F-35 Program - General Discussion

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
The first of the F35A's with the faulty insulation in the fuel tanks have been repaired and returned to flying duties. The repairs were not as complicated as first thought and did not require removal of the wings with the repairs being able to be done with the wings in situ.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
The Dept of Defense has grown tired of the lack of progress in LRIP 9 contract negotiations with Lockheed and unilaterally issued a US$6.1 billion contract for 57 F35 aircraft. The only sticking point was price and Lockheed are not amused. They haven't decided whether to accept the contract or go to court.
F-35: DoD Forces Lockheed To Accept Its Price For LRIP 9
 

Volkodav

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Oh dear.

Now that ladies(?) and gentlemen, is one of the clearest demonstrations of leftwing stupidity I have ever seen and illustrates the differences between that and the fringe right, conspiracy theory crap we usually see. Both are as insane and lacking in reason as each other and but for opposite views on the environment vs the economy they could have been written by the same person.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Oh dear.

Now that ladies(?) and gentlemen, is one of the clearest demonstrations of leftwing stupidity I have ever seen and illustrates the differences between that and the fringe right, conspiracy theory crap we usually see. Both are as insane and lacking in reason as each other and but for opposite views on the environment vs the economy they could have been written by the same person.
Ummm context please V. Just want to know whether to choke on my navy rum or have a double tot.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
force acquisition and planning done via social media and IMG's - yep, can't see any problems there.....
 

pussertas

Active Member
Radio National Sunday 8am program

Radio National have an 'expose' of the F35 on air, Sunday 13/11/16 after their 0800 news service.

:fly
 

John Newman

The Bunker Group
Radio National have an 'expose' of the F35 on air, Sunday 13/11/16 after their 0800 news service.

:fly
Yes I'm sure the ABC will present a well researched, quality, non-biased and balanced report (yeah right, cough, choke!!!).

And I'm sure they will interview a whole range of experts to give their educated and informed opinions too (especially the likes of the Goon squad from APA, again, cough, choke!!).

If I forget, remind me to sleep in that morning, ok? Don't want to ruin my whole day next Sunday.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
CREF Ngatis comment

UK, Australia Score Big F-35 Repair Work Agreements

By: Valerie Insinna, November 7, 2016 (Photo Credit: Alaysia Berry, Air Force)
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has chosen its first F-35 global repair hubs, and the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia are the big winners.

The F-35 joint program office on Monday announced the countries that will be responsible for sustaining 65 out of 774 repairable components on the F-35. The United Kingdom picked up the lion’s share of the initial work, and will provide support for 48 of those components from 2021 to 2025.

“This establishes Britain as a hub for all European F35s and is hugely positive news for our high-tech and innovative defense industry,” UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said in a news release. “It is an endorsement of the skills and capabilities the UK offers, will help create hundreds of high-end jobs, safeguard thousands more and be a substantial boost to UK exports.”

The UK, Netherlands and Australia will be charged with the global sustainment of these 65 components from 2021 to 2025.

During this early period, the Netherlands will conduct maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) services for 14 components, while Australia will oversee three components. The countries will be responsible for an array of parts that span 18 categories, with the Netherlands focusing on landing gear and Australia on life support systems, among other components, said F-35 JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova.

Repair of this equipment will be conducted on a regional basis starting in 2025, with work split between Europe and the Pacific. In Europe, the UK will continue to be responsible for most of these components — 51 parts in total — while the Netherlands retains its assignment for 14 components.

During that same period, Australia will step up its share of the work to 64 of the first 65 components for the Pacific region. South Korea was tasked with the repair of the one remaining capability.

In an effort to drive down maintenance costs and increase the readiness of the fighter jet worldwide, the F-35 program plans to compete sustainment contracts across the F-35 international partners and foreign customers across three regions: North America, Europe and the Pacific. This sustainment strategy also gives countries that plan to buy the F-35 another way to increase their industrial participation in the program.

Monday’s announcement is a coup for the United Kingdom, which has campaigned vigorously for the avionics work. The government expects industry to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of the agreement, and the companies will complete work for electronic and electrical components, fuel, mechanical and hydraulic systems and ejection seats.

The UK hub will involve a partnership between the Defence Electronics and Components Agency, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman, with work located at DECA headquarters at the Ministry of Defence facility in Sealand, Wales, according to the UK government.

In the wake of the announcement, BAE and Northrop issued press releases welcoming their share in the sustainment work.

“The selection of the UK to undertake this work is a notable achievement and recognizes the military aircraft support skills and capabilities that we have here in the UK,” said Andrew Tyler, chief executive of Northrop Grumman Europe.

BAE Systems will play a “leading role” for sustainment in both the UK and Australia, the company stated.

“Within BAE Systems we have a strong track record of working alongside our national and international customers, and industry partners, in delivering innovative and cost effective support solutions and we look forward to bringing that experience to F-35 component MRO&U,” said Ian King, the company’s chief executive.

The F-35 program office issued a request for information to F-35 partners and customers in March for the first 65 components, DellaVedova said. After receiving input from interested countries, a JPO evaluation team evaluated the technical ability, capability growth plans and overall value inherent in each nation’s industrial base.

The JPO plans to use a similar process to assign the remaining 709 components over the next two to three years, and it will also compete opportunities to sustain support equipment, full mission simulators, the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), and maintenance training devices as the F-35’s global footprint grows.

The office has already started its next wave of assessments. In October it released RFIs for F-35 warehousing and non-air-vehicle repairs, and will choose which countries will be responsible for those capabilities next year.
 

t68

Well-Known Member
CREF Ngatis comment

UK, Australia Score Big F-35 Repair Work Agreements

By: Valerie Insinna, November 7, 2016 (Photo Credit: Alaysia Berry, Air Force)
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has chosen its first F-35 global repair hubs, and the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia are the big winners.

The F-35 joint program office on Monday announced the countries that will be responsible for sustaining 65 out of 774 repairable components on the F-35. The United Kingdom picked up the lion’s share of the initial work, and will provide support for 48 of those components from 2021 to 2025.

“This establishes Britain as a hub for all European F35s and is hugely positive news for our high-tech and innovative defense industry,” UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said in a news release. “It is an endorsement of the skills and capabilities the UK offers, will help create hundreds of high-end jobs, safeguard thousands more and be a substantial boost to UK exports.”

The UK, Netherlands and Australia will be charged with the global sustainment of these 65 components from 2021 to 2025.

During this early period, the Netherlands will conduct maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) services for 14 components, while Australia will oversee three components. The countries will be responsible for an array of parts that span 18 categories, with the Netherlands focusing on landing gear and Australia on life support systems, among other components, said F-35 JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova.

Repair of this equipment will be conducted on a regional basis starting in 2025, with work split between Europe and the Pacific. In Europe, the UK will continue to be responsible for most of these components — 51 parts in total — while the Netherlands retains its assignment for 14 components.

During that same period, Australia will step up its share of the work to 64 of the first 65 components for the Pacific region. South Korea was tasked with the repair of the one remaining capability.

In an effort to drive down maintenance costs and increase the readiness of the fighter jet worldwide, the F-35 program plans to compete sustainment contracts across the F-35 international partners and foreign customers across three regions: North America, Europe and the Pacific. This sustainment strategy also gives countries that plan to buy the F-35 another way to increase their industrial participation in the program.

Monday’s announcement is a coup for the United Kingdom, which has campaigned vigorously for the avionics work. The government expects industry to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of the agreement, and the companies will complete work for electronic and electrical components, fuel, mechanical and hydraulic systems and ejection seats.

The UK hub will involve a partnership between the Defence Electronics and Components Agency, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman, with work located at DECA headquarters at the Ministry of Defence facility in Sealand, Wales, according to the UK government.

In the wake of the announcement, BAE and Northrop issued press releases welcoming their share in the sustainment work.

“The selection of the UK to undertake this work is a notable achievement and recognizes the military aircraft support skills and capabilities that we have here in the UK,” said Andrew Tyler, chief executive of Northrop Grumman Europe.

BAE Systems will play a “leading role” for sustainment in both the UK and Australia, the company stated.

“Within BAE Systems we have a strong track record of working alongside our national and international customers, and industry partners, in delivering innovative and cost effective support solutions and we look forward to bringing that experience to F-35 component MRO&U,” said Ian King, the company’s chief executive.

The F-35 program office issued a request for information to F-35 partners and customers in March for the first 65 components, DellaVedova said. After receiving input from interested countries, a JPO evaluation team evaluated the technical ability, capability growth plans and overall value inherent in each nation’s industrial base.

The JPO plans to use a similar process to assign the remaining 709 components over the next two to three years, and it will also compete opportunities to sustain support equipment, full mission simulators, the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), and maintenance training devices as the F-35’s global footprint grows.

The office has already started its next wave of assessments. In October it released RFIs for F-35 warehousing and non-air-vehicle repairs, and will choose which countries will be responsible for those capabilities next year.
Bit confused here, where going to be a repair hub but can only service three components. Does that mean the rest have to be shipped overseas for all other repairs other than the three components or is this just the start?
 

John Newman

The Bunker Group
Bit confused here, where going to be a repair hub but can only service three components. Does that mean the rest have to be shipped overseas for all other repairs other than the three components or is this just the start?
I think the article needs a re-read a couple of times, how it read to me is:

First up for the period 2021-25, of the 774 repairable items contracts have been award for 65 (of the 774), UK 48, Netherlands 14 and Australia three (3).

But then from 2025, Australia will be responsible for 64 (of the 65) components for the Pacific region, and no doubt beyond those dates more countries will be awarded repair work on a greater number of the 774 repairable components.

But regardless of how many components each country ends up with to repair, I read it as being that that particular country is the sole source for repairs to those items, I don't see a problem with that.

X country is therefore responsible for 100% of repairs to X component.

Not that it's been stated, but one would assume there is a 'pool' of parts, if a particular country needs a 'new' part, it comes out of the pool (obviously to keep their respective airframes flying!!).

The failed 'repairable' part then goes to X country, repaired and then goes back into the overall pool.

If on the other hand you had to 'wait' for your particular part to be repaired and then redelivered, that would be a bit of a problem.

Again I'm just making an assumption, but I couldn't imagine having to wait for an individual part to be repaired and returned would work very well, surely there would be a global 'pool' of parts that all member nations can draw on, and equally repaired parts end up back in the pool.

Is that a reasonable assumption?
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
I think the article needs a re-read a couple of times, how it read to me is:
I've had to read it a couple of times as well before I think I got the gist of it, although it left me scratching my noggin a bit, and I came up with a similar line to you. This is the Australian Aviation story:
Australia secures F-35 component repair work
November 8, 2016 by australianaviation.com.au

Australian industry stands to benefit from the US Department of Defense’s assignment of the first component repair responsibilities outside the continental US for the F-35 Lightning II.

From 2021 to 2025, three of the first 65 components have been assigned to Australia to undertake repairs on a global basis for all F-35s around the world, with the UK assigned 48 components and the Netherlands assigned 14.

Then from 2025 onwards, Australia has been handed responsibility for 64 of these 65 components in the Pacific region, leaving a single component assigned to South Korea for repair regionally.

Although contracts are yet to be finalised, this initial work is estimated to be worth between $80 million and $100 million to Australia, according to Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne, who described the announcement as “a major win for the nation’s defence industry”.

BAE Systems Australia will be the lead provider of global sustainment services for life support components, and will play a leading role in regional sustainment work across avionics and digital mission systems and electrical system components, the company stated.

BAE Systems’ services will be delivered in Australia with teaming partners GE Aviation, Martin-Baker Australia, Northrop Grumman Australia and Rockwell Collins Australia.

The assignments of maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) capability for the first 65 of 774 components in total were based on data compiled and analysed by the F-35 Joint Program Office that was collected from partners – of which Australia is one – Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program customers and industry, the US Department of Defense stated.

These initial regional MRO&U assignments supporting near-term component repair requirements are set to be reviewed and updated as the program’s needs dictate. The assignment of repair responsibilities for the remaining 709 parts is expected to occur over the next two to three years.

“As part of the F-35 global sustainment strategy, participating nations were provided with requirements outlining global repair needs for the F-35 component workload,” the US Department of Defense statement read.

“Each country was afforded the opportunity to work with their industrial base to provide the F-35 enterprise work over and above their own F-35 needs. Regional considerations such as forward basing, aircraft phasing and transportation also contributed to initial assignment decisions.”

Demand for repairs from 2021 to 2025 is anticipated to be satisfied for each component by a single repair source globally, the US Department of Defense stated, but eventually demand will increase to a point where this will not be enough, therefore the program is establishing regional repair capabilities in Europe and the Pacific.

“This is the first of many opportunities we will have to assign F-35 global sustainment solutions for component repair work,” said Lieutenant General Christopher Bogdan, program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office.

“As international F-35 deliveries increase and global operations expand, support provided by our international F-35 users becomes increasingly more important. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside these nations on a daily basis; this close teamwork enables the US Defense Department to make well-informed, best-value decisions to shape the F-35 global sustainment posture for decades to come.”

And there are further opportunities available to Australian industry in the program, with two requests for information recently issued to Australian companies for non-air vehicle deeper-level repair components and regional warehousing, Minister Pyne stated.

“This announcement today represents just eight per cent of the total sustainment work that the US government will allocate over the next few years,” the Defence Industry Minister said.

“It also comes after my recent trip to Washington, where I advocated on behalf of Australian defence industry for this important work to be done in Australia. It is clear that Australia will be in prime position to further expand as a regional maintenance hub and build on our local capability.”

MRO&U capabilities for the airframes and engines have already been assigned for Europe and the Pacific. Airframe MRO&U capability was assigned for the Southern Pacific to Australia and BAE Systems, and to Japan and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Northern Pacific, while the initial heavy engine maintenance capability is being provided in the Asia Pacific region by Australia and Queensland-based TAE.
I think that the Australian Aviation story is a bit clearer. It's composed better and more explanatory. I get the impression that the Defense News article was written by just choosing words at random or the author is Irish and still celebrating the Irish rugby first ever test win over the All Blacks during the weekend in Chicago after 111 years. The partying in the Emerald Isle will go on for weeks. :drunk1
 
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