F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

[CougarKing]

The new "arms race" in East Asia for 5th Generation fighters spurred by the F-35 and the F-22; China's J31 and J20 are just the start.

Diplomat

Who Will Win Asia's Fifth-Generation Fighter Race?

China, Japan, South Korea and India are all developing advanced aircraft. How and why is this happening?
20150704_200326
By Benjamin David Baker
December 01, 2015

Tensions are rising high throughout the Asia-Pacific. From the Indo-Pakistani border, through Australia’s controversial border policies to China’s disputes with its neighbors in the South and East China Seas, Asian states have been increasing investments in their military capabilities. In all these cases, having forceful and credible aerial assets is a crucial part of deterrence. This is reflected in regional defense spending.

Meanwhile, the world is facing a generational shift in military aircraft. Since the final decade of the Cold War, the skies have been dominated by so-called “fourth-generation” combat aircraft: supersonic jets with increasingly sophisticated electronic capabilities, equipped with weaponry able to engage the enemy over several kilometers distance. These still make up the backbone of basically every modern air force around the world.

However, several states with large budgets and a high degree of military research and development spending are attempting to develop so-called “fifth-generation” aircraft. These jets incorporate stealth technology, which makes them difficult to detect on radar, powerful and secure communications, and advanced sensors that help pilots and ground control teams to keep “full spectrum dominance” of the battlespace.

(...SNIPPED)

 

[a_majoor]

USAF has squelched speculation they are buying anything else besides F-35's.

Asian air forces which are not keen to pony up for F-25's might consider Silent Eagles, and the stealth carrying pods Boeing has previewed on the latest F/A-18 Super Hornet with conformal fuel tanks for the 80% solution. Israel is already apparently studying the F-15 Silent Eagle and Canada might get aboard as well (although there are no realistic "cost savings" with any Gen 4 or 4.5 aircraft over the F-35; especially when you consider you really need to buy more aircraft to make up for the reduced sensor and data fusion capabilities compared to the F-35). A long range airframe with a heavy carry capability meets a lot of Canada's needs.

 

[CougarKing]

More BRAC troubles or signs of a bigger problem? Please note another article about the US mulling to get more F15s or F16s over F35 costs:

Reuters

Markets | Wed Dec 2, 2015 9:53am EST

Pentagon eyes possible cut to F-35 production in FY17 budget
WASHINGTON

Dec 2 The Pentagon's fiscal 2017 budget plan may slow production of key weapons programs, including Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet, in order to meet budget caps imposed by an agreement with Congress, the Pentagon's chief arms buyer said Wednesday.

Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters after a speech at an industry conference that the new radar-evading F-35 fighter was the Defense Department's "most cutting-edge capability," but other priorities needed funding as well.

"Dollar for dollar it probably gives us more combat capability than any other investment that we're making, but we've got a lot of other things that we need to do as well," he said. "It's not entirely fenced." Kendall gave no details on the likely scope of the expected cuts in production of the F-35 fighter jet, which is already cleared for combat use by the Marine Corps


(...SNIPPED)

 

[MarkOttawa]

US F-35 production may not ramp up as quickly as planned:

Budget '17: Pentagon planning cuts in production, R&D
...
Asked after his [Dec. 2] speech if production of the F-35 joint strike fighter could be slowed down, Kendall [undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics] indicated it was likely.

"The F-35 is not — it is impossible in this budget to entirely protect it, just put it that way," Kendall responded. "Dollar for dollar, it probably gives us more combat capability than any other investment we're making, but we have a lot of other things that we have to do as well. So it's not entirely fenced. I can't say it's entirely fenced [off from cuts]."..

Another target could potentially come from procurement of Naval aviation assets, such as the V-22 or F/A-18, although the latter has proved intensely popular in Congress...
http://www.c4isrnet.com/story/military-tech/budget/2015/12/08/budget-17-pentagon-planning-cuts-production-rd/76971894/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

Norwegian now getting past 1/2 planned 52 total buy:

Norway authorizes purchase of 6 more Lockheed F-35 fighter jets

Dec 11 Norway has approved a defense budget that authorizes the purchase of six additional Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets for delivery in 2020, Endre Lunde, a spokesman for Norway's F-35 program, said on Friday.

The purchase will bring the total number of jets authorized by Norway to 28, Lunde said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/lockkheed-fighter-norway-idUSL1N1401HO20151211#IEcYXJE06VLOQEhL.99

Costs:

Norway proposes a 9% budget increase for 2016

The Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released its proposed budget for 2016, outlining expenditure of NOK49 billion (USD5.68 billion).

Announced on 9 December, the proposed budget marks an increase of NOK5.8 billion over the 2015 level, or 12% in nominal terms and 9% in real terms.

The bulk of the additional funding (NOK3.4 billion) has been allocated to materiel investment.

Norway's new fighter aircraft solution accounted for most of this figure, with an allocation of NOK3.796 million (including NOK1.1 billion held over from the prior year).

Norway plans to acquire up to 52 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) multirole combat aircraft by 2024.
http://www.janes.com/article/56566/norway-proposes-a-9-budget-increase-for-2016

Mark
Ottawa

 

[ringo]

Denmark has postponed fighter decision finalists are 24 F35 30 Super Hornets or 36 Typhoons.

 

[a_majoor]

Given the massively long times it takes to get anything developed these days (consider that in WWII most nations entered the war still having wood and canvas biplanes in their inventories, but emerged in 1945 with very advanced all metal monoplane fighters with 2000+hp engines, if not first generation jet propelled aircraft. And these aircraft were designed using pens, paper and slide rules....)

While the timelines seem ambitious, consider the F-22 and F-35 were designed based on criteria first set in the 1980's. These new aircraft are being designed now for possible entry into service in 15-20 years, and in a radically different environment, including asymmetric warfare, long ranges needed for operating against AA/AD strategies and the possibility of AI actually "driving" the aircraft, very dense sensor and information fusion, operations with robotic enablers and so on (not to mention laser weapons!)

http://breakingdefense.com/2015/12/northrop-unveils-sixth-gen-fighter-concept/

Northrop Unveils Sixth Gen Fighter Concept
By Colin Clark on December 14, 2015 at 12:58 PM

PALMDALE, CALIF: Northrop Grumman unveiled its vision of the so-called sixth-generation fighter, showing reporters a laser-firing aircraft that looks like a cross between the B-2 bomber and the X-47B drone.

Chris Hernandez, Northrop’s vice president for research, technology and advanced design, laid out the basic parameters for the sixth-gen fighter (Northrop refers to it as NG Air Dominance): it must boast long range because it’s unlikely to have many bases to operate from overseas; it must “carry a lot of weapons;” survivability will be key.

What do those requirements and physics lead you to? “This looks a lot like a baby B-2 and this is really getting into our sweet spot,” Hernandez told us. Northrop Grumman has two design teams working on the new aircraft. Northrop’s top aerospace systems executives, who offered reporters a rare glimpse at the company’s inner workings here, would not discuss the plane’s speed, saying that would have to wait for clearer direction from the Pentagon in the future.

One of the keys to this new weapon, which is in the earliest stages of head-scratching and planning, will be heat management.  As Northrop president for aerospace Tom Vice noted, lasers operate at 33 percent efficiency when all goes well. That means there’s enormous heat to dissipate and that will be just from the lasers.

Add in all the aircraft’s power and thrust systems, and you have an enormous heat challenge. It needs to be managed on a system level because of the aircraft’s assumed low observable requirements, Hernandez told me. The level of complexity will make this aircraft something like an advanced satellite, where electromagnetic interference, heat offload and power requirements pose compelling and existential challenges to the system.

If you look at Boeing’s sixth generation concept you can see how much physics and low observability (stealth) are driving the form of these aircraft. However, the Northrop aircraft appears to build in more of the all-aspect stealth lessons of the B-2. If range and payload are key parameters for these stealthy aircraft, they’re likely to be damn big for fighters and to incorporate many of the lessons learned from the B-2 — and, we assume, from the B-3 (LRSB). I asked Hernandez if the sixth generation fighter would end up as the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) study posits —  really big aircraft with very long range — and he went straight on with his presentation.

Northrop Grumman paid for my hotel and flew reporters to and from California on a corporate jet.

 

[MarkOttawa]

No rush here:

Singapore continues to play waiting game in F-35 Joint Strike Fighter procurement

Singapore's defence minister Ng Eng Hen has voiced his increasing confidence in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme on the sidelines of a visit to Luke Air Force Base (AFB) from 10-11 December, although he reiterated that the country is in "no hurry" to procure the aircraft.

Speaking to reporters a day after he visited the F-35 Academic Training Centre and received a briefing on the aircraft's capabilities from the 61st Fighter Squadron - the first of six F-35 training squadrons based at Luke AFB - Ng said he was "very pleased" with the progress of its development.

"Two years ago when we were here, these hangars were not filled with [the F-35s] but ... within a year and a half, they've clocked in more than 3000 sorties, 5000 hours; that's a lot of flying hours," Ng revealed. "And that gives us confidence that the programme is progressing on track, and [US Air Force] Secretary James said the IOC [initial operational capability] is targeted for the second half of next year.

"So the more mature the programme is, the more steady the production lines, the more boxes are ticked when we evaluate it, but you know we are in no hurry to decide on the JSF," he added...
http://www.janes.com/article/56652/singapore-continues-to-play-waiting-game-in-f-35-joint-strike-fighter-procurement

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Quirky]

Given the massively long times it takes to get anything developed these days (consider that in WWII most nations entered the war still having wood and canvas biplanes in their inventories, but emerged in 1945 with very advanced all metal monoplane fighters with 2000+hp engines, if not first generation jet propelled aircraft. And these aircraft were designed using pens, paper and slide rules....)

While the timelines seem ambitious, consider the F-22 and F-35 were designed based on criteria first set in the 1980's. These new aircraft are being designed now for possible entry into service in 15-20 years, and in a radically different environment, including asymmetric warfare, long ranges needed for operating against AA/AD strategies and the possibility of AI actually "driving" the aircraft, very dense sensor and information fusion, operations with robotic enablers and so on (not to mention laser weapons!)

http://breakingdefense.com/2015/12/northrop-unveils-sixth-gen-fighter-concept/

Only has one engine, our unique Canadian-only requirements won't allow it. We are special snowflakes.

 

[dimsum]

Only has one engine, our unique Canadian-only requirements won't allow it. We are special snowflakes.

Is it a Canadian requirement though?  It's mentioned when groups don't want certain aircraft (like the F-35) but if it was set in stone, the F-35 would never have even been considered in the first place, regardless of political party in power.

 

[MarkOttawa]

USAF money, money, money--or shortage thereof:

Air Force May Need To Cut F-35s With Budget Crunch, CRS [Congressional Research Service] Says
http://about.bgov.com/blog/air-force-may-need-to-cut-f-35s-with-budget-crunch-crs-says/

More here, with link to report:
http://breakingdefense.com/2015/12/air-force-may-be-forced-to-defer-or-delay-f-35-kc-y-new-fund-for-lrsb/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Loachman]

It's mentioned when groups don't want certain aircraft (like the F-35).

Bingo.

And the same twits do not like "stealth" either, and claim that it is either completely unnecessary or only required for "first strike" capabilities.

They are completely unable to comprehend sensor fusion and data sharing, however, so those are safe from criticism for a bit longer.

 

[a_majoor]

Only has one engine, our unique Canadian-only requirements won't allow it. We are special snowflakes.

Funny we now don't blink an eye at putting hundreds of civilians in twin engine aircraft to fly over oceans when as recently as the 1980's you needed 3 or 4 for saftey and reliability. Evidently many of the so called defense analysts are basing their deductions on practices from WWII, if not earlier.....

 

[CougarKing]

To think the Japanese are still developing their ATD-X prototype even as they also participate in the F-35 program:

Defense News

First Japanese-built F-35 Begins Assembly
By Lara Seligman 4:52 p.m. EST December 15, 2015


WASHINGTON — In a key milestone for the international program, the first Japanese-built F-35 joint strike fighter began its assembly today at a facility in Nagoya, Japan.

The aircraft, known as the AX-5, officially began the “mate” process today when its wings, fuselage and tails joined together for the first time to form the structure, the joint program office said in a Dec. 15 statement.

AX-5 is the first F-35A assembled in Japan and will join the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fleet in 2017.

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[MarkOttawa]

Super Hornet line goes on a while longer it would seem; some more F-35Bs and Cs:

Final FY 2016 Spending Bill Released; Funds Super Hornets, Growlers, Additional F-35s [Bs and Cs]

The House and Senate appropriations committees released a final Fiscal Year 2016 spending plan that meets the new requirements of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and funds the Defense Department at $572.8 billion in base and Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding…

The Defense Department portion of the spending bill includes $111 billion for new equipment and upgrades, including several items beyond what the Navy and Marine Corps asked for in their budget request. The bill proposes adding $660 million for seven E/A-18G Growlers and $350 million for five F/A-18 Super Hornets [$70M each only?
For US FY 2013 was some US $84M each--p. 24 PDF http://www.ndia.org/Advocacy/PolicyPublicationsResources/Documents/FY%2013%20Weapons%20Systems%20Cost.pdf ], creating more work for Boeing’s production line that the company said earlier this year would stay open despite uncertainties surrounding additional American buys.

The bill would also add $780 million for six additional F-35B Joint Strike Fighters for the Marine Corps and $255 million for two additional F-35C JSFs for the Navy; bringing the total to 15 F-35Bs and six F-35Cs in FY 2016…
http://news.usni.org/2015/12/16/final-fy-2016-spending-bill-released-funds-super-hornets-growlers-additional-f-35s

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Kirkhill]

Super Hornet line goes on a while longer it would seem; some more F-35Bs and Cs:

Mark
Ottawa

Based on that it would seem that the problem may lie with the USAF.  The Navy and the Marines (a subdivision of the Navy) don't seem to have a problem getting their priorities funded.

 

[MarkOttawa]

And three more F-35As for USAF likely--68 F-35s in all for US FY 2016 (started Nov. 1, 2015):

Congress Includes $572.7B for DoD in Spending Bill
…
Summaries of the omnibus states its $111 billion for procurement and upgrades includes 68 F-35 joint-strike fighters; in all $1.33 billion for 11 additional F-35s: six more for the Marine Corps, three more for the Air Force and two more F-35s for the Navy. The bill includes $1.01 billion for 12 more EA-18G Growlers and Super Hornets, and $80 million for four more MQ-9 Reaper aircraft…
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/policy-budget/budget/2015/12/16/congress-includes-5727b-dod-spending-bill/77411080/

Total LRIP 10 production planned for 94, including foreign orders; LRIP 9 (FY 2015) was 57 total--scroll down to "Funding" here:
https://www.f35.com/assets/uploads/downloads/13567/f-35fast_facts4q2015_.pdf

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

Chris Pook:

...the Marines (a subdivision of the Navy)..

Actually the USMC is not under the USN; rather it is a distinct service within the navy department directly under the navy secretary (not the CNO) and the commandant is a member of the JCS in his own right.  Scroll down to "Post-Vietnam" here:
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/testimony/history/dudley040318.txt

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Kirkhill]

Chris Pook:

Actually the USMC is not under the USN; rather it is a distinct service within the navy department directly under the navy secretary (not the CNO) and the commandant is a member of the JCS in his own right.  Scroll down to "Post-Vietnam" here:
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/testimony/history/dudley040318.txt

Mark
Ottawa

Oh, twaddle.  Details, details.  They fall under the Navy Department.  They go to sea in ships.  Nuff said.  [

 

[Old Sweat]

Oh, twaddle.  Details, details.  They fall under the Na :dileas: iper:vy Department.  They go to sea in ships.  Nuff said.  [

Tell me you aren't a speech writer for Donald Trump.  :cheers:

iper:  :dileas:  iper: