F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter(BG)
F-35 Lightning II Program Status and Fast Facts
Lockheed F-35 test pilot live Q&A the Paris Air Show 2017
High Alt Show_HAS
Luke to resume local F-35A flying operations
Demo Pilot: Paris Performance Will ‘Crush Years Of Misinformation'
Exclusive: Lockheed nears $37 billion-plus deal to sell F-35 jet to 11 countries
New commander for Joint Strike Fighter squadron
By Kenji Thuloweit, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs / Published June 16, 2017
http://www.edwards.af.mil/News/Article/1216896/new-commander-for-joint-strike-fighter-squadron/
USAF Weapons School Activates F-35A Squadron
Release Number: 010617
Published June 16, 2017
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — The 6th Weapons Squadron will be activated as the F-35A Lightning II squadron for the United States Air Force Weapons School at 10:06 a.m. June 20, 2017.
The 6th WPS is projected to be the USAF Weapons School’s largest squadron by 2023, with 30 instructors and 24 assigned F-35As.
The USAFWS currently comprises 18 squadrons and is the world’s
premier postgraduate weapons and tactics employment training located at
Nellis Air Force Base. The F-35A’s state-of-the-art capabilities, joined
with the rich history of the 6th WPS, will ensure dominance over future
battlefields.
For media interested in covering the activation ceremony, contact the 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office at 99abw.pacurrent@nellis.af.mil or (702) 652-2750.
The F-35 at Paris Air Show 2017
The Paris Air Show, or Salon du Bourget, is the world's premiere aerospace trade show. The 2017 Paris Air Show will take place June 19-25 at Le Bourget Parc des Expositions.
The F-35 will be making its aerial demonstration debut during the 2017 Paris Air Show. Key program leadership and important customers will also provide program updates and briefs throughout the show. Below is the full schedule of F-35-related events at Paris Air Show.
*Schedule subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Monday, June 191000. Paris Air Show Conference Center Room 2 | F-35 Aerial Demonstration Pilot Briefing
1100. Paris Air Show Conference Center Room 2 | Lockheed Martin F-35 Briefing
1200. Paris Air Show Conference Center Room 2 | F-35 Program Update with Col. (Brig. Gen. Select) Todd Canterbury, Director, USAF F-35 Integration Office
1530-1600. F-35 Aerial Demonstration
Tuesday, June 200900. Paris Air Show Media Center Room 2 | F-35 Aerial Demonstration Pilot Briefing
1100. Paris Air Show Media Center Room 2 | United States Marine Corps Leadership Briefing
1215. Paris Air Show Media Center Room 2 | UK Royal Navy Leadership Briefing
1530-1600. F-35 Aerial Demonstration
Wednesday, June 211530-1600. F-35 Aerial Demonstration
Thursday, June 22
No F-35 Activities
Friday, June 23
1530-1600. F-35 Aerial Demonstration
Saturday, June 24
1530-1600. F-35 Aerial Demonstration
Sunday, June 25
1530-1600. F-35 Aerial Demonstration
Nellis AFB hosts Red Flag 17-3 July 10 – July 28, 2017
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – Southern Nevada residents; Nellis AFB is hosting Red Flag 17-3 here July 10 – 28, 2017.
Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air, space and cyber forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is hosted north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test and Training Range, the U.S. Air Force’s premier military training area with more than 15,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land
F-35A Lightning ll Demo!! Practice for the 2017 Paris Airshow!!
Bulgaria to purchase new 5th gen fighters between 2028 and 2030
Poland to buy 5th-gen fighter jets around 2025
United Kingdom takes delivery of 10th F-35, 128 to go
2 F-35B in LRIP run 3, 1 F-35B in LRIP run 4, 1 F-35B in LRIP run 7, 4 F-35B in LRIP run 8, 6 F-35B in LRIP run 9(delivery to date 2 F-35B BK-9, BK-10), 3 F-35B in LRIP run 10, 2 F-35B in LRIP run 11, 2 F-35B in LRIP run 12, 6 F-35B in LRIP run 13, 8 F-35B in LRIP run 14 and 7 F-35B in LRIP run 15. This brings us to 42 in 2023.
Around 2023, the Ministry of Defence have indicated that the UK will have 42 F-35 aircraft with 24 available as ‘front-line fighters’ and the remaining 18 will be used for training (at least 5 on the OCU), be in reserve or in maintenance.
First Marine Corps F-35B Squadron Readies for Pacific Deployment
JASDF pilots graduate Luke’s F-35 program
By Tech. Sgt. Louis Vega Jr., 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published May 31, 2017
05/18/201
http://alert5.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/170518-F-XA522-0831.jpg
Pratt & Whitney Validates Growth Option for F135 Engine
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today announced the successful completion of performance testing of its Fuel Burn Reduction Demonstrator Engine. Based on this success, Pratt & Whitney can now offer a Growth Option 1.0 upgrade configuration for the F135 engine, which powers the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. The engine testing, conducted at Pratt & Whitney's West Palm Beach, Florida, facility, verified this upgrade can provide a 5 to 6 percent fuel burn improvement and a 6 to 10 percent thrust increase across the F-35 flight envelope.
While the current production F135 engine meets today's performance requirements, an F135 propulsion upgrade would enable future capability improvements associated with the F-35 weapon system's block upgrade program. Pratt & Whitney has been working through the Navy-sponsored F135 Fuel Burn Reduction (FBR) and Air Force-sponsored Component and Engine Structural Assessment Research (CAESAR) technology maturation programs to develop a suite of compressor and turbine technologies, which can be used to enhance the performance of the F135 engine by decreasing fuel burn, increasing thrust, and improving hot section durability.
"Based on the demonstrated improvements, we see a potential path forward with the Growth Option 1.0 configuration for the F135 engine that could benefit the global fleet of F-35s in the near term at low technical risk and low cost, should the program desire an upgraded engine in the future," said Matthew Bromberg, president, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. "The performance benefits of increased thrust and reduced fuel burn will provide even greater capability with respect to combat mission radius, acceleration, and sustained turn rate, as well as enable improvements in powered lift thrust."
The Growth Option 1.0 configuration is compatible with all three variants of the F-35 and limits hardware changes for the upgrade to just the F135 power module (compressor, combustor, turbine). Growth Option 1.0 hardware can also be seamlessly inserted into future production engines at a minimal increase in unit cost and no impact to delivery schedule. Should the customer desire, the redesigned internal components of the power module could bring the same benefits to fielded F135 engines by performing a power module change. Internal hardware upgrades for fielded engines would be accomplished during routine engine overhauls. The Growth Option 1.0 configuration is fully compatible with existing F135 global support sustainment infrastructure, mitigating significant investment in new facilities, processes, training or equipment.
"Pratt & Whitney has developed an affordable upgrade for the F135 engine that can be ready for follow on modernization upgrades to the F-35 weapon system in the early 2020s," said Bromberg. "As we look to future warfighter needs, we believe the options for increased thrust and fuel burn reduction improvements will translate directly into mission effectiveness, and help to ensure the F-35 weapon system continues to go above and beyond any potential threat."
http://www.pw.utc.com/Press/Story/20170531-1200/30/All%20Categories
Pratt & Whitney pitches souped up version of the F-35 engine
Switzerland Eyes F-35B
A new study by the Swiss Ministry of Defense is proposing options to buy up to 70 new fighter aircraft or buy as few as 20. /Swiss Air Force 40 F-5E Tiger II, 12 F-5F Tiger II(1976-1978), 25 F/A-18C Hornet, 5 F/A-18D Hornet(1996)/
Switzerland is looking to replace its fleet of Boeing McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C and D Hornets and outdated Northrop F-5 Tigers, all of which are scheduled to be retired in the 2020s.
The cheapest option would mean keeping the F/A-18s in service longer than planned, the panel said.
The most expensive and powerful option would be to buy 55-70 aircraft and ground-based air defense weapons for an estimated 15 billion to 18 billion Swiss francs ($15.3-$18.4 billion), according to the report.
The least expensive option would be procuring 20 jets and accompanying ground-based air defense systems for 5 billion francs. Other options called for buying 40 or 30 new aircraft plus surface-to-air defense support.
12-16 F-35B + mod Hornets ?
Hill Airmen generate 3,000th F-35A sortie, adopt upgraded ALIS
Cheaper F-35 Joint Strike Fighter still the only one for RAAF
Norway’s fifth F-35 Lightning II touches down at Luke
Liberals fork over another $30 million to keep Canada at F-35 table
Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press 05.26.2017
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/national/canada+pays+another+million/13396653/story.html
USAF requests more NG aircraft and other new technology funding
brian wang | May 26, 2017
The US Air force 2018 budget request released Tuesday includes $25.4 billion for research, development, test and evaluation programs — an increase of $5 billion, or 26 percent, from the amount enacted for the current year, according to budget documents.
While some of the funding would go toward top acquisition programs such as the KC-46A Pegasus tanker, F-35A Lightning II and B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber, some would also support advanced technology initiatives.
For example, the “Next Gen Air Dominance” program aims to secure $295 million for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, up from just $21 million under the current year.
The Air Force wants to add 4,000 airmen, buy 46 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and keep bonuses relatively unchanged despite a pilot shortage, according to its fiscal 2018 budget request.
The Air Force's spending plan for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 totals $183 billion, a 7 percent increase from the current year, with hikes planned for all accounts except military construction.
F-35 JS Fighter Soon to Be Armed with AIM-9X Missile and JDAM
Israeli air force to receive unique test F-35
- 24 May, 2017
- SOURCE: Flightglobal.com
- BY: Arie Egozi
- Tel Aviv
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israeli-air-force-to-receive-unique-test-f-35-437569/
Contracts
Release No: CR-097-17
May 19, 2017
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $137,834,819 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-14-C-0002) to provide additional funding for affordability-based cost reduction initiatives in support of low-rate initial production Lot 9 F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent); El Segundo, California (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Florida (10 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (5 percent); Nagoya, Japan (5 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy) funds in the amount of $137,834,819 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($110,267,856; 80 percent); Marine Corps ($22,554,788; 16.4 percent); and the Navy ($5,012,175 (3.6 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
F-35 Lightning II Tinker AFB Airshow
QF-16s help F-35 JOTT plan for future testing
http://www.edwards.af.mil/News/Article/1186620/qf-16s-help-f-35-jott-plan-for-future-testing/
Australian Air Chief visits Luke
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz -- Air Marshal Gavin Davies, Royal Australian Air Force chief, visited Luke Air Force Base May 17, 2017.
Davies visited Luke to learn about ongoing and future activities regarding F-35A Lightning II pilot training and maintenance. The visit included a meeting with Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard, 56th Fighter Wing commander and meet and greets with Australian Airmen at the 61st Fighter Squadron and the 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit.
“It’s great to be here,” Davies said. “It’s difficult for Australians to understand the capabilities of the F-35 Lightning IIs are and why we have them. I’m here because I want Australians to know the F-35s are the future.”
Lt. Col. Michael Gette, 61st Fighter Squadron commander, briefed Davies on pilot training and their curriculum.
“I’m excited to see what the young pilots can do,” Davies said. “It’s a new aircraft and I know the pilots will be eager to learn more about it.”
Davies took time during his visit to speak with the Australian maintainers and offer some advice.
“Use this opportunity to explore the F-35,” Davies said. “Luke maintainers will help you out in the process and make sure you’re set-up for success.”
The RAAF chief visit focused on strengthening the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the RAAF a critical piece of building the future of airpower.
Hill AF Base's second F-35 fighter squadron begins operating in June
MITCH SHAW, Standard-Examiner Staff
34 FS /20 F-35A/ AF-77, AF-78, AF-81(Training) AF-83, AF-85, AF-87, AF-89, AF-91, AF-92, AF-94, AF-95, AF-97, AF-98, AF-99, AF-101, AF-102, AF-103, AF-105, AF-106, AF-107, /AF-113, AF-115?, AF-117, AF-118, AF-1XX, AF-1XX, AF-1XX, AF-1XX/
4 FS / F-35A/ AF-12X?
Germany asks U.S. for classified briefing on Lockheed's F-35 fighter
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-lockheed-fighter-germany-exclusive-idUSKCN18D13X
Australian Air Chief visits NAS Fort Worth, Texas
AU-3(A35-003) Come!(Rolled out in 2018)
Norwegian F-35 pilots 1,000th hours
Combined, the number of flight hours by Norwegian F-35 pilots now stands at 1000 hours