As the F35 family reaches IOC there will also be platforms with much longer standoff Ranges fielding The LRASM is a good example of this as is the
AARGM-ER
F-35B/C - Naval Air Discussions (USN & USMC)
- Thread starter OPSSG
- Start date
AARGM-ER
Air Force Brat
Member
Roger Ranger! the F-35C will be continuing carrier quals on the IKE beginning in early October and lasting for several weeks, the quals will be carried out under "sub-optimal" conditions and at night. Recall that the first quals in November where such a smashing success that they threw in some unplanned night ops?? apparently not a single bolter in well over 100 arrestments!
IIRC they actually did one bolter intentionally ie. a touch-and-go with hook deployed.
Re AARGM-ER, there is some preliminary info that not only will it have a longer range but it will also fit inside the F-35 weapons bay. This would allow the F-35 to optimized for the DEAD mission by allowing it to locate, target and prosecute threat systems in a more timely manner.
Re AARGM-ER, there is some preliminary info that not only will it have a longer range but it will also fit inside the F-35 weapons bay. This would allow the F-35 to optimized for the DEAD mission by allowing it to locate, target and prosecute threat systems in a more timely manner.
USMC F 35s to operate on Queen Elizabeth Class
Makes good sense to me
LONDON — The U.S. Marine Corps will deploy its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II strike fighters on combat sorties from Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, a senior U.K. Royal Navy officer has confirmed.
Rear Adm. Keith Blount, who is responsible for delivering the two 65,000 ton ships, said that using Marine aircraft and pilots to bolster the U.K.’s nascent carrier strike capability would be a natural extension of coalition doctrine.
“We are forever operating with allies and within coalitions. It’s the way wars are fought”, the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation, Amphibious Capability and Carriers) and Rear Adm. Fleet Air Arm told an audience at the DSEI defence exhibition in London on Wednesday.
“In order to get the best out of [the U.K. carrier program] we have to be able to situate it in a coalition context. That could mean that we operate with an American ship as one of the protecting escorts”, Blount said.
DSEI: U.S. Marine F-35Bs Will Operate From British Queen Elizabeth Carriers - USNI News
Makes good sense to me
LONDON — The U.S. Marine Corps will deploy its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II strike fighters on combat sorties from Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, a senior U.K. Royal Navy officer has confirmed.
Rear Adm. Keith Blount, who is responsible for delivering the two 65,000 ton ships, said that using Marine aircraft and pilots to bolster the U.K.’s nascent carrier strike capability would be a natural extension of coalition doctrine.
“We are forever operating with allies and within coalitions. It’s the way wars are fought”, the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation, Amphibious Capability and Carriers) and Rear Adm. Fleet Air Arm told an audience at the DSEI defence exhibition in London on Wednesday.
“In order to get the best out of [the U.K. carrier program] we have to be able to situate it in a coalition context. That could mean that we operate with an American ship as one of the protecting escorts”, Blount said.
DSEI: U.S. Marine F-35Bs Will Operate From British Queen Elizabeth Carriers - USNI News
Air Force Brat
Member
Looks like the fun began on Friday as F-35Cs 03 and 05 test articles from VX-23, the Salty Dogs have began air ops off the IKE, maybe someone could post a couple of videos of the fun, and no doubt, it will be fun?? brat
Go NAVY!
SpazSinbad
Active Member
Perhaps this page will be updated with more than the NINE videos there already?
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDQ1SztOjkOni395fP3PBdMMJXJTbLPkK
SpazSinbad
Active Member
This DoD website has high to low quality F-35C (or whatever else you may search for) videos for free download (that are also on Youtube - sometimes):
https://www.dvidshub.net/tags/video/f35c
Air Force Brat
Member
Awesome vids Spaz, and the first vids that I have seen the wings being folded as they taxi to the tiedowns! +1
SpazSinbad
Active Member
F-35B & F-35C NAS Patuxent River ITF 2015 Year in Review
Awesome vids Spaz, and the first vids that I have seen the wings being folded as they taxi to the tiedowns! +1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43KPkW3pTpA
Air Force Brat
Member
Very outstanding videos, lots of rolls and sharp turns, neat formation over the carrier, even a little inverted flight for fun. thanks for posting.
One way to look at it is the F-35B as is right now can out perform any in service type, bar the F-22, in air to air and any type in opposed air to ground. Any air arm deploying the type would have overmatch over any opponent for at least a decade, likely a decade and a half.
If true, one should consider such a stellar aircraft as a good fit for Australia.
Alas, the F35B / Canberra class marriage does not seem to be a priority.
I trust the opportunity cost to forgo said marriage is not regreted in the future.
Regards S
the road runner
Active Member
I think Volk is saying the F-35B has reached IOC while the A version will reach IOC mid to late this year and the C version will reach IOC around the 2018 time frame.
I don't think he is saying the B version is the "best" version of the 3 ,its just the B has proceeded to IOC quicker than the A and C versions.
Marines Declare F-35B Operational
The A version is a great fit for the ADF and our defense force needs other equipment/platforms over B versions JSF IMHO!
The life of type for both the F35B and the LHDs is beyond 40 years.
The strategic situation in our part of the world, the fluid alliances and changing economic pressures may well see ADF capabilities change.
Herein lies the benefit of the JC class purchase and the decision to not change the design, one only has to look at the changes to the Majestics as they morphed from one role to another to understand that a change to fixed wing for the LHDs is always possible depending on future circumstances so, no regrets or opportunities lost.
SpazSinbad
Active Member
BZ - well said
We do not know what awaits the last tranche of aircraft to make up the 'one hundred'. We may see some F-35Bs in that lot? Pity that at the request of the former PM and DefMin nothing has been said about the 'looksee' into this issue officially. People outside the RAN/ADF having to guess is stupid at this point. What is the problem?The other thing is look how much cheaper the LHDs were than the AWDs, cheaper even than new frigates. Factor in that an identically sized ship with greater aviation capability, or a lighter ship with equivalent aviation capability, but no amphibious mission would be cheaper again, with the commonality between F-35 variants, raising importance of UAVs and the increased number of missions they can undertake, it is clear that additional aviation capable platforms is a no brainer going forward.
Imagine a Zumwalt sized through deck cruiser with a baseline airgroup of twelve Romeos/Sierras, or two Firescouts for each help landed, three AEW tilt rotors and space for up to a squadron of F-35B, acting as a command node for a flotilla of large USVs.
Imagine a Zumwalt sized through deck cruiser with a baseline airgroup of twelve Romeos/Sierras, or two Firescouts for each help landed, three AEW tilt rotors and space for up to a squadron of F-35B, acting as a command node for a flotilla of large USVs.
Assail
Well put, the LHD's will be around for a quite a while and will help future proof the option of bringing some fixed wing aviation to sea should it be deemed necessary. Never intended to be a large fleet carrier Juan Carlos 1 was designed from the ground up to be a flexible platform to undertake a variety of missions, one of which is to support and operate Vtol aircraft. While I understand Australia's current emphasis on building upon Canberra's extensive amphibious attributes, there appears almost a hostility in introducing fixed wing aviation to the LHD's which I find most perculiar for a nation which has previously had three carrieers ( 4 if you include the sea plane trials with Hmas Albatross pre WW11 ).
Certainly the growth in numbers of LHD's around the would and the interest by those countries in the F35B suggests confidence in such a capability.
I trust when the USMC, and other counties prove the worth of the F35b in the years ahead, many other nations including Australia may see the virtue in such an attribute and make it a priority.
I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Regards S
Interesting what you get and for what price.
Do you lose a frigate to buy a LHD.Sacrifice a squadron of fixed air to build an armoured brigade and so on.
I know you are an advocate for aviation at sea as you have posted on this subject many times,particularly in reference to Japans fast helicopter carriers.Certainly there is some merit in what you say. For me I would keep the inventory simple and expand in numbers on existing aviation platforms should we want to go in that direction.Eg another LHD or LSD which I think makes sense. As to how we fund such an acquisition, well is it an increase in the budget, or do we lose a ship. Will the aviaton platform provide a better sevice than a destroyer. I guess the answer is what is the defence contingency?..........Of course that question is always an unknown.
I guess we always try to strike the correct balance of platforms. For me an additional LHD and LSD with a mixed fleet of F35A and B.is the way forward.
We are a rich country that can afford such a capability and would suggest it can be achieved without sacrificing what is planned in the DWP for the years ahead.There will be a cost and it will take commitment but I dare say it will prove a very useful combination of assets for the ADF and worth the dollars and time.
Regards S
She will be spending time in Aussie waters. No doubt fanning dreams of fast jet capabilty for the RAN. Impressive ships.
Category: | NT News
THE US Navy plans to use its next big warship – the $3.4 billion USS Tripoli – to patrol Australia and support marines based in Darwin.
The Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship specifically *designed to support Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which will fly from Tindal and Darwin, is under construction and due to be completed in 2018.
Speaking to Military.com, commanding general of US Marine Corps combat development Robert Walsh said there was a lack of suitable ships to transport Marines *stationed in Darwin and *elsewhere.
Lt Gen Walsh said the long-term plan was to task the Tripoli to lead an “amphibious group” that would support two 90-day patrols around Australia per rotation.
more...
Category: | NT News
THE US Navy plans to use its next big warship – the $3.4 billion USS Tripoli – to patrol Australia and support marines based in Darwin.
The Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship specifically *designed to support Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which will fly from Tindal and Darwin, is under construction and due to be completed in 2018.
Speaking to Military.com, commanding general of US Marine Corps combat development Robert Walsh said there was a lack of suitable ships to transport Marines *stationed in Darwin and *elsewhere.
Lt Gen Walsh said the long-term plan was to task the Tripoli to lead an “amphibious group” that would support two 90-day patrols around Australia per rotation.
more...
It's interesting to note that Tripoli will be 1 of the 2 America-class ships without a well deck. It's very much an F-35/V-22 focused ship, not the ship I'd be expecting to be used primarily to "transport Marines". It sounds a whole lot more like a way of operating F-35Bs in the area.