finished product but they don't. The performance is poor, the sensor fusion they keep bragging about doesn't exist, the software including the vital ALIS system doesn't work, there are significant reliability problems and the damn thing costs a small fortune.
As far as killing the program -- hey, the program is as old as the Afghan war and we're (supposedly) getting out of that mess. -- hint, hint
Finally Boeing after being discret for so long is speaking clear and lauder
• The Super Hornet is a low observable stealth aircraft utilizing designed-in structural enhancements, planform-aligned edges, specialized materials and coatings to lessen the effectiveness of threat sensors and shorten the range the aircraft can be detected, giving it an order-of-magnitude improvement in radar cross-section signature • An advanced high-capacity computer system driving a state-of-the-art cockpit works in concert with the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) to provide the warfighter with revolutionary situational awareness, giving the aircrew the decisive edge in combat
Test and evaluate: The last thing we heard on testing stealth was April 17, "six Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft are currently at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to test the aircraft's stealth and sensor technologies against representations of Russian, Iranian and Chinese air-defenses. "
And that may be the last we'll ever hear on stealth testing in this faith-based program. But it probably won't matter. How can this development program possibly hold on for another five years, minimum, pending the end of testing and a Milestone C production decision? Five years on top of the twelve is a very long time, and many things might happen.
Lockheed is getting desperate, for one thing. Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, recently said production of the F-35 is expected to expand from about 36 this year to more than 120 a year by the end of the decade. He didn't say who would pay for them, or why so many faulty planes should be manufactured. Oh, he did say -- to add 2,400 jobs in Fort Worth.
"The program redesigned the On-Board Inert Gas Generation System (OBIGGS) to meet vulnerability reduction and lightning requirements. The program is currently planning the tests for FY14 to ensure that the system is able to maintain fuel tank inerting throughout all mission profiles. The system should protect the F-35 from threat-induced or lightning-induced fuel tank explosions" ----------- JSF program includes redesigns and testing in FY14.
RT is exactly right. The Pentagon expects foreign buyers to bail them out of this SNAFU program. (Oooops - it's not "Situation Normal," it's much worse.)
ReplyDeleteThe Pentagon acquisition guy, Frank Kendall, has recently expressed displeasure with the high cost of the F-35. He went on to say that to reduce F-35 unit cost it is necessary to more than double the current low rate manufacturing rate, which by the way is illegal, and since US spending is curtailed by sequestration then foreign buyers should be expected to pony up a lot of money to procure these faulty prototypes and pull the Pentagon out of its fiscal hole.
The F-35 program office has projected foreign sales of 730 planes but through seven low-rate production runs to date, seven countries have ordered only fifteen planes. Of course there are no approved production planes available, since the program is still deep in development, so that's a huge factor.
There's a lot more to it, as I write in my recent Top ten reasons not to buy the F-35.
You also might be interested in an article on F-35B durability, Bulkheads for Leathernecks.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe best part of the video was to confirm how similar from above is the F-35C and the Super Hornet. The same happens pretty much in the frontal view. The only significant difference in the frontal part of the so call "5th Gen figters" is how they have two different hemispheres separated by an equatorial line, to deviate up and down the X-Band waves coming laterally to the airplane. In the frontal view that design has no advantage compared with the conical shape of the super hornet nose tat also deviates the radar waves.
ReplyDeleteBut even fom the side view, the main part of the super hornet nose has the same inclination of the vertical stabilizers to deviate down those radar waves. As Ricardo Traven says, the Super Hornet is a trully 5th Gen fighter, with "future" capabilities today, and conpares the F-35 with a shiny Broshure of promises.
http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/F35CVFA101130622-GRB04b11.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR5PCVpy0KN2HOuoZTdYRfM_9IrXGqM1M7Z-9t9yB-GM5m3f7lP
http://www.aereo.jor.br/wp-content/uploads//2011/11/FA-18EF_International_Road_Map_Full_Scale_Mockup-foto-Boeing.jpg
ReplyDeleteOh look, Pierre Sprey, the guy who thinks the F-16 is too large and heavy to be a proper fighter. Guy is still convinced missiles don't work as far as I can tell.
ReplyDeleteIf we killed programs anytime a problem was encountered we'd never make any sort of improvement. Why do we do testing? To find the problems and fix them so the plane works as intended in combat!
Might I remind the commenter praising the Super Hornet about the significant problems that program faced? Did you forget how much opposition that aircraft had earlier in its life? All of those shouting (and not entirely without reason) that improved F-14s were a better choice? We heard the SAME "can't turn, can't run" talk about the Super Hornet, it encountered structural problems, they even had to cant the weapon pylons (meaning more drag) to allow for proper stores separation.
Your idea that the Super Hornet is almost as stealthy as the F-35 is simply foolish. Canted tails don't equal VLO stealth.
Nobody is saying don't develop new planes, and nobody is saying give up when there are problems. The point here is that nobody should consider buying this plane until they have a finished product that is certified and does meet the specs.
DeleteThey continue to profess that they have a finished product but they don't. The performance is poor, the sensor fusion they keep bragging about doesn't exist, the software including the vital ALIS system doesn't work, there are significant reliability problems and the damn thing costs a small fortune.
As far as killing the program -- hey, the program is as old as the Afghan war and we're (supposedly) getting out of that mess. -- hint, hint
The F-35 is a "wanna be" compared to the Super Hornet.
Deletehttps://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=H3KnU7K9MtOxoQSlpYC4Bg&url=http://www.boeing.com/assets/pdf/defense-space/military/fa18ef/docs/EF_product.pdf&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAA&usg=AFQjCNFVp3LYSSbg0pjkeRJ_XqLyF728jQ&sig2=vKMV9n2gD_OqPPR_SXOZsw
Finally Boeing after being discret for so long is speaking clear and lauder
Delete• The Super Hornet is a low observable stealth aircraft utilizing designed-in structural enhancements, planform-aligned edges, specialized materials and coatings to lessen the effectiveness of threat sensors and shorten the range the aircraft can be detected, giving it an order-of-magnitude improvement in radar cross-section signature
• An advanced high-capacity computer system driving a state-of-the-art cockpit works in concert with the Joint Helmet
Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) to provide the warfighter with revolutionary situational awareness, giving the aircrew the decisive edge in combat
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Deletehttp://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ASH075-130827-Boeing-F18F-ASH-154111.jpg
ReplyDeletehttp://oi38.tinypic.com/169mdya.jpg
ReplyDeletehttp://images.military.com/media/news/equipment/f35-bottom-428x285.jpg
ReplyDeleteTest and evaluate: The last thing we heard on testing stealth was April 17, "six Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft are currently at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to test the aircraft's stealth and sensor technologies against representations of Russian, Iranian and Chinese air-defenses. "
ReplyDeleteAnd that may be the last we'll ever hear on stealth testing in this faith-based program. But it probably won't matter. How can this development program possibly hold on for another five years, minimum, pending the end of testing and a Milestone C production decision? Five years on top of the twelve is a very long time, and many things might happen.
Lockheed is getting desperate, for one thing. Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, recently said production of the F-35 is expected to expand from about 36 this year to more than 120 a year by the end of the decade. He didn't say who would pay for them, or why so many faulty planes should be manufactured. Oh, he did say -- to add 2,400 jobs in Fort Worth.
minute 2:27 F35 Lightning that fear lightning, LOL
ReplyDeleteRead www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/FY2013/pdf/dod/2013f35jsf.pdf
Delete---------
"The program redesigned the On-Board Inert Gas Generation
System (OBIGGS) to meet vulnerability reduction and
lightning requirements. The program is currently planning
the tests for FY14 to ensure that the system is able to
maintain fuel tank inerting throughout all mission profiles.
The system should protect the F-35 from threat-induced or
lightning-induced fuel tank explosions"
-----------
JSF program includes redesigns and testing in FY14.
The LOL is your post.
The Super Hornets are flying over Irak.
ReplyDeletehttp://defensetech.org/2014/06/21/fa-18-tasked-to-fly-isr-missions-over-iraq/