F-35B/C - Naval Air Discussions (USN & USMC)

protoplasm

protoplasm

Active Member
Through Nov. 6, the fourth day of at-sea testing, two test F-35C aircraft have completed 12 flights. During those 12 flights, the aircraft flew a combined 12.7 flight hours and accomplished 203 test points.

The Navy's newest fixed-wing fighter performed 55 catapult launches, 84 planned touch-and-go landings and 57 arrested landings. Through four days of at-sea testing, the test team successfully landed during every attempt, with zero bolters, or failures to catch an arresting cable on the flight deck

It would appear that the first paragraph in the quote refers to just the fourth day of testing. The second paragraph of the quote is likely to provide totals for all four days of at-sea testing, from that 55 cat launches seems reasonable.
 
SpazSinbad

SpazSinbad

Active Member
It is funny the way things are reported but anyway... If one bears in mind that on the first day (Monday) only two arrests were carried out with no catapult launches plus the touch and goes, the rest of the three days Tue, Wen and Thu included are part of the overall total reported also?

Four F-35C pilots are now carrier qualified by day. Which means they would have conducted in at least the first day a few touch and goes to get their eye in and then arrest and catapult until they became day qualified. Usually this means they arrest then taxi forward to the catapult and round and round till.... Then they will go on to the day testing as required.

It has been reported if all goes well then the last few days may include night flying with I'll guess night qualification - a touch and go probably and then some arrests and catapults until qualified. I wonder if these test pilots are using the HMDS III or earlier II version. I'll guess again that these details will be reported.

With either version and the obvious ease of deck landing already demonstrated by these test pilot then night qualification should be a breeze if they get to that.
 
S

SpudmanWP

The Bunker Group
There are a lot more "cats & traps" than flights because if you don't power down, they likely consider it part of the same flight.

There are two more traps than cats because the two extra traps are when the F-35Cs first arrived on the ship. When they leave, the numbers will even out.
 
M

Magoo

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Spud, correct. A flight is from start up to shut down, but a flight may include several touch and goes, traps, and cat launches.

BTW - I saw your comments over at Solomon's blog...flogging a dead horse there mate, he has well and truly been drawn over to the dark side and no amount of logic will work with him.
 
SpazSinbad

SpazSinbad

Active Member
A mixture of F-35 topics in this audio interview however the F-35B and CVF & F-35C carrier landings are mentioned most - so it'll go here.

Sea Control 28 (East Atlantic) – The F-35 March 2014 By LT Matthew Hipple speaking to STEVE GEORGE
"For the inaugural edition of Sea Control’s “East Atlantic” series, Alexander Clarke brings on Steve George, former engineer with the F-35 program and Royal Navy veteran to discuss the challenges and misconceptions of the F-35 program."
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AUDIO: http://cimsec.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Sea-Control-28-East-Atlantic-F-35.mp3 (28Mb)

Source: USNI Blog » Blog Archive » Sea Control 28 (East Atlantic) – The F-35
 
A

Air Force Brat

Member
airwingspotter said:
Caught this new F-35C NJ-114 last Sat! with the Grim reaper VFA-101 insignia ! but have a MArines instead of NAVY that I usually photographed ! thought I would share this!

wonder if this is normal since knowing the MArines are buying the F35B to replace the HArriers and F35C for the legacy F-18

DaveC
Airwingspotter.com | Military Aviation Photography and Spotting
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Gee Dave, I had changed my tune on this bird a long time ago, but every picture you take I love this bird more and more, and I really think the C is now my serious favorite, what a beautiful airplane, and there is something so sweet about those gear in transit pics, this one is pulling a little vapor. I think your getting this new lense down bruda!
 
A

airwingspotter

New Member
thanks Airforce Brat.....

YEah! the F35C definitely is the prettiest of all the 3 variant..with the beefed up landing gear.. pretty markings and bigger wings ! things just looks right. the A model being the ugliest with the markings really generic and tiny landing gear.

GOt a few more here but not the best pix

DaveC
 
H

HurricaneDitka

New Member
Kv-22

Marine Corps Times: V-22 to get a tanker option
"The aerial refueling capability is going to be the next thing," for the Osprey, Maj. Douglas Thumm, the plans officer for the V-22 at Headquarters Marine Corps, said.

The Osprey's tanker system is in the early stages of development and won't be ready until 2017, he said.
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Also, the Marine Aviation Plan 2015 says

V-22 Aerial Refueling System (VARS)
Being developed to align the fielding of the system with the F-35B WESTPAC deployment in summer 2017. Planned for initial utilization by TACAIR with follow-on capabilities of MV-22 and helicopters.
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This sounds like an easy way to enhance the combat power and range of the MAGTF. I would think that this would make the Osprey a pretty compelling choice for the Navy's COD role too. I'm not sure how much fuel it can give away compared to an F/A-18 buddy-tanking setup, but I'd imagine it's at least comparable.

P.S. Mods, sorry if I got the wrong forum for this post.
 
SpazSinbad

SpazSinbad

Active Member
F-35B Ski Jump Tests NAS Patuxent River Starting

Lockheed F-35 heads for the ski jump in next key round of tests 24 Feb 2015 Andrea Shalal (Editing by Matthew Lewis)
“Feb 24 (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will start "ski-jump testing" at a Maryland air base this week, while another B-model jet wraps up six months of tests at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 Celsius) to as high as 120 F (49 C).

Two UK pilots will test the ability of the new warplane to take off from upward-sloping ski-jump ramps used on aircraft carriers like those operated by Britain and Italy. The ramps launch the jets forward and upward, reducing the thrust needed. [Not true - the take off distance is reduced - as per F-35B KPPs]

Sylvia Pierson, spokeswoman for the Pentagon's F-35 pro-gram office, said two British pilots, one from BAE Systems Plc and the other from the British Royal Navy, would use the first UK F-35B jet to complete the testing through late May....”
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Lockheed F-35 heads for the ski jump in next key round of tests | Reuters
 
RobWilliams

RobWilliams

Super Moderator
Staff member
Next stage of F-35B testing at sea is set for May aboard USS Wasp, it's a fortnight long period named "Operational Test Period- 1" and will be lead by VMX-22

F-35B tests to set stage for combat readiness - Local - Sun Journal

Greenberg said the May tests would build on other F-35B sea trials that took place in 2011 and 2013.

He said the sea trials aboard the USS Wasp, an 844-foot amphibious ship, are also designed to test flight deck operations and maintenance support of the F-35B as if the jets were deploying as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Previous tests of the new jet have included a variety of weapons accuracy tests, including GPS guided bombs and missiles, Rein said.

“All of the Block 2B Weapon Separations are complete where we ensure the weapons can cleanly release from the jet,” Rein said. “We also perform WDA (Weapon Delivery Accuracy) tests where we guide the weapon to a target. We have one left of the 13 required for Block 2B Fleet Release. It will be completed in time for Marine Corps IOC in July.”

According to Greenberg, Fleet Readiness Center East, the aircraft repair and maintenance facility at Cherry Point air station, is modifying five-F-35B aircraft for IOC in July.

“The modifications include upgrades to the fuel system, enhancements to the structure of the airframe, and improvements to the avionics,” he said. “These modifications bring the latest combat capability and newest mission software for the F-35."
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Steadily moving on for a July 2015 IOC declaration which is defined as

Marine Corps F-35B IOC shall be declared when the first operational squadron is equipped with 10-16 aircraft, and US Marines are trained, manned, and equipped to conduct CAS, Offensive and Defensive Counter Air, Air Interdiction, Assault Support Escort, and Armed Reconnaissance in concert with Marine Air Ground Task Force resources and capabilities.
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SpazSinbad

SpazSinbad

Active Member
Good Overview of ALIS Issues & Various OIC Iterations

Troubled Logistics System Critical to F-35’s Future April 2015 Valerie Insinna
"...[ALIS] will reach its full level of capability in 2017....

...The biggest difference between it and older versions of ALIS is new hardware, which breaks up the huge system into smaller, 200-pound modules that troops can more easily transport while deployed, Perreault said.

“They have wheels that come with them, and soldiers can then carry them from one location to the other without the use of mechanical devices,” he said. “Before they had to be … put onto a pallet or something like that.”

In the coming months, Lockheed will host a group of Marine Corps users and test whether two maintainers can break down the system, carry it to a different location and rebuild it within seven hours, he said. “We’ve proven already in our internal testing that can be done within that seven-hour timeframe.”

ALIS 2.0.1 also adds a software function called the “deployable spares pack,” which allows users to specify which parts will be taken on a deployment, he said. That will make it easier for the military to manage its inventory....

...Not all of ALIS’ capabilities were criticized in the DOT&E report. The system’s 2.0 release included a new piece of hardware called the portable maintenance device reader meant to cut down the time it takes to transfer data from an aircraft into ALIS. “The fielded PMD readers have functioned as intended,” the report stated. Download time decreased from about an hour to less than five minutes.

The Air Force plans to field ALIS 2.0.2 in time for its own initial operational capability in July 2016. The service will use the same “deployable” hardware as the Marine Corps. The software, however, will contain a new feature called sub-squadron reporting, which allows the service to operate jets separately from their squadron while still allowing status reports and other data to be sent to the mother squadron."
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Troubled Logistics System Critical to F-35’s Future
 
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Ranger25

Ranger25

Active Member
Staff member
SpazSinbad said:
Troubled Logistics System Critical to F-35’s Future April 2015 Valerie Insinna

Troubled Logistics System Critical to F-35’s Future
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I'd like a thorough review of our new aircraft. At this point I'd like to restart the F22 line with a "B" model and offer it to several key allies who wanted to original frame. We can use the foreign sales to assist in recapitalizing the line.

Additional negotiate with Boeing to upgrade legacy airframes to a 4++ model. Upgrade the F15 to F15SE 24 at a time as well as the FA18 to the FA18ASH.


Use these frames while we limp into a F35 IOC while developing a separate, purpose build, 6th gen Naval and Air Force Aircraft

Thoughts?
Preceptor said:
This is a reminder about the F-22A Raptor. At present, due to current US laws, the F-22 is unavailable for sale to any other country. Unless/until there is a change signed into law, any discussion of foreign orders for the Raptor will be deleted.
-Preceptor
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Blackshoe

Blackshoe

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Ranger25 said:
I'd like a thorough review of our new aircraft. At this point I'd like to restart the F22 line with a "B" model and offer it to several key allies who wanted to original frame. We can use the foreign sales to assist in recapitalizing the line.

Additional negotiate with Boeing to upgrade legacy airframes to a 4++ model. Upgrade the F15 to F15SE 24 at a time as well as the FA18 to the FA18ASH.


Use these frames while we limp into a F35 IOC while developing a separate, purpose build, 6th gen Naval and Air Force Aircraft

Thoughts?
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Do you have the hundreds of billions of dollars to make it work?

While it hasn't been in the news lately...the defense budget drawdown is still a reality. And will be for at least the next two years, and probably longer.
 
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