F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

[MarkOttawa]

In the Middle East:

Israel orders 14 more F-35 stealth warplanes
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-orders-14-more-f-35-stealth-warplanes-1001012189

But down from planned 31 more:

Israel Reduces F-35 Buy — At Least For Now
http://aviationweek.com/defense/israel-reduces-f-35-buy-least-now

Plus:

No near-term F-35 sales in Gulf region: Pentagon
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/02/22/us-defence-gulf-f-idUKKBN0LQ07Q20150222

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Bird_Gunner45]

MarkOttawa- do you own shares in Lockheed or something?

 

[MarkOttawa]

Bird_Gunner45: Oh pretty please--in the past I was harassed here for being anti-F-35.  In fact just trying to present the facts with the sometime piece of analysis.  For a history of my detailing the JSF story you might look at the Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute's The 3Ds Blog:
https://cdfai3ds.wordpress.com/tag/f-35/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Kirkhill]

Bird_Gunner45: Oh pretty please--in the past I was harassed here for being anti-F-35.  In fact just trying to present the facts with the sometime piece of analysis.  For a history of my detailing the JSF story you might look at the Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute's The 3Ds Blog:
https://cdfai3ds.wordpress.com/tag/f-35/

Mark
Ottawa

Oh the irony Mark. ;D

You must be doing a good job - now you're getting from both sides.

:cheers:

 

[MarkOttawa]

Kirkhill: Indeed, thanks.  As I am not a retired air force general LockMart would in any event have no interest in me .

Mark
Ottawa

 

[PuckChaser]

I was one of the people who called Mark out about being anti-F35 in his previous postings. In the past few months, everything he's put up here is very balanced on either side, and informative. Definitely placed to spur discussion without bias.

 

[MarkOttawa]

PuckChaser: And thanks to you, my intent of late.

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

JPO speaks:

1) AVALON: F-35 programme chief cites slow, steady progress
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/avalon-f-35-programme-chief-cites-slow-steady-progress-409362/

2) US Program Chief: Singapore Nearing F-35 Buy
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/show-daily/avalon/2015/02/24/avalon-australia-f35-fms-bogdan-deeble-singapore/23927983/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

At Defense Industry Daily:

Kongsberg’s NSM/JSM Anti-Ship & Strike Missile Attempts to Fix F-35 Stealth
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/norwegian-contract-launches-nsm-missile-03417/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Kirkhill]

To give Mark a bit of competition on this thread, open up the old two-fleet discussion and create a typical tangent......

Courtesy of SMA, (http://army.ca/forums/threads/99465/post-1354299.html#msg1354299 ) the Australian Defence Force and Bell-Textron of Mirabel, PQ I offer this:

They could go where the Army needs them (at home or abroad), pack nicely into an AOPS or Absalon type CSC, bought MOTS, supply IRBs, supply votes in la Belle Province, support Canadian nationalism and......allow the Zoomies to operate in their natural environment of the wild blue yonder.

And all it would take would be a political decision.

PS - and logistically there should be a very high degree of commonality with the Griffons.

 

[Loachman]

and logistically there should be a very high degree of commonality with the Griffons.

I would doubt that very much.

 

[Kirkhill]

OK - perhaps that's a stretch.

How much commonality is there between the Griffon and the UH-1Y?

There is supposed to be something like 80% commonality between the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z (rotors, rotorhead, transmission, engines, tailboom and avionics?)

Discussion to be moved by mods before we totally derail Mark's efforts?

 

[Loachman]

How much commonality is there between the Griffon and the UH-1Y?

Nothing of any consequence.

 

[Kirkhill]

Problem solved.

Never mind.

 

[Loachman]

Buying UH-1Y and AH-1Z together would be nice, however that is so not ever going to happen.

 

[Kirkhill]

Here's a thought - in a "my grandfather's axe" kind of way:

The shell of the Griffon and the shell of the UH-1Y look similar enough - how about you keep the registration numbers and the shells of the Griffons, replace everything else in a "cost-effective, saving tax-dollars" public relations move and convert 60 to 80% of the Griffon fleet to AH-1Y standard (life extension).

You then take the skin off the tail booms of the rest of the fleet and add an AH-1Z to it.

There is a lot of precedence for such a strategy.

For those not familiar with my grandfather's axe.  My grandfather bought an axe.  My father replaced the handle.  I replaced the head.  It is still my grandfather's axe.

 

[Loachman]

The tailboom is completely different. I've not done a comparison between the two main fuselage structures, but I doubt that there is enough in common there.

This would require stripping every machine completely, and then, at best, having the main fuselage stuck into the production line, most likely with some custom modifications. At best.

It would be cheaper to sell the old ones complete and buy brand-new.

Our "upgraded" LAVs are not modified ones. They are completely new hulls and turrets, just for that reason.

 

[Kirkhill]

I wouldn't be surprised to find that it is cheaper to buy new. But it can be politically "cheaper".

 

[SupersonicMax]

Ahhh, the Canadian way, Kirkhill!  Has to be built in Quebec though...

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Well, SupersonicMax:

On behalf of the province of Quebec, I would like to apologize in advance for hosting 58% of Canada's aeronautical industries and 100% of the Canadian helicopter building capacity.

So sorry !