JSF

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Gattopardite .....

..... opex360.com ..... "« Il faut que tout change pour que rien ne change! » : La Belgique choisit le F-35 américain aux dépens d’un avion européen" .....

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Gli sconfitti ..... si lamentano .....

..... flightglobal.com ..... https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ch-453035/ .....

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La France regrette .....

La France a réagi avec mesure au choix effectué par la Belgique de s’équiper du F-35 au détriment de l’Eurofighter et du Rafale.
Le président français Emmanuel Macron a déploré vendredi la décision de la Belgique d'acheter des avions de combat américains plutôt qu'européens.
« Je regrette le choix fait. Il n'y avait pas que l'offre du Rafale, il y avait aussi l'Eurofighter, une vraie offre européenne. La décision est liée à une procédure belge, à des contraintes politiques du pays mais stratégiquement va a contrario des intérêts européens », a déclaré le Président Macron à Bratislava.

Fonte: air-cosmos.com ..... "F-35 : la France regrette le choix belge" .....
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Ancora sulla scelta del Belgio .....
L' opinione di FlightGlobal .....

..... OPINION: F-35 win in Belgium should come as no shock to Europe .....

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Condivisione .....

For the first time a US Marine Corps F-35B made a Link 16 connection with the USS Wasp’s Ship Self Defense System (SSDS), allowing the stealth fighter to securely share digital tactical data with the US Navy vessel and surrounding support fleet, information that could be used for defense against an air attack.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "F-35B connects with USS Wasp’s anti-cruise missile defence" .....

Anche qui ..... raytheon.mediaroom.com ..... "Raytheon’s Ship Self-Defense System demonstrates first link from surface ship to Joint Strike Fighter" .....
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Colpo di fulmine ...

Two airmen from the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah, were involved in "a nearby indirect lightning strike" on Nov. 7 while working on an F-35 at Eglin AFB, Fla., 53rd Wing public affairs chief Maj. Ashley Conner told Air Force Magazine Thursday.
The airmen were clearing the flight line when the incident occurred, she said, explaining that this process is normally undertaken after lightning is spotted "or lightning warnings are issued."
"One airman was closing an F-35 canopy and the other airman was winding up a grounding wire," Conner explained.

Fonte: airforcemag.com ... "F-35 Lightning: Airmen Involved in Strike While Working on Eglin Flight Line" ...

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Per ora non si taglia ..... si diluisce la produzione nel tempo .....

Italy will stretch out the order of F-35 fighter jets, buying six or seven of the aircraft in the next five years instead of the previously planned 10 jets, a government source told Defense News.
The decision follows a review of the program by Italy’s populist government, which took office in June and is mulling defense spending cuts to pay for social welfare programs and cover tax cuts.
The source said the plan did not envisage a reduction in orders, merely a slowdown of intake, which would leave the decision of the total F-35 purchase to a future government.
Previous governments planned to buy 60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs for a total of 90 aircraft.
The new government will focus on spending plans over its five-year mandate and not beyond, the source said, adding that discussions are underway with the U.S. about the change in schedule.

Fonte: defensenews.com ..... "Italy signals slowdown on F-35 orders" .....
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Intanto ..... mega-contratto per LM .....

Lockheed Martin has won a $22.7 billion contract to supply 255 F-35 Lightning II fighters for the three branches of the US armed services and international operators.
The contract covers 106 F-35s for the USA, comprising 64 F-35As for the air force, 26 F-35Bs for the marines, and 16 F-35Cs for the navy, a US Department of Defense contract announcement states (*).
In addition, 71 F-35As and 18 F-35Bs will go to international programme participants, and 60 F-35As to customers under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "Massive F-35 deal covers production into 2023" .....

(*) ..... dalla pagina 'Contracts' del DoD del 14 Novembre 2018 .....

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $22,712,874,822 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price advanced acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001) for 255 aircraft.
This modification provides for the production and delivery of 106 F-35 aircraft for the U.S. services (64 F-35As Air Force; 26 F-35Bs Marine Corps; 16 F-35Cs Navy); 89 F-35s for non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants (71 F-35As, 18 F-35 Bs); and 60 F-35s for Foreign Military Sales customers (60 F-35As).
The U.S. aircraft quantities are for the Lot 12 program of record plus fiscal 2018/fiscal 2019 aircraft quantity congressional adds.
Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (57 percent); El Segundo, California (14 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (9 percent); Cameri, Italy (4 percent); Orlando, Florida (4 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (3 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (3 percent); San Diego, California (2 percent); Nagoya, Japan (2 percent); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2023.
Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement funds (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy) in the amount of $3,505,522,468 (59 percent); non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $1,578,531,164 (26 percent); and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $916,667,000 (15 percent) for a total of $6,000,720,632 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Anche qui ..... defensenews.com ..... "Lockheed gets $6B downpayment to start F-35 block buy" .....
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17+18 = 35 .....

The UK is set to double its number of world-beating F-35 stealth jets after ordering 17 more aircraft, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced.
The 17 new F-35B aircraft will be delivered between 2020 and 2022 and will complement the 16 British aircraft currently based at RAF Marham and in the US, as well as two additional aircraft which are already on order.
Overall, the UK has committed to procure 138 aircraft over the life of the programme.

Fonte: gov.uk ..... "UK to double F-35 fleet with 17-jet order, Defence Secretary announces" .....

Anche qui ..... flightglobal.com ..... "UK confirms new deal for 17 F-35Bs" .....
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"And will make the F-35A even more lethal" ...

The 388th Fighter Wing’s 34th Fighter Squadron recently returned from a weapons evaluation exercise at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where they employed the GBU-49 for the first time in F-35A combat training.
The GBU-49 is a laser and GPS guided bomb that can be used in a variety of conditions against many types of moving or stationary targets.
“It’s a really flexible weapon. It was reliable, accurate, and effective,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Johnston.
“Like any new weapon, what we learned, and what we will learn as we continue to train with the GBU-49, will directly impact our tactics and will make the F-35A even more lethal.”

Fonte: af.mil/News ... "388th FW drops GBU-49 in combat training" ...
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Ancora sul mega-contratto assegnato a LM ..... il commento del 'Daily Report' dell' AFA .....

..... "$6 Billion Payment to Lockheed Martin Keeps F-35 Production Humming" .....

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Dal 'Daily Report' dell' AFA del 19-11-2018 .....

Lockheed Gets Two More F-35 Contracts .....

The Pentagon on Thursday awarded Lockheed Martin an almost $350 million contract to provide laboratory facilities to help F-35 development at three locations, including the main Air Force test location at Edwards AFB, Calif.
The contract also covers flight test activities at NAS Patuxent River, Md., and the Lockheed facility at Fort Worth, Texas, in addition to Edwards.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $348,915,105 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide the infrastructure to support developmental laboratory facilities and flight test activities in support of F-35 development, production and sustainment.
Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, California (35 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (35 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2020.
Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy); and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participant funds in the amount of $177,042,349 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($70,932,017; 40 percent); Marine Corps ($35,466,009; 20 percent); Navy ($35,466,008; 20 percent) and non-DOD participants ($35,178,315; 20 percent).
This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1.
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0004).

The Pentagon on Thursday also awarded a separate $83.1 million contract to Lockheed for certification of “dual capable aircraft capability,” including updated hardware and software, for the Air Force’s F-35A.
This contract will cover equipment needed to allow the F-35A to carry nuclear weapons in addition to conventional munitions.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a not-to-exceed value $83,100,000 undefinitized contract action.
This contract provides for the development, integration, certification, and testing of dual capable aircraft capability to include hardware and software into the Air Force F-35A.
Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (70 percent); Edwards Air Force Base, California (29 percent); and St. Charles, Missouri (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2024.
Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funding in the amount of $24,630,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1).
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0010).

The two contracts came one day after the Pentagon awarded Lockheed a $6 billion payment to continue the production line for F-35s as the two negotiate the next production lot of the aircraft.

- Brian Everstine

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Turchia, F-35 e S-400 ..... il Pentagono consegna un rapporto segreto al Congresso .....

The U.S. Defense Department has delivered a report to Congress detailing implications of Turkey receiving 100 F-35 fighter jets, five people familiar with the report said, removing a key hurdle to concluding the deal.
Turkey’s planned purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system has raised concerns in the West, since it could be used to give Moscow deep insight into the vulnerabilities of the most advanced U.S. warplane at a time of tension between the two powers, experts have said.
Ellen Lord, the Pentagon’s chief arms buyer, told Reuters in an interview that Turkey’s plans to buy the S-400 system were “extremely problematical” and numerous U.S. officials had discussed the issue with Ankara, but there were no signs that Turkey had changed its mind about buying the Russian system.

Fonte: reuters.com ..... "Pentagon report on Turkey's F-35 program delivered to Congress" .....

Anche qui ..... sputniknews.com ..... "DoD Gave Congress Secret Brief on Turkish Participation in F-35 Program - Report" .....
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In Israele .....

Alcuni giorni fa .....

..... .....

In dettaglio .....

..... iaf.org.il ..... "International F-35 Conference" .....
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F-35B & HMS Queen Elizabeth ..... ecco il primo bilancio .....

... savetheroyalnavy.org ..... "F-35 test flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth completed ahead of schedule" .....

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Un contratto per Leonardo .....

Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced today that it was awarded a contract from Cubic Global Defense, a business division of Cubic Corporation, to deliver more than 500 P5 Combat Training System (P5CTS) internal subsystems for the latest-generation air combat training for the F-35 Lightning II.
With this order, over 1,000 F-35 aircraft will be equipped with this training equipment and delivered to multiple F-35 user nations.

Fonte: leonardodrs.com ..... "Leonardo DRS Receives Contract to Deliver P5 Combat Training Subsystem for Next-Generatin F-35 Air Combat Training" .....
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4° Flying Course del Tactical Leadership Programme ad Amendola .....

Prende il via oggi presso la base aerea di Amendola (FG), e proseguirà fino al 14 dicembre prossimo, l'attività di volo del 4° Flying Course del 2018 organizzato dal TLP (Tactical Leadership Programme) di Albacete (Spagna), organismo militare internazionale a cui aderiscono attualmente 10 Nazioni (Belgio, Danimarca, Francia, Germania, Grecia, Italia, Paesi Bassi, Spagna, Gran Bretagna e Stati Uniti), che rappresenta oggi il polo di riferimento in ambito NATO nel settore dell'addestramento aero-tattico congiunto e nello sviluppo delle competenze di leadership, essenziali per affrontare le sfide poste dai moderni scenari operativi.
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Questa sessione, che si svolge in Italia e alla quale partecipano per la prima volta gli F-35, costituisce un ulteriore tassello in un'ottica di transizione verso sistemi d'arma e tecnologie caratteristiche di velivoli di 5ª Generazione, in un ambito ad elevata connotazione internazionale ed interforze.

Fonte: aeronautica.difesa.it ..... "Al via ad Amendola il Corso Internazionale con 5 nazioni, per la prima volta con il caccia di 5^ generazione" .....
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UK F-35B ..... approccio ed appontaggio da prua sulla HMS Queen Elizabeth .....

On November 18 the UK’s new 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth completed the initial two first-of-class deck trial campaigns (DT-1 and DT-2) with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II.
Toward the end of the trials, an F-35B was landed for the first time facing the “wrong” way.
Flown by Integrated Test Force (ITF) chief test pilot Squadron Leader Andy Edgell, RAF, the unusual recovery involved the F-35 approaching the carrier from the bow, rather than using the traditional stern approach.
As well as providing different visual cues for the pilot, the bow approach also encounters different wind conditions, as the carrier would typically be sailing into the wind while also generating airflow over the deck through its own forward motion.
”It was briefly bizarre to bear down on the ship and see the waves parting on the bow as you fly an approach aft-facing,” reported Edgell.
“It was also a unique opportunity to fly toward the ship, stare at the bridge, and wonder what the captain is thinking.”
Proving that the “back-to-front” landing poses no handling problems extends recovery options, particularly for emergency or partially fouled-deck situations.

Fonte: ainonline.com ..... "‘Wrong-way’ Landing Caps Successful RN Deck Trials" .....
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Dimostrazione di forza .....



Fonte: theaviationist.com ..... "Check Out These Cool Videos Of the Largest F-35 Formation Ever" .....
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Altri 100 F-35 per il Giappone ?

Tokyo is reportedly considering the acquisition of an additional 100 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters, adding to the 42 F-35As already planned.
According to an unsourced report in Japan’s Nikkei newspaper, Tokyo would spread the acquisition between the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A variant and the short take off vertical landing F-35B.
When asked about the potential 100 aircraft acquisition, Lockheed Martin said: “Japan is a critical customer and their current program of record is for 42 F-35A aircraft. While we have not been officially notified of an increased order, as always, we will support our US and Japanese government customers to ensure they can meet their current and future defense need.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "JAPAN AEROSPACE: Tokyo eyeing 100 more F-35s - report" .....

..... asia.nikkei.com ..... "Japan to order 100 more F-35 fighters from US" .....
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IOC per gli F-35A dell' Aeronautica Militare .....

..... aeronautica.difesa.it ..... "TLP Amendola, Gen. Rosso: conseguita Initial Operational Capability F-35" .....

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IOC per gli F-35A dell' Aeronautica Militare .....

..... aeronautica.difesa.it ..... "TLP Amendola, Gen. Rosso: conseguita Initial Operational Capability F-35" .....

Anche su DefenseNews ..... https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/11 ... apability/ .....

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IOC per gli F-35A dell' Aeronautica Militare .....

..... aeronautica.difesa.it ..... "TLP Amendola, Gen. Rosso: conseguita Initial Operational Capability F-35" .....

Anche su DefenseNews ..... https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/11 ... apability/ .....

Nonché The Aviationist ..... https://theaviationist.com/2018/12/01/f ... -tlp-18-4/ .....
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Exercise Point Blank ..... ovvero (ricordando il titolo di un film del 1963) ..... "A Gathering of Eagles" .....

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing, have been training with British F-35B and Typhoon aircraft as well as French Rafales for exercise Point Blank at RAF Lakenheath, UK, this week.
Point Blank is the name of a recurring LFE (Large Force Exercise) designed and cohosted by the Royal Air Force and the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath.
Historically, these drills have involved a limited number of assets in a smaller scale and regional level exercise.
However, iteration 18-3 is the largest Point Blank ever, that nearly doubled the aircraft which attended the previous editions and the addition, for the first time, of the French Air Force.

Fonte: theaviationist.com ..... "RAF F-35B, U.S. Air Force F-15E and French Air Force Rafale Jets Together For The First Time During Exercise Point Blank" .....
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IOC per gli F-35A dell' Aeronautica Militare .....

..... aeronautica.difesa.it ..... "TLP Amendola, Gen. Rosso: conseguita Initial Operational Capability F-35" .....

Anche su DefenseNews ..... https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/11 ... apability/ .....

Nonché The Aviationist ..... https://theaviationist.com/2018/12/01/f ... -tlp-18-4/ .....
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Ormai ne parlano tutte le principali fonti internazionali .....

ainonline.com ..... "Italy's F-35s First To Achieve IOC in Europe" .....
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Turchia ..... il Pentagono sta ormai perdendo la pazienza .....

Dal 'Daily Report' dell'AFA del 30-11-2018 .....

DOD: Turkish S-400 Purchase Could Risk the Country’s Involvement in F-35 Program .....

The Pentagon is considering kicking Turkey out of the F-35 program, despite its large investment in the development of the jet, if the country​ takes delivery of Russian-made anti-aircraft systems, the Defense Department told Congress.
A Pentagon report, obtained by Bloomberg (*), states that though Turkey has invested more than $1.25 billion in the F-35 program, the administration “will reassess Turkey’s continued participation” should they buy the S-400 system.
Turkey has said it plans to take delivery of the advanced Russian system as early as July 2019, a move that has received strong rebukes by both the Pentagon and Capitol Hill.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said earlier this year that the US military opposes Turkey’s planned purchase of the system because it wants to protect the F-35, and “we would not want to have that aircraft close to the S-400.”

- Brian Everstine

(*) ..... bloomberg.com ..... "Turkey’s F-35 Role at Risk If It Buys From Russia, Pentagon Warns" .....

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La Turchia ?
Potremmo anche farne tranquillamente a meno .....

A potential decision by the United States to remove Turkey from the F-35 program over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system may have only minimal impact on the fighter jet’s industrial base, a senior U.s. Air Force official said Tuesday.
President Donald Trump has yet to determine what steps the Defense Department may take if Turkey moves forward with the S-400 buy.
However, Heidi Grant, the Air Force’s deputy undersecretary for international affairs, said Pentagon analysis shows there won’t be a catastrophe if Turkey is forced from the program.
“While it will have some impact on the F-35 program, I don’t think it’s going to be any type of devastating impact if … there’s a policy decision that they are no longer a partner,” Grant told reporters in a Dec. 4 roundtable interview just weeks before she puts a cap on a 16-year career with the Air Force.

Fonte: defensenews.com/air ..... "No ‘devastating impact’ to F-35 industrial base if Turkey removed from program, says US Air Force official" .....
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La Wasp, con i suoi F-35B a bordo, si sta preparando al ritorno in patria .....

After less than a year in Japan, the amphibious warship USS Wasp (LHD-1) is preparing its sailors to return to the East Coast next year, USNI News has learned.
Wasp, one of two amphibious warships certified to operate Marine F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters, is set to return to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., in late 2019 as part of a previously set plan to balance the F-35B capability across both coasts, a defense official confirmed to USNI News.
A U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesperson confirmed the ship would eventually move to Norfolk but would neither provide a timeline for the move nor what ship would replace Wasp, citing a Pacific Fleet policy of not discussing future ship movements.

Fonte: news.usni.org/ ..... "USS Wasp Headed Back to Norfolk Next Year after Brief Japan Deployment" .....
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UK F-35B ..... un'esperienza acquisita a bordo della HMS Queen Elizabeth ..... che, penso, dovrebbe interessare, oltre che allo USMC, anche alla nostra Marina Militare .....

After more than a decade of study, experimentation, modelling and simulation, the UK has successfully completed a first phase of testing using a shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) manoeuvre for the Lockheed Martin F-35B on board the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Fifteen SRVL recoveries were performed using integrated test force (ITF) development aircraft BF-04 and BF-05 during the two periods of development testing (DT-1/DT-2) during the ship's recent first-of-class flight trials.
Pilots and test engineers from the ITF embarked for the activity confirm that initial testing validated simulations and has given confidence in the innovative manoeuvre.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "ANALYSIS: UK on a roll after F-35B carrier trials" .....
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Australia ..... sono arrivati i primi due .....

The first Lockheed Martin F-35As to be permanently based in Australia have arrived at RAAF Williamtown.
The two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) jets (A35-009 and A35-010) reached their new home after a ferry flight across the Pacific from Luke AFB in Arizona, says defence minister Christopher Pyne.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "PICTURES: Australian F-35As arrive home down under" .....

..... airforce.gov.au ..... "Air Force Joint Strike Fighters arrive in Australia" .....

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Tyndall AFB ... nel suo futuro potrebbero esservi tre squadroni di F-35A ...

Una domanda (in realtà sono sei) ...

... airforcemag.com ... "Can Tyndall Recover?" ...

La possibile risposta (dipendente dalle decisioni del Congresso) ...

... airforcemag.com ... "F-22s Likely to Leave Tyndall For Good; Base Would Host New F-35 Squadrons" ...

Inoltre ...

... tyndall.af.mil ... "Air Force proposes to base F-35s at Tyndall AFB, supplemental funds needed to build advanced fighter base" ...
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Sta circolando questa notizia .....

..... defence-blog.com ..... "Netherlands plans to buy additional F-35 fighter jets" .....

Si parla di almeno 15 esemplari ..... ma potrebbero essere di più .....

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Sono ormai passati dodici anni ..... più un giorno .....

..... .....

Il tempo corre ..... veloce .....

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Initial Operational Test and Evaluation ..... qualche dettaglio ..... direttamente dall' Air Combat Command dell' Air Force .....

..... "31st TES begins F-35 Initial Operational Test and Evaluation" .....

Nonché da FlightGlobal ..... "F-35 starts Initial Operational Test and Evaluation" ...

Mentre, dal canto suo, SputnikNews precisa ..... " - 16 Months Behind Schedule - " .....
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I Giapponesi ?
Stanno facendo sul serio !

The Japanese cabinet has approved a plan to add an additional 105 Lockheed Martin F-35s to its planned fleet of 42 examples, potentially making it the world’s second largest F-35 operator.
In a press briefing, the chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga confirmed that the country’s Medium Term Defence Program has been approved by the cabinet.
Of Tokyo’s eventual F-35 fleet of 147 examples, it is likely that 107 will be conventional take-off and landing F-35As, while 40 will be short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs.

Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "Tokyo set to become second biggest F-35 operator" .....

Per quanto riguarda gli F-35B ..... https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/ ... BioYWhKiM8 .....
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