JSF

[richelieu]

JSF ... rapporto al Congresso aggiornato al 14 Gennaio 2022 ...

… news.usni.org … Report to Congress on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter …

[richelieu]

Segni premonitori della fine del mondo ...
… rid.it … F-35B, verso un gruppo integrato Marina Aeronautica …

[richelieu]

F-35 ... in attesa di un accordo sui prezzi dei velivoli nei lotti 15-17 ...

Inflation estimates and COVID-19 mitigation costs are prolonging talks between Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office over prices for jets in Lots 15-17, company CEO James D. Taiclet told reporters Jan. 25.
He also said the government is moving toward a five-year Performance-Based Logistics contract for the fighter, versus the three-year contract previously discussed.
The Lot 15-17 contract was expected to be inked between October and November 2021, JPO Director Lt. Gen. Eric T. Fick told reporters at the time, but sources have said the agreement may not be reached until March, or later.
Acting Chief Financial Officer John Mollard told reporters negotiations continue but “it’s proven more difficult than we expected to reach agreement on a cost baseline that incorporates the impacts that we see associated with our customer ordering fewer aircraft in Lots 15-17 than were ordered in the prior buys of 12-14.”
He said the parties are also “struggling to come to mutual agreement on the impacts of global challenges that Lockheed Martin and our supply chain partners are experiencing, such as inflation and COVID-19.”

… airforcemag.com … New F-35 Lot 15-17 Deal Hung Up on Inflation, COVID-19 Mitigation Costs …

[richelieu]

Ritorno a Pantelleria ...

Si è svolta oggi, presso il Distaccamento Aeroportuale di Pantelleria l’esercitazione interforze che ha visto l’interazione degli assetti F-35B della Marina Militare e dell’Aeronautica Militare.
L’evento addestrativo odierno si inquadra in pieno nel processo di sviluppo di capacità interforze, fortemente sostenuto dal Ministro della Difesa Lorenzo Guerini e ha sancito un ulteriore passo in avanti nel processo di integrazione di velivoli multiruolo di quinta generazione, avviato con la recente esercitazione internazionale che ha visto impegnata la portaerei Cavour della Marina Militare e F-35B della Marina e dell’Aeronautica unitamente alla portaerei britannica Queen Elizabeth.

difesa.it/SMD … Forze Armate: integrazione interforze e multidominio degli F-35B della Marina Militare e dell’Aeronautica Militare …

[richelieu]

General Electric sta lavorando allo sviluppo del motore XA100 ...

GE has concluded phase 1 testing on its second XA100 adaptive cycle engine as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP).
Phase 1 testing took place at GE’s Evendale, Ohio, altitude test facility and enabled GE to continue gathering high-quality performance data validating the engine’s transformational propulsion capability.
Phase 2 tests will begin at the U.S. Air Force’s advanced testing facilities at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in the first quarter of 2022.
“Phase 1 testing allowed us to further characterize the operation of the engine and puts us in a great position to begin Phase 2 testing at AEDC,” said David Tweedie, GE Edison Works’ general manager for Advanced Combat Engines.
“We continue to burn down risk with full-scale engine testing, which is why the XA100 is the lowest risk, most capable, and fastest approach to keep the F-35 a preeminent fighter platform for the long term.”
GE’s XA100 became the world’s first ever flight-weight, three-stream adaptive cycle engine in December 2020 before initiating tests on its second engine in August 2021.
GE’s engine is uniquely designed to fit both the F-35A and F-35C without any structural modifications to either airframe, enabling better aircraft range, acceleration, and cooling power to accommodate next-generation mission systems.

… geaviation.com … GE successfully concludes phase 1 testing on second XA100 adaptive cycle engine …

[richelieu]

Quello fra gli Emirati Arabi Uniti e la Cina è soltanto un "flirt" o qualcosa di più?
Una cosa è comunque certa ... la faccenda piace assai poco agli Stati Uniti ...

The U.S. was dealt a fresh blow last month when the United Arab Emirates suspended talks to buy the American-made F-35, and it appears Abu Dhabi is leaning further eastward as it continues working with Chinese 5G vendor Huawei.
Washington has warned allies for years that hiring Huawei to provide network services would jeopardize communications and intelligence sharing, and the Biden administration tried to levy security requirements on the F-35 deal to safeguard the high-tech aircraft from Chinese espionage.
Experts say that pressure looks like it’s failing.
“F-35 is one of those things the U.S. is using as a way to exert influence over allies and partners around the world,” Emily Harding, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Defense News.
And the UAE’s embrace of Huawei for 5G should only heighten U.S. concerns about Abu Dhabi getting the F-35, said Harding, who is also deputy director at the think tank’s International Security Program.
“Even if the F-35 itself is not using this 5G network, if the UAE is embracing Huawei 5G technology and using it for ground stations, communications towers, on bases, then that is an opportunity for China to draw a lot of intelligence about the way the F-35 operates,” she said.
”This is concerning because it is giving an adversary a lot of insight into our highest-functioning airplane.”

… c4isrnet.com … F-35 fighters, 5G networks, and how the UAE is trying to balance relations between the US and China …

[richelieu]

F-35 ... ODIN si fa strada ...

The U.S. Defense Department has finished fielding the first batch of new logistics systems for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, replacing an older, flawed system that has caused program headaches for years.
In a release Monday, the F-35 Joint Program Office said the first 14 sets of the new Operational Data Integrated Network, or ODIN, logistics information system finished their rollout to F-35 squadrons in January.
This initial phase of the deployment of the ODIN computer hardware, known as the ODIN Base Kit, has now replaced all first-generation unclassified Autonomic Logistics Information System, or ALIS, servers in the field, the JPO said.
The ODIN Base Kit installation began in July 2021 and was carried out by personnel from the JPO, Lockheed Martin and local squadron crews.
ODIN Base Kits are now used by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as three allies who fly the F-35 — the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Italy — the JPO said.

… defensenews.com … Pentagon completes first phase in replacing troubled F-35 logistics system …

Anche qui … dvidshub.net … F-35 Joint Program Office completes initial deployment of new, improved logistics hardware …

E qui … aresdifesa.it … Il nuovo sistema ODIN dell’F-35 arriva ad Amendola … traduzione in italiano, oserei dire, di quanto pubblicato nel link precedente …

[JT8D]

General Electric sta lavorando allo sviluppo del motore XA100 ...

GE has concluded phase 1 testing on its second XA100 adaptive cycle engine as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP)

geaviation.com … GE successfully concludes phase 1 testing on second XA100 adaptive cycle engine …

Completo la notizia riportata sopra da richelieu con l'articolo in italiano pubblicato qualche settimana fa sul Portale :

https://www.md80.it/2021/12/18/ge-concl ... le-engine/

Paolo

[richelieu]

General Electric sta lavorando allo sviluppo del motore XA100 ...

GE has concluded phase 1 testing on its second XA100 adaptive cycle engine as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP)

geaviation.com … GE successfully concludes phase 1 testing on second XA100 adaptive cycle engine …

Completo la notizia riportata sopra da richelieu con l'articolo in italiano pubblicato qualche settimana fa sul Portale :

https://www.md80.it/2021/12/18/ge-concl ... le-engine/

Paolo

Ti ringrazio, Paolo ...

[richelieu]

Ancora a proposito di ODIN ...

… airforcemag.com … F-35 JPO Finishes First Phase in Overhauling Logistics System …

[richelieu]

I materiali radar assorbenti degli F-35C sembrano essere particolarmente sensibili alle condizioni ambientali ...

The U.S. Navy’s F-35C stealth fighters, one of which has recently grabbed unwanted attention after a landing mishap aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson sent it into the sea, are also showing some fairly significant wear and tear on their debut operational cruise.
Radar-absorbent skins are historically made of materials that are notoriously sensitive to environmental conditions.
While it is known that significant leaps in the maintainability of radar-absorbent materials (RAM) were integrated into the F-35 design, recent images from the F-35C's inaugural cruise raise potential questions about the ease of maintaining the jet's coatings in the demanding maritime environment.
Photos that appeared recently on the Pentagon’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDS, website reveal the extent of the weathering that’s affected the F-35Cs of Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147), the “Argonauts,” aboard the Nimitz class carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70).
These pictures were all taken while the carrier was underway in the Philippine Sea earlier this month.

… thedrive.com/the-war-zone … The F-35C's Radar-Absorbent Skin Is Looking Pretty Rough After Months At Sea …

[richelieu]

Cresce il numero dei paesi europei che acquistano gli F-35 ...
La Romania sarà il prossimo ...

Romania plans to buy Lockheed Martin's latest generation F-35 aircraft as part of its Air Force modernization programme, president Klaus Iohannis said.
"The new types of aircraft fitted to the Army, especially the F-16 aircraft, allow for a highly efficient execution of all specific missions. The process of modernizing the Air Force will not stop here, as we intend to purchase F-35 state-of-the-art aircraft," Iohannis said in a televised news conference on Wednesday during a visit to General Emanoil Ionescu air base in Cluj county.
Iohannis added that Romania is determined to further develop and modernize its military capabilities, in accordance with the commitments made within NATO.

… seenews.com … Romania intends to buy F35 fighter jets - president …

Anche qui … psk.blog.24heures.ch … La Roumanie se tourne en direction du F-35 ! …

[richelieu]

Le voci che indicano la Germania quale nuovo possibile (ma non ancora imminente) acquirente si stanno facendo sempre più insistenti ...

Germany is leaning toward purchasing the U.S. fighter jet F-35 built by Lockheed Martin to replace its ageing Tornado in the role of nuclear sharing, a German defence source told Reuters on Thursday, but a final decision has not been taken.
Another source, close to the German military, said a possible F-35 purchase was "back on the table", but no decisions were expected anytime soon.
"There have been recent efforts to inform Germany of how to move ahead with a potential F-35 purchase," a third source involved in the effort told Reuters.
A government spokesperson in Berlin was not immediately available for comment.
"As a matter of policy, we will not publicly confirm or comment on proposed defense transfers or sales until they have been formally notified to Congress. We refer you to the German government to speak to its future defense procurement plans," a spokesperson for the State Department in Washington said.

Qualora la cosa dovesse concretizzarsi, le ripercussioni con la Francia sarebbero inevitabili ...

A decision to go with a U.S. fighter jet could upset France.
Paris has been warily watching past German deliberations over whether to settle on the F-18 or the F-35, concerned it could undermine the development of a joint Franco-German fighter jet that is supposed to be ready in the 2040s.

… reuters.com … Germany eyes Lockheed F-35 fighter jet; no final decision -source …
.

[richelieu]

Perché lo F-35 è in cima alla lista della spesa per i militari in Europa ...

Multiple operational factors make the F-35 popular with the US's European partners and allies.
The fifth-generation jet is a multirole combat aircraft focusing on air-superiority (air-to-air) and strike (air-to-ground) missions.
The F-35 has a force-multiplier effect, with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities that increase the effectiveness of friendly air, naval, and ground units by providing them with valuable battlefield data in real-time.
The F-35 has been characterized as "the quarterback of the skies" due to these capabilities.
The F-35's survivability is increased by its stealth profile.
The aircraft has internal mounts for its weapons to maintain that profile, but it can be also configured in "Beast Mode," trading stealth for firepower.
In "Beast Mode" the aircraft can carry four 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs on its wings, two GBU-12 in its internal weapons bay, and an AIM-9 air-to-air heat-seeking missile.
Besides its impressive capabilities, the F-35 is seen as an economical purchase.
Often, the cost of the fifth-generation stealth fighter is lower than the cost of fourth-generation aircraft - Switzerland cited price as a factor in its decision.
Nevertheless, the cost of operating and maintaining the aircraft is significant - for example, its stealth coating has to be re-applied after every flight.
An F-35 flight-hour currently costs $36,000, though Lockheed wants to reduce that to $25,000 per flight hour.
In comparison, the F-16 cost $22,000 per flight hour.
Additionally, by buying the American fighter, countries can increase their industrial links to the US since their domestic industries often manufacture some of their jets' components.

… businessinsider.com … Why the F-35 is at the top of the shopping list for militaries in Europe …

[richelieu]

[richelieu]

La Germania ha deciso ...
Cresce, di conseguenza, il numero dei paesi europei che hanno scelto il velivolo americano ...

Germany has decided to buy 35 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters and 15 Eurofighter Typhoons to bolster its air forces, after officials there said they had settled on Boeing F/A-18E/F fighters.
The new jets will replace Germany’s fleet of Tornado interdiction/strike aircraft.
The F-35s would be used for air superiority and strike, while the Typhoons would be used for specialized missions such as electronic attack and escort.
Germany has previously said it needs the new aircraft to be operational between 2025 and 2030.
The Tornado fleet dates back to the 1980s.
The stealthy F-35s would also be used to carry tactical nuclear weapons for NATO.
German defense minister Christine Lambrecht said the F-35 provides “a unique potential to cooperate with our NATO allies and partners in Europe.”
Luftwaffe chief Gen. Ingo Gerhartz said the German air force will be “very well prepared for the future” with “the F-35 and the further development of the Eurofighter for electronic warfare.”
Germany has operated a dedicated electronic attack/suppression of enemy air defenses version of the Tornado called the Tornado ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance).
Germany would join fellow NATO allies Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the U.K., and the U.S. as F-35 customers, as well as non-NATO European countries Finland and Switzerland, which each ordered the jet in the last few months.
Canada, an original F-35 development partner, is also believed to be leaning toward buying the F-35 this year.

… airforcemag.com … Germany to Buy F-35 and Typhoon Fighters as It Boosts Defense Spending …

Anche qui … defensenews.com … Germany to buy F-35 warplanes for nuclear deterrence …

E qui … psk.blog.24heures.ch … Berlin opte officiellement pour le F-35 ! …

&

[richelieu]

F-35 ... le notizie imbarazzanti nascoste ...

Lagging availability rates, flareups of new software problems, and a stubborn number of open deficiencies plagued the troubled and repeatedly delayed F-35 fighter in 2021, according to a newly-revealed version of the Pentagon’s weapons tester’s report.
For the first time, the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation in January only released to the public an “uncontrolled” version of its annual report.
Details about shortfalls in key programs were relegated to a “controlled” — but still unclassified — edition kept from the public.
The watchdog group Project on Government Oversight obtained, and last week posted online, the controlled report, which fleshes out some of the problems hinted at in the publicly released version.
Dan Grazier, a military analyst for POGO and a vocal critic of the F-35 program, said in a March 11 interview the Pentagon’s secrecy on this report is troubling and undermines the effectiveness of its testing office.
“The Pentagon did go to really extraordinary lengths to try to hide these details,” Grazier said.
“That’s not the way this is supposed to work.”

… defensenews.com … Full weapons tester report highlights F-35 availability, software problems …

[richelieu]

I futuri F-35 della Luftwaffe e il loro impiego come vettori di armi nucleari ...

In Luftwaffe service, the most important role for the F-35A will be as a carrier of B61-12 nuclear bombs as part of the weapons sharing program with the U.S., which owns the bombs.
Currently, the Tornados of Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader (tactical wing) 33 at Büchel are the nominated carriers, armed with B61 weapons and in the process of being certified to carry the latest Mod 12 variant.
The F-35A itself is in the final stages of certification with the B61-12 as what the Pentagon calls a ‘Dual Capable Aircraft’, with design clearance expected by January 2023.
The nuclear weapons sharing program - which also involves other NATO countries - has been an increasingly controversial cornerstone of (West) Germany’s defense policy since the late 1950s, when training of Luftwaffe crews began on the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak equipped with Mk 7 bombs.
The role was subsequently adopted by the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, before passing to the Tornado in the 1980s.

… ainonline.com … Germany to Buy F-35 Fighters for Nuclear Sharing Role …

[richelieu]

Il presidente della Commissione per i Servizi Armati del Senato ha detto che osserverà da vicino per vedere come si comporta l'F-35 in Europa ...

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on and the U.S. and NATO continue to bolster their eastern front, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said he’ll be watching closely to see how the F-35 performs in Europe.
Speaking at a March 23 roundtable hosted by the Defense Writers Group, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said he remains committed to building out the fighter fleet.
At the same time, he hinted that the coming months could play a key role in building his confidence in the program, which has simultaneously struggled with cost overruns and sustainment issues while earning praise for its performance.
“I think once we have reached the point of validation, and particularly observing what they do in Europe, we can be more confident going forward with the system,” Reed said.
“But you know, we’re committed to that system, to getting the squadrons full and having it be part of our operational Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy.”
Reed’s comments come just days after Bloomberg reported that the Defense Department is trimming its budget request in 2023 to procure just 61 F-35s instead of 94 as originally planned.
That figure is also lower than the request for 85 fighters in 2022, the 85 requested in 2021, and the 98 funded in 2020.

… airforcemag.com … SASC Chair Watching to See How F-35 Performs in Europe …

[richelieu]

Un F-35B del Corpo dei Marines degli Stati Uniti è stato colto da un fotografo durante il decollo con appeso sotto un insolito pod che ha suscitato non poche domande ...

On Feb. 26, 2022, aviation photographer Jim Mumaw caught a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B, belonging to the Vikings of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, while taking off from Naval Aviation Facility (NAF) El Centro, California, with what at least at first sight seemed to be the type’s gun pod.
However, at a closer look (on the very hi-rez version of the photo Jim has provided), the pod appears to be slightly different from the standard, raising the question: is it a new variant of the 25 mm gun pod or a totally new pod intended for a different use?
Externally, the pod is almost identical to the standard gun pod, although the muzzle is not visible in the front section of the device.
The muzzle usually protrudes a few inches from the structure, while in this case it appears to be missing.
Even though we can’t rule out the hypothesis of this being just the usual 25 mm gun pod, it’s worth reminding that the base for its construction is a multipurpose pod that was intended to be adapted for multiple uses.

… theaviationist.com … Let’s Talk About The F-35B Gun Pod And Its Possible Use As An Electronic Warfare Pod …

[richelieu]

A proposito della futura presenza in Europa degli F-35 quale conseguenza della situazione creatasi a seguito della guerra in Ucraina ...

F-35s in Eastern Europe have been performing some “elegant” intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions as part of the NATO response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the head of U.S. European Command told lawmakers March 30 - and he expects the fighter’s presence on the continent to expand dramatically by the end of the decade, exceeding earlier predictions.
Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, who also serves as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, added to members of the House Armed Services Committee that getting more F-35s delivered to Europe, either as part of the U.S. Air Force or for other nations, is “critical.”
“They’ll deliver a tremendous improvement in our strategic ability, in indications and warnings, command and control, and mission command, as already demonstrated by U.S. F-35s that are contributing in the assure and deter mission at this time,” Wolters said.

… airforcemag.com … NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030 …
.

[Maxx]

Allora servono effettivamente a qualcosa.

[JT8D]

Prosegue lo sviluppo dell'XA100 adaptive cycle engine di GE, che si adatterà all'F-35:

https://www.md80.it/2022/04/02/ge-inizi ... esso-aedc/

Paolo

[richelieu]

Un generale a riposo dell'USAF (che è pure un consulente di GE Aviation) sostiene la necessità che venga effettuata una competizione allo scopo di realizzare un secondo motore per il Lightning II ...

“When markets are competitive,” a new Department of Defense report says, “the Department reaps the benefits through improved cost, schedule, and performance for the products and services needed to support national defense.”
The report also states that competition leads to a healthier industrial base, more innovation, and ultimately, better national security.
“We hear a clear call from the Air Force to ‘accelerate change.’ Competition is a great way to do it,” says Gen. Frank Gorenc (Ret.).
“We have an opportunity in the near-term to introduce competition through a new engine for the world’s most advanced fighter, the F-35.”
Gen. Gorenc, who accumulated nearly 5,000 flight hours in his distinguished Air Force career (*), knows well the asymmetric advantage the U.S. holds in jet engine manufacturing.
He wants to keep it that way.

… airforcemag.com … Gen. Frank Gorenc (Ret.): We Must Have an F-35 Engine Competition to Accelerate Change …

(*) … af.mil … FRANK GORENC …

Mi sembra chiaro che l'ex generale stia parlando ... pro domo sua ...

[richelieu]

"The Aviationist" ha intervistato Billie Flynn (*) ... un pilota collaudatore che, riguardo al Lightning II, può raccontare parecchie cose ...

We have had an expansive chat with Billie Flynn recently.
When it deals with the Lightning II, no one has Flynn’s knowledge.
He is a 5th Generation experimental test pilot and airshow pilot who has been a part of development of the F-35.
He authored the famous 2017 Paris Air Show routine that busted many myths about the Lightning II’s performance.
He can be considered a sort of global spokesman for the F-35 program and we interviewed him so as to have his view of the Lightning II stealth aircraft, as it becomes proliferated in Europe and is deployed to NATO’s Eastern Flank amid growing tensions with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

… theaviationist.com … F-35: Capabilities, Missions, Kinematics, Role In Ukrainian Crisis And Beyond. Interview With Billie Flynn …

(*) … aessa.org.za … F-35 Lightning II Test Pilot …

[Valerio Ricciardi]

F-35 ... le notizie imbarazzanti nascoste ...

Lagging availability rates, flareups of new software problems, and a stubborn number of open deficiencies plagued the troubled and repeatedly delayed F-35 fighter in 2021, according to a newly-revealed version of the Pentagon’s weapons tester’s report.
For the first time, the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation in January only released to the public an “uncontrolled” version of its annual report.
Details about shortfalls in key programs were relegated to a “controlled” — but still unclassified — edition kept from the public.
The watchdog group Project on Government Oversight obtained, and last week posted online, the controlled report, which fleshes out some of the problems hinted at in the publicly released version.
Dan Grazier, a military analyst for POGO and a vocal critic of the F-35 program, said in a March 11 interview the Pentagon’s secrecy on this report is troubling and undermines the effectiveness of its testing office.
“The Pentagon did go to really extraordinary lengths to try to hide these details,” Grazier said.
“That’s not the way this is supposed to work.”

… defensenews.com … Full weapons tester report highlights F-35 availability, software problems …

...e infatti a noi europei e non solo vogliono venderne a bizzeffe il prima possibile, per se' stessi non hanno proprio fretta...

https://www.airforcemag.com/air-force-s ... onal-600m/

loro preferiscono comprarne di più quando arriverà il Block IV... ...poi son sempre io quello maligno sull'F35...

[richelieu]

F-35 ... le notizie imbarazzanti nascoste ...

Lagging availability rates, flareups of new software problems, and a stubborn number of open deficiencies plagued the troubled and repeatedly delayed F-35 fighter in 2021, according to a newly-revealed version of the Pentagon’s weapons tester’s report.
For the first time, the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation in January only released to the public an “uncontrolled” version of its annual report.
Details about shortfalls in key programs were relegated to a “controlled” — but still unclassified — edition kept from the public.
The watchdog group Project on Government Oversight obtained, and last week posted online, the controlled report, which fleshes out some of the problems hinted at in the publicly released version.
Dan Grazier, a military analyst for POGO and a vocal critic of the F-35 program, said in a March 11 interview the Pentagon’s secrecy on this report is troubling and undermines the effectiveness of its testing office.
“The Pentagon did go to really extraordinary lengths to try to hide these details,” Grazier said.
“That’s not the way this is supposed to work.”

… defensenews.com … Full weapons tester report highlights F-35 availability, software problems …

... e infatti a noi europei e non solo vogliono venderne a bizzeffe il prima possibile, per se' stessi non hanno proprio fretta ...

https:/ /www.airforcemag.com/air-force-sends-4-6 ... onal-600m/

loro preferiscono comprarne di più quando arriverà il Block IV ... ... poi son sempre io quello maligno sull'F35 ...

Solo una precisazione ... il link da te citato, caro Valerio, era già stato postato nella sezione "USAF" ...
Quanto al resto ... pare ora che, in Europa (e non solo), vi sia la coda dei paesi ansiosi di acquistare proprio quel velivolo di cui tu hai così poca stima ...

[Valerio Ricciardi]

Le ragioni sono facilmente intuibili... più che le già non del tutto invulnerabili capacità stealth, sono le possibilità di interfaccia avanzato con il sistema di early warning aerotrasportato e di interconnessione con altri velivoli nella stessa missione a poter fare la differenza...

un non meraviglioso aereo elettronicamente più avanzato può risultare più profittevole di un Super Hornet o un Gripen o un Mirage 2000 o un F16 che nel combattimento manovrato facilmente lo ridicolizzerebbero... (non cito Typhoon o Rafale perché il confronto sarebbe troppo impari...)

comunque, è un fatto che, come qualsiasi progetto, arriverà a piena maturità ed allora gli USA ne compreranno quantità importanti... e i beta tester saranno gli alleati, che ... evidenzieranno tutte le criticità di cui gli americani prenderanno ben nota...

...dipendesse da me insisterei per comprarne di riveduti e corretti e messi a punto dall' Heyl Ha'Avir... almeno sarebbe un usato garantito... di loro mi fido, dei piazzisti delle lobbies statunitensi no. Questo è il succo del discorso, non un'analisi critica del design che in dettaglio non sono in condizione tecnicamente di fare (anche se qualcosina ho provato a studiarmi...).

Già col 104 in Italia e Germania si è scelto un velivolo che a parte le prestazioni pure in intercettazione con scramble ed il costo orario contenutissimo... non era davvero adatto agli innumerevoli ruoli che l'AMI gli ha DOVUTO imporre (quello aveva) ... Tornado e Typhoon son macchine costose e costose da tenere in aria, specie il Tornado, ma almeno nel loro genere al top... l'F35 serve per sentirsi garantiti dalla protezione e integrazione con gli AWACS statunitensi, in una condizione di sostanziale subalternità tecnica... e quindi , geopolitica. - C.D.D.

molto più intelligente l'india, che compra piattaforme russe, cinesi e francesi... e tutta roba che volare, vola VERAMENTE bene.

[richelieu]

... dipendesse da me insisterei per comprarne di riveduti e corretti e messi a punto dall' Heyl Ha'Avir ... almeno sarebbe un usato garantito ... di loro mi fido, dei piazzisti delle lobbies statunitensi no.
Questo è il succo del discorso, non un'analisi critica del design che in dettaglio non sono in condizione tecnicamente di fare (anche se qualcosina ho provato a studiarmi ...).

Ho i miei dubbi sul fatto che gli Israeliani siano disposti, sia pure in futuro, a mettere sul mercato dell'usato i loro preziosi F-35 che hanno (eventualmente) modificato secondo le proprie specifiche necessità ...

[richelieu]

F-35 ... l'ultimo rapporto del Congressional Budget Office ...

Si le taux de disponibilité de la flotte de F-35 aux USA inquiétait entre 2015 et 2018, les efforts et la maturation de l’avion ont maintenant produit leurs effets.
Le tout dernier rapport Bureau du budget du Congrès (CBO) qui vient d’être publié au début du mois d’avril (*) démontre la pleine croissance de la disponibilité de la flotte de F-35.

… psk.blog.24heures.ch … Le F-35 offre le meilleur taux de disponibilité ! …

(*) … cbo.gov … Availability and Use of F-35 Fighter Aircraft …

[richelieu]

Si fa strada l'ipotesi che, dopo la Svizzera, anche la Germania potrebbe far produrre i propri F-35 presso la FACO di Cameri ...

Ieri a Cameri in occasione del secondo volo del velivolo F-35A (codice 6-01), il primo ad essere destinato al 6° Stormo di Ghedi, è giunto un velivolo da trasporto Airbus A-400M della Luftwaffe tedesca, seguito subito dopo da un velivolo del governo italiano.
Possiamo ipotizzare che i due velivoli, quello tedesco e quello italiano, avessero a bordo due delegazioni che hanno fatto visita allo stabilimento della FACO – Final Assembly and Check Out che produce gli F-35 italiani e olandesi e che inizierà la produzione di una buona parte degli F-35A appena acquistati dalla Svizzera.
La visita in questione potrebbe così riguardare l’ipotesi di produrre proprio presso la FACO di Cameri anche gli F-35 che la Germania ha deciso di acquistare a metà del mese di marzo 2022.
Decisione che avrebbe un’ottima ricaduta industriale ed economica per il comparto aerospaziale italiano.
Come avevamo riportato, anche su Aviation Report, la Germania acquisterà fino a 35 caccia invisibili F-35 della Lochkeed Martin per sostituire la flotta degli ormai anziani Tornado soprattutto per la missione di attacco nucleare.
Questa scelta porterà Berlino verso una flotta di Eurofighter ed F-35A, allineandosi così alle scelte di Italia e Regno Unito.

… aviation-report.com … La Germania potrebbe far produrre i suoi futuri F-35 in Italia alla FACO di Cameri? …

[Valerio Ricciardi]

Evidentemente col tempo hanno superato il trauma avuto coi 104 ed adesso accettano l'idea di un monomotore...

...oppure fra qualche anno ci sarà da rimettere in piedi un nuovo equivalente della Commissione Church....

[richelieu]

... oppure fra qualche anno ci sarà da rimettere in piedi un nuovo equivalente della Commissione Church ....

I tempi non sono più quelli ...
E quanto accadde allora in Italia, nonostante inchieste, calunnie varie, processi e condanne, non arrivò mai a chiarire chi fossero i reali responsabili della corruzione ...
Senza contare che l'acquisto dei C-130H fu l'unica soluzione possibile in quanto il concorrente franco-tedesco Transall era un aereo con prestazioni inferiori.
Cosa riferitami da persona che aveva visto entrambi i velivoli operare in una base norvegese situata oltre il Circolo Polare Artico dalla quale il Transall non era in grado di decollare con il pieno di carburante in quanto non era in grado di superare una modesta altura che si trova poco oltre la fine della pista e doveva ricorrere quindi ad un ulteriore rifornimento in una base più a sud.
Problema che l'Hercules non aveva ...
E con questo chiudo l'OT ...

[richelieu]

Negoziati difficili per i lotti 15, 16 e 17 ...

A contract for F-35 Lots 15-17 - in negotiation for more than a year, and six months past its expected conclusion - continues to elude Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office, due to disagreement over the costs of the pandemic and inflation, Lockheed leaders said April 19.
Despite the U.S. military services asking for fewer F-35s in the fiscal 2023 budget request, Lockheed thinks it can maintain its target of delivering 156 of the jets per year with foreign orders.
“Our teams are diligently working with their [JPO] counterparts to achieve closure on his critical milestone,” Lockheed CEO James D. Taiclet said in a quarterly earnings call with reporters.
“Both parties are striving to finish negotiations in the near term. So we remain confident in our four year projections,” he said, but “there could be a timing impact” due to “financial constraints.”
Lockheed Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave said it might cost “$500 million plus” to keep the line moving without a contract in the second quarter.

… airforcemag.com … Six Months Late to a Deal, F-35 Lot 15-17 Contract Negotiations Drag On …

[richelieu]

Mi preme far presente che questo articolo, che è comunque interessante, altro non è che "Pubblicità a pagamento" ... ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

GE’s XA100 engine translates to 30% more range for the Air Force’s F-35A, 20-40% faster acceleration, and double the power and thermal management capacity versus existing engines.
GE’s engine is also designed to bring these performance impacts to the carrier-based F-35C with no structural modifications to the aircraft.

… airforcemag.com … The Latest Adaptive Cycle Engine Testing is A Significant Step Forward …