Canadian F-35 Cost.

CBCNew has a report out on the cost of the F-35 to the Canadian Government...

But Mike Sullivan, director of acquisition management at the US General Accountability Office, said he doesn't know where that estimate comes from.
"That's not a number that I am familiar with at all," he said in an interview Tuesday with CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon, cautioning he hasn't seen the methodology behind the numbers.
Sullivan said the estimated cost of the F-35A model that Canada is buying is "in the low 100 millions."
"Probably somewhere between $110-115 million," he said.

110 Million for a stealthy, high performance cutting edge airplane?  High.  Above projected costs.  But still a bargain.  And that's if Carter isn't able to drive the price point lower. 

The critics keep losing.

Pegasus Supports Operations in Southern Afghanistan

Is it just me or does the vid seem to repeat the take-off sequence mid stream?

F-35C heads to the Corps.

F-35 News...Acceptance flights...7 Test flights in one day...

The F-35 flight test program completed a record seven flights in one day on 29 March 2011. Four of the flights occurred at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, where F-35B BF-1 completed two flights and BF-2 and CF-1 completed one flight each. Three more occurred at Edwards AFB, California, where F-35A AF-1, AF-2, and AF-3 completed one flight each. AF-1’s mission, its 109th, was the longest of the seven flights at 3.1 hours.

USAF Maj. Matthew Hayden is at the controls for the third flight of AF-7 for the first government acceptance flight of an F-35A on 28 March 2011. The 1.1-hour flight originated from NAS Fort Worth JRB. After government acceptance, AF-7 will head to Edwards AFB, California, to support development testing.

RAF's death spiral continues.

via the Telegraph ....

The situation is so serious that the RAF has halted the teaching of trainee Typhoon pilots so instructors can be drafted on to the front line, according to air force sources. The handful of pilots used for air shows will also be withdrawn from displays this summer.

The shortage has arisen because cuts to the defence budget over the past decade have limited the number of pilots who have been trained to fly the new Typhoon.

There are also fewer newly qualified pilots coming through after the RAF was forced to cut a quarter of its trainee places due to cuts announced in last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Read the whole thing but the death spiral of an Air Force is occurring right before our eyes.  It will be years...maybe decades before the erosion in air power can be reversed.  I think its safe to say that militarily the British are no longer a leading power in Europe.

Think about it.  The Germans arguably have the most powerful Army.  Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands have navies that are equal to or more powerful than the Royal Navy.  And when it comes to air power its even more dire.

USS Bataan

Once more into action...Emphasis mine...

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- More than 4,000 Sailors and Marines from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployed from Norfolk and Little Creek, Va., in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn, March 23.

The decision to deploy the Bataan ARG/22nd MEU ahead of its previously scheduled deployment date was made based on continuing urgent needs in Libya and the region.

"Amphibious ships are optimally suited for executing a wide range of missions, from humanitarian assistance to theater and maritime security operations," said Capt. Steven J. Yoder, Bataan ARG commander. "There is no doubt in my mind that our Sailors and Marines will excel at whatever task we are called upon to perform."

Sailors and Marines of the Bataan ARG/22nd MEU successfully completed months of unit level training to ensure they can operate effectively and safely. During the next few days, the Bataan ARG will transit to Camp LeJeune, N.C., to complete on-load of the 22nd MEU and will continue to conduct integrated blue/green training until they arrive in the Sixth Fleet area of responsibility.

The Bataan ARG/22nd MEU will provide the combatant commander a versatile sea-based force that can be tailored to a variety of missions, including quick reaction crisis response options and humanitarian assistance in maritime, littoral and inland environments, in support of the Navy's Maritime Strategy.

"This team is extremely well prepared to execute whatever mission our nation calls upon us to do," said Capt. Steve Koehler, USS Bataan (LHD 5) commanding officer. "Our Sailors and Marines have worked extremely hard over the last year to make sure we were on time throughout our training cycle, so when the time came, we'd be ready for any tasking. It's why we're here."

Following their assignment in the Mediterranean, the Bataan ARG/22nd MEU will continue with its scheduled deployment in support of maritime security operations (MSO) and theater security cooperation (TSC) efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.

The Bataan ARG includes Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 6; Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 22; Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 8; Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28; and Naval Beach Group (NBG); which includes Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 2, ACU-4 and Beachmaster Unit (BMU) 2.

ARG ships include the Norfolk-based Bataan, USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), and USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), homeported aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Fort Story, Va.

The 22nd MEU is comprised of its Command Element; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced); and Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 22.

I bet you a bottle of your favorite alcohol that these men will be setting foot in Libya whether the Service Chiefs like it or not.  Three Middle East Wars at the same time.  Whose brilliant idea was this?

Lejeune Marines prepare to deploy off Libyan coast

An Open Letter to Lockheed Martin and the JSF Program Office.

Hey all.  If you aren't aware (what rock have you been hiding under), Bill over at ARES has an article covering the generator failure of the F-35 during a test flight a couple of weeks ago.  Take the time to read that one and this one too.  I challenged Bill to invite the JSF Program Office and Lockheed Martin to write a rebuttal to his article (and Graham's too by extension). 

It appears that he's declined.  

With that in mind I decided to pen a letter to both offices.  Below is a copy of what I sent them.

Gentlemen,


I'm sure its come to your attention that Bill Sweetman, Editor in Chief of Defense Technology International and a renowned Aviation Writer, has penned several articles critical of the F-35.


Many supporters of this program have sat back in amazement at the lack of response to many of his assertions.  The only rebuttal to his claims (to my knowledge) came from former Chief Test Pilot Jon Beasely during an interview that made its way onto YouTube.


His latest claims however, demand a statement from your offices and I would gladly welcome one either at my website or even better through Aviation Week's Blog - ARES.  


In this case.


On this issue.


Silence is not golden.


Very Respectfully,

Solomon.

Quite honestly, in the realm of the defense blogosphere, I'm a guppy.  I've experience tremendous growth over the last year (THANKS GUYS!) but to be honest BLACKFIVE or Information Dissemination would probably get a reply...me...not so sure.  But we'll see.

Pic of the day. March 28, 2011.

Photo by Cpl. Jeffrey Drew An amphibious assault vehicle with Company E, Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, travels along the beach after returning from the water at Onslow Beach aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 24. A platoon of six vehicles spent the day participating in waterborne operations.

Assault Breacher Vehicle in action.

An Assault Breacher Vehicle moves into position to fire a mine clearing line charge during operation Rawhide, March 15. Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion supported 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in their efforts to disrupt enemy supply lines during the three-day operation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John McCall/released)

An Assault Breacher Vehicle fires a mine clearing line charge during operation Rawhide, March 14. ABV's from 1st Combat Engineer Battalion launched MiCLC's to breach a path into a city used by enemy insurgents to smuggle weapons, drugs and improvised explosive device making material. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John McCall/released)

A mine clearing line charge is detonated by Engineers with the Assault Breacher Vehicle platoon, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion during operation Rawhide, March 14. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John McCall/released)

Marines with the Assault Breacher Vehicle platoon, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion repair an ABV during a vehicle convoy, March 17. Marines have had to learn how to fix their vehicles on the fly in order to keep moving. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/released)

F-35 news that you won't hear on ARES...

Bruce (thanks much!...I would have missed this) sent me this article by Loren Thompson confirming my suspicions about the F-35 program. 

F-35 Testing Well Ahead Of Schedule For 2011

Author:

Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D.

Date:

Monday, March 28, 2011

Tags:

F-35, Joint Strike Fighter

Flight tests of the tri-service F-35 Joint Strike Fighter are running well ahead of the plan for 2011, with 181 flights completed as of March 25 against a plan of 133. In addition, the productivity of each flight test is increasing, with an average of 7.7 unique test points achieved per flight. The combination of additional test flights above plan and greater-than-expected productivity per flight has enabled the overall test program to complete 1,310 test points -- far above the number of 899 planned for this stage in the testing cycle. All three variants of the F-35 are being tested, with the average aircraft performing six flights per month.

The test program might have been dealt a serious setback on March 9 when a conventional takeoff variant was forced to make an emergency landing due to a dual generator failure. Generators provide the electricity that starts the fighter's engine and powers flight controls. However, the cause of the failure was quickly traced to faulty maintenance procedures which have now been corrected, and the test fleet has returned to service. These kinds of anomalies are commonplace in tests of new aircraft.

Lockheed Martin officials are confident they can resolve problems identified in testing with several parts of the short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) version of the F-35 being developed for the Marine Corps. Among the fixes required are a strengthening of the doors above the mid-fuselage lift-fan, reinforcement of a bulkhead, and resolution of excessive heat deposition at one point near the engine exhaust. Defense secretary Robert Gates recently put the Marine variant on a two-year probationary period to make the necessary fixes, while stating the Air Force and Navy variants were progressing well.

The conventional-takeoff Air Force version will be the most heavily produced F-35, comprising over 70 percent of the domestic production run and almost all of the export sales. The Air Force plans to buy 1,763 conventional-takeoff F-35s, while the Navy and Marine Corps collectively will buy 680 of their two variants. Overseas allies are expected to buy thousands of the planes over the next three decades as they replace aging Cold War fighters and seek a low-cost solution to their requirement for a versatile and survivable tactical aircraft.

Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D.

The tide has turned (I really should have known considering the response to a flight that returned to base successfully under back up power) and the F-35 is zipping through its flight test program.  With this new found momentum, expect attacks on the JSF program to intensify.  Remember, for some of the critics this is a do or die proposition.

The UK has a carrier problem...The USS America was the solution.

Think Defence has an article up which documents the current woes that the UK is operating under when it comes to placing their new class of carriers into service in the near future.

The perfect solution is being built right here in the US.  The America class Amphibious Assault Ship.  Think about it (how do you like that play on "Think Defence"!)

A medium power like the Royal Navy/Marine Corps could quite effectively deploy these ships almost independently to certain actions.  As a matter of fact anything short of war would allow independent deployment.

War time contingencies would allow a tailored airwing to operate for expected circumstances.
- a show of force and air strikes over Libya?  Simply go with a sea control type manning...20 F-35B's with a mix of utility and attack helicopters...
-peace keeping operations in North or Central Africa?  Go with a standard air compliment.

A better solution was to be found.  The UK simply didn't reach for it.  Heck, even the LPD-17 could have provided almost as much aviation capability as they'll have on their new Queen Elizabeth class carriers! I'm being dramatic but you get the point.

Think Defence wades into the debate from a UK perspective.

Think Defence wades into the JSF debate via the UK's carrier conundrum.  He arrives at this proposal...

A Proposal

I actually think CVF does has a lot of potential, I know you lot might be surprised by this but my objections have always been on cost grounds. This proposal is one possible method of squeezing maximum value for the investment in the most likely missions it will be required to fulfil.

• Switch back to the F35B
• Obtain enough to maintain 6 on board plus 6 on an enduring land based operation (rotating with Typhoon) to support the deployed multi role brigade. This allows for continuous cover for an enduring operation whilst still maintaining enough capacity for the rapid reaction force. Total aircraft and crew numbers would be determined once maintenance and force generation factors become known
• The RAF should stop dreaming about hordes of F35’s and get on with the job of deriving maximum benefit from the eye watering and defence budget distorting entity that is Typhoon
• The Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy should stop dreaming about having a mini me CVN. The FAA would cease operating fast jets and the aboard aircraft would be RAF operated. We can’t afford two air forces and the largest one, the one that can achieve some economy of scale and is focussed on managing fast jets.
• Complete both CVF with one maintained as an in service spare to cover refit periods.
• Do not replace Ocean, the role to be covered by CVF
• If funds allow, the in service spare could be bought into full service
• Redesign CVF to have an enlarged hangar, at least big enough for Chinook, CH53K and V22 across the full width and length. Also improved command and control and embarked force accommodation facilities. These should be relatively easy changes, even at this stage of the build.
• Invest in a Merlin based ASaC

To be honest, he floored me when I read it.  Check out the whole thing to see how he got here.  I definitely don't agree with all of his conclusions...most especially the idea of doing away with fast jets in the Royal Navy.

Naval Aviation has a flavor all its own.  One that can't be duplicated by an Air Force.  I digress...head to his site.

RAF Tornado gun camera footage from the Libya conflict.

Looks like the Brits aren't as shy as we are about sharing gun camera footage from the conflict in Libya.  I don't know what type of munition is being used but I'd guess its a Brimstone Missile...finally note the hit on the last APC in the footage.  It didn't look like a clean hit to me...the crew might be KIA/WIA but the vehicle should be recoverable.

Man in the arena...

The Man in the Arena .02

Pic of the day. March27, 2011.

A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter prepares to land onto the deck of USS San Antonio (LPD-17). This was the first 4-Sea Knight landing on the deck of the San Antonio. Marines from HMM-264, Aviation Combat Element of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, piloted the aircraft. Portions of the 26th MEU Command Element, the MEU's Combat Logistics Element, CLB-26, and Battalion Landing Team 3/8 are aboard the San Antonio to support the ship's Operational Evaluation. (Official U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Erik Hoffman) (Released), 3/12/2008 1:17 AM

The above photo was taken in 2008 and since then the helo detachment aboard the LPD-17 class ships have demonstrated a capability to handle many more aircraft than the photo illustrates.

Pay real close attention when the JSF is being debated.

I don't know quite how to approach this one.  So when in doubt run full speed ahead.

ARES ran a story about the F-35's being grounded and GAVE in my opinion, the impression that the generators/back up generators failed on the airplane...Ole Bill likes to dance on the head of a pin when making some of his statements so pay close attention.

Luckily a commenter on the blog gave me food for thought...

Atomic Walrus wrote:

Hang on a second, here - many of the comments on this article seem to be assuming that the dual generator is intended to be a redundant design. Is that accurate? A closer reading on some of the news reports from the program suggest that it's more like 2 generators ganged up to provide the desired electrical output, with the integrated power pack providing the back-up system. This doesn't mitigate the fact that there was a generator failure due to a simple maintenance issue, but it's a far cry from asserting that LockMart is so foolish as to allow primary and backup of a critical system to be taken out by a single event.

3/26/2011 11:48 PM CDT

Atomic Walrus is exactly right.

This is one of Sweetmans statements found on line 3...

Bill Sweetman wrote:

I think that what is interesting about this thread is how pro-JSF people can't accept a very straightforward observation: that if you have two widgets that are there to provide redundancy in a flight-critical function, and one failure (technical or human+technical) takes both of them out, you have an issue that bears further investigation.

Now when I say pay attention...thats what I mean!

Bill DID NOT say that the generators involved were there to provide backup emergency power.  Quite honestly when I first read Atomic Walrus's statement I was high and to the right ... when I finally caught on to the wordsmithing going on... I was still high and to the right.

This one neat, tidy, simple---heck even elegant statement was constructed in such a way as to have a casual reader believe that the primary and backup generators had failed and that the airplane was mere seconds away from falling out of the sky.

That wasn't the case and the issue was quickly solved and resolved.

The entire point is this--  PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO ANY DEBATE INVOLVING THE JSF.  FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE ANTI-JSF CAMP THIS IS A WIN AT ANY COST ENDEAVOUR!

Even the neutral (at least I think he is...he hasn't exactly stated a position and I have yet to detect one in his writing) Graham Warwick made a curious statement in the comments section...

Graham Warwick wrote:

If I can be permitted to comment on my own post...this will not be news to ardent JSF watchers who caught the story by Steve Trimble of Flightglobal which appeared - briefly - earlier this week.

When it did, my colleague Bill Sweetman made the very valid point that a single maintenance action resulting in the failure of both engine-driven generators must call into question the redundancy of the system, which mounts both generators on a single line-replaceable unit.

But the redundancy of the system isn't in the dual generators...its in the back up to those generators....

Want a balanced reporting of this story?  Lets check out our friends at F-16.net...

The grounding appears to have occurred because of the potential for loss of control posed by such a combination.

Unlike previous fighter jets, the F-35's flight control surfaces are controlled by electro-hydrostatic actuators. If they don't have power then the pilot can lose control. In this case, the back-up power system — the Integrated Power Package which also serves as the starter and air conditioner — kicked in as designed, allowing the pilot to return to base.

Again...pay careful attention when reading news on the F-35.
UPDATE:
Commenter BowlWeavel said it best...

All I can say is wow

listen to some of you people

Do you have any idea how many different ways there are to wreck an aircraft and/or kill someone with a maintenance error or by failing to follow proper procedures?

give it a rest already

this wasn't the problem you hoped it was

Canadian F-35 Website.

Definitely worth checking out gents...especially in light of all the disinformation being put out.  See it here.  Oh and for the curious, below you'll see some of the fast facts that the Canadian Minister of National Defense is going over...

Update:
Since the Canadian election is the latest card that the anti-JSF people are hanging there hats on, here's a site that has current election polling.  Sorry anti crowd...the conservatives are winning.
F-35-Fast-Facts-Feb-15-2011

Kel-Tec sucks....

PMR-30

RFB

KSG

I'm done with Kel-Tec.

They can't get the products to market.  They spend more time on marketing jackets, hats and other merchandise than the do their guns....

And if the video from Nut-n-fancy is any indication then they don't even spend time with their own weapons and the gun I was looking at in particular (the PMR-30) seems to malfunction an awful lot.

I'll stick to Rugers or Walthers when it comes to 22 caliber fire.  As far as the shotgun and rifle from Kel-Tec is concerned...not a chance.

Paul McLeary at ARES nails it.

Paul McLeary over at ARES has a couple of posts that cover the Marine Corps energy independence expeditionary energy initiative (here and here).

If ARES has a ground guy then Paul is that man(trust me...I consider that a compliment!)...and thankfully he covered something that's been bothering me in regards to Distributed Operations and the Company Landing Team Concepts...the issue of resupply.

If you think that the K-Max and upcoming CH-53K's solved the problem of resupply of dispersed company sized units then you're wrong.  The idea that in addition to just ammo, food, water and other supplies would have to be supplied...in addition to whatever their energy needs are then you can understand my doubting the very efficacy of the project.

Paul's stories have me switching from doubting to the 'hey its possible lets try' camp.

According to Marine Corps documents, the system proved itself such a success in operations that two patrol bases are currently operating entirely on renewable energy, with a 90 percent reduction in fuel required at a third base—and the unit was even able to conduct a three-week foot patrol “without battery resupply, reducing load on Marines by 700 lbs.”

If that doesn't convince you then how about this...

One India company squad leader, Sgt. David Doty, is quoted as saying that on his patrol base, “our generators typically use more than 20 gallons of fuel a day. We are down to 2.5 gallons a day,” thanks to the exFOB technology.

But wait...there's more...

A $10 increase in the price of a barrel of oil, at current consumption levels, would be equivalent to the entire Marine Corps’ procurement budget.

The new Commandant is winning me over ... not only because of this but because I made a mistake in believing that the wings on his chest carried more weight than the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on his chest.  He's talking the talk and with initiatives like this ... walking the walk.  If we can get our bases operating on this same concept worldwide...and find a high capacity magazine for the IAR that will work then he's off to a good start.

I'll even forgive him for signing on to buy the F-35C.

Marine Expeditionary Energy Initiative Website.