F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

[Haletown]

Higher prices, less performance and no industry kickbacks . . . Should be a no brainer.

I am sure the Rideau Institute and Prof Byers will disagree.

 

[MarkOttawa]

My mistake, in interpreting first story below, LRIP 6 for US services already awarded-- the Sept. 27 US gov't contracts notice is for LRIP 6 for Australia and Italy plus LRIP 7 for US services plus Italy, Norway and UK (numbers the same as in second story below):
http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=5143

In fact the deal includes both LRIP 6 and 7 (usual copyright disclaimer):

Lockheed Inks Two More F-35 Contracts

The U.S. Defense Department has finalized a deal with Lockheed Martin Corp. for two contracts worth $7.1 billion for 71 more F-35 fighter jets.

The Pentagon announced the agreement for the sixth and seventh batches of aircraft, excluding engines...

The contract for the sixth batch, or lot, is for 36 aircraft and valued at $4.4 billion — about 2.5 percent less than the existing agreement.

The arrangement calls for 23 F-35As, the Air Force’s version of the plane that takes off in a conventional manner, at $103 million apiece; 6 F-35Bs, the Marine Corps’ variant that can fly like a plane and lands like a helicopter, at $109 million a piece; and 7 F-35Cs, the Navy’s version designed to take off from aircraft carriers, at $120 million apiece.

Lockheed will begin delivering planes from this agreement — which marks the first F-35 jets for Italy and Australia — in the second quarter of 2014.

The contract for the seventh batch is for 35 aircraft and valued at $3.4 billion — about 6 percent less than the existing agreement. The deal calls for 24 F-35As for $98 million a jet; 7 F-35Bs for $104 million a jet; and 4 F-35Cs for $116 million a jet.

The company will begin delivering planes from this agreement — which marks the first F-35 jets for Norway — in the second quarter of 2015.

Under the terms of the deals, Lockheed will pay for all cost overruns. However, the company and the government will split the costs of any so-called concurrency changes arising from System Development and Demonstration testing and qualification. On the other hand, if expenses are less than projected, Lockheed will get 80 percent of savings and the government will get 20 percent.

The F135 jet engine, which powers the aircraft, is funded under a separate contract.
http://www.dodbuzz.com/2013/09/28/lockheed-inks-two-more-f-35-contracts/

This was the situation in July, the same in total numbers--note the A model numbers are broken down between US and international, which they are not in story above though I imagine they are also the same:

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin have agreed to a handshake deal for the latest two lots of F-35 airframes, and based on cost projections the program for the first time is targeting a unit price under $100 million, excluding engines and retrofits.

The deal covers 36 aircraft in low-rate, initial production (LRIP) lot 6 and another 35 in LRIP 7...

LRIP 6 includes 18 F-35As for the U.S. Air Force; six F-35Bs for the Marine Corps and seven F-35Cs for the Navy. It also includes three F-35As for Italy and 2 for Australia.

LRIP 7 includes 19 F-35As for the U.S. Air Force; six F-35Bs for the Marine Corps and four F-35Cs for the U.S. Navy. It also includes another 3 F-35As for Italy, two F-35As for Norway and one F-35B for the United Kingdom...
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_07_30_2013_p0-602401.xml&p=2

It is worth keeping in mind that LRIP 7 is actually one plane less than LRIP 6 and that F-35A production only goes up by one plane in the later batch.

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

Here is the Dec. 2012 LRIP 6 contract with LockMart for the US services:
http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4946

Mark
Ottawa

 

[CougarKing]

The F-35 is back in the running for the ROKAF's next fighter type. Please note what is said about the F15 Silent Eagle.

Defense News

F-35 Back in S. Korea Fighter Contest


SEOUL — After it was dropped from consideration in South Korea’s fighter competition, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter appears to be back in the running after a Defense Ministry source cited the need to counter North Korea with a fifth-generation fighter.

South Korea last week made the shocking decision to not buy Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle, which was considered the sole candidate for the $7.2 billion F-X III contest. A new competition will be opened in South Korea’s quest to buy 60 fighter aircraft to replace its aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets.

Presided over by Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held its executive committee Sept. 24 to decide whether to select the F-15SE. Boeing has claimed the warplane would feature radar-evading stealth capability, a core requirement for the fighter competition, because the aircraft will be painted with radar-absorbent coatings and equipped with conformal weapons bays.

But most of the 19 committee members — made up of military, lawmakers and civilian experts — judged that the new F-15 variant’s stealth capability has yet to be proved despite its price competitiveness compared with Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and the Eurofighter consortium’s Typhoon, according to DAPA officials.


(...)

 

[WingsofFury]

Price is now at $113M including engines....

Pentagon Awards F-35 Orders Under LRIP 6, 7

Posted by News Desk

The Pentagon on Friday awarded Lockheed Martin and the F-35 team two contracts worth about US$7 billion, for 71 more F-35 fighter jets. For the US Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and the air forces of Norway, Italy, Australia, and the UK.

The U.S. Defense Department said it signed a $3.7 billion contracts for a sixth Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP 6) batch of 36 F-35 aircraft, with the average cost of the planes down 2.5 percent from the previous deal. All but $743 million of that amount had already been awarded to the company under a preliminary contract. The two sides also signed a $3.4 billion contract for the production of 35 aircraft in a seventh batch (LRIP 7), which reflected a 6 percent drop in the average price from the fifth group (LRIP 5), the Pentagon said in a statement. The Pentagon has projected it will spend $392 billion to buy a total of 2,443 stealthy F-35 fighter jets over the next few decades to replace F-16, F-15, F/A-18 and other warplanes used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

The Pentagon’s F-35 program office said the cost of each F-35 conventional takeoff A-model jet would drop to $98 million in LRIP 7, excluding the engine, from $103 million in LRIP 6. It marks the first time the price of the jet will have dipped below $100 million. The U.S. government buys the engines directly from Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp., under a separate contract. Lockheed and the Pentagon announced an agreement in principle for the next 71 jets on July 30.

The Pentagon said the price of the B-model that Lockheed is building for the Marine Corps, would drop to $104 million in LRIP 7, from $109 million in the LRIP 6. It said the cost of the C-model variant, which will be able to land and take off from aircraft carriers, would drop to $116 million a jet from $120 million in LRIP 6.

LRIP 6 modifications included $742 million modification covering the manufacture and delivery of two F-35A for Australia and three F-35A for Italy. The LRIP 7 award covers 19 F-35A aircraft for the Air Force, six Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) F-35B variants for the U.S. Marine Corps; and four F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) aircraft for the U.S. Navy. In addition, this award also allocates $612 million for the production of six foreign fighters – two F-35As for Norway; three F-35As CTOL aircraft for Italy and one F-35B for the United Kingdom. Aircraft deliveries are expected to be completed in October 2016. The F-35 also remains in the running for a 60-jet South Korean fighter competition after Seoul this week rejected a bid by Boeing Co involving its F-15 Silent Eagle fighter jet.

http://defense-update.com/20130930_pentagon-awards-f-35-orders-under-lrip6-and-7.html

 

[MarkOttawa]

Two stories:

1) Lockheed, Pentagon cite improved F-35 quality work since end 2012
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/lockheed-fighter-idINL1N0HQ13R20130930

2) Report: Military Lost Control of F-35 Contractors, Errors Abound
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/report-military-lost-control-f35-contractors-errors-abound/story?id=20422344

The Pentagon IG's report:
http://www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2013-140.pdf

And from AW&ST on LRIPs 6 and 7:

...
This is the first deal in which Lockheed Martin, the F-35 airframe prime contractor, assumes all responsibility for overruns over the target cost. For the previous five lots, the government and contractor shared at varying levels in overruns.

This is also the first contract for the F-35 in which the target unit airframe price is under $100 million; the deal calls for the price of the 24 F-35As in LRIP 7 to be delivered for $98 million apiece. Prices for the other variants are as follows in LRIP 6:

* F-35A $103 million;

* F-35B $109 million;

* F-35C $ 120 million;

And, for LRIP 7, the target for the F-35B is $104 million per unit with the C variant at $116 million per airframe...
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/asd_09_30_2013_p01-01-621752.xml

Sans turboréacteur.

Meanwhile Boeing Military Aircraft is close to running out of fighter time:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardaboulafia/2013/09/30/boeings-options-after-its-legacy-military-aircraft-wind-down/

Mark
Ottawa




Mark
Ottawa

 

[CougarKing]

The Ayatollahs in Iran who want Israel's destruction had better start trembling once the IAF's first JSFs come...

They wouldn't want an Osiraq/Osirak style IAF strike happening to them if their firebrand rhetoric and threats get out of hand...

Israel to seek second F-35 squadron

The "new situation" between the USA and Iran may result in some immediate procurement decisions by Israel, including the purchase of additional Lockheed Martin F-35s.

According to Israeli sources, the nation will follow an initial deal for 19 conventional take-off and landing F-35As with a request for at least another 20 of the stealthy combat aircraft, in a move which would give it sufficient volume to equip two squadrons. They add that they believe the US administration will take some steps to facilitate the additional procurement.

Israel to buy Second Sqd. of F-35

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Pardon my ignorance, but does anyone know if the wings of the "B" model" fold, like the "C" model ones, so more can be taken to the hangar? I just can't find a reference anywhere that could answer that.

 

[MrWhyt]

Pardon my ignorance, but does anyone know if the wings of the "B" model" fold, like the "C" model ones, so more can be taken to the hangar? I just can't find a reference anywhere that could answer that.

I don't think they do. The C has a bigger/different wing than the A and B models. From this picture from Wikipedia, it looks like the fold point for the C's wings is almost at the span of the A and B's wings

 

[Haletown]

I don't think they do. The C has a bigger/different wing than the A and B models. From this picture from Wikipedia, it looks like the fold point for the C's wings is almost at the span of the A and B's wings

Correct.  Only the "C" model has folding wings.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Thanks for the info, you all.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The Ayatollahs in Iran who want Israel's destruction had better start trembling once the IAF's first JSFs come...

If they were smart, the Ayatollahs should be at least shivering now, even WITHOUT extra Israeli JSFs.  :nod:

 

[tomahawk6]

The F-35 will be the last manned fighter/strike aircraft.Beyond that there will be remotely piloted aircraft for the air-air and strike missions.

 

[Kirkhill]

The F-35 will be the last manned fighter/strike aircraft.Beyond that there will be remotely piloted aircraft for the air-air and strike missions.

With B-1s and B-52s flying as airborne command posts....

 

[MilEME09]

The F-35 will be the last manned fighter/strike aircraft.Beyond that there will be remotely piloted aircraft for the air-air and strike missions.

Boeing has already modified an F-16 to fly unmanned, they plan to modify more to be used by the USAF, Navy and marine core as target drones for training purposes. Wouldn't take much more work to turn it into an unmanned combat aircraft, probably would just need a software upgrade.

 

[NavyShooter]

Boeing has already modified an F-16 to fly unmanned, they plan to modify more to be used by the USAF, Navy and marine core as target drones for training purposes. Wouldn't take much more work to turn it into an unmanned combat aircraft, probably would just need a software upgrade.

Sounds like the Cyclone project.... 

Sorry if this derails things...  :bowing:

 

[OldSolduer]

If they were smart, the Ayatollahs should be at least shivering now, even WITHOUT extra Israeli JSFs.  :nod:

Yes - if they were smart. Their own prejudices will get in the road.

 

[CougarKing]

The effects of the US government's current major shutdown having its effects felt on the F35 program:

Defense News

Pentagon: Shutdown Affects F-35 Test Flights, Deliveries

Oct. 3, 2013 - 03:45AM


Throughout the year, officials for the F-35 joint strike fighter have consistently said the program is on track. But if the US government shutdown continues for too long, a plane that has been long characterized by its historic delays could find itself falling behind once again, according to the head of the JSF program.

“The current closing of the federal government coupled with the furloughs from earlier this year has not been good for the F-35 program,” Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the head of the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), said in a statement Thursday.

“The shutdown is negatively affecting our ability to conduct flight tests and other areas of the program, such as development, aircraft deliveries and sustaining the fleet, are also at risk of delay and disruption,” Bogdan said. “Maintaining a stable program is one of the key drivers to keeping the F-35 on track and on budget; we look forward to a quick resolution that will enable our government to properly function again so we can continue to carry on with our mission.”

At the core of production delays is the fact that many Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) workers have been furloughed due to the shutdown. DCMA has oversight of major acquisition projects, auditing and approving work being done on military platforms.

While a Pentagon official confirmed that noncivilian DCMA workers are still active at Lockheed Martin’s F-35 plant in Fort Worth, Texas, it is likely that reduced numbers mean a drop in productivity

(...)

 

[Haletown]

RAAF #1

http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=21368

99 more to go.

Have to keep a bottle of good whiskey on standby for when RCAF #1 gets going.

A day worth celebrating.

 

[CougarKing]

Pilot helmet design chosen...

Defense News

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has selected a helmet design for the F-35 joint strike fighter, going with the original team of Lockheed Martin, Rockwell Collins and Elbit Systems.

“The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has decided to stop the development of an alternate helmet and focus solely on bringing the ‘Gen 2’ helmet — now being used in testing and training — up to a fully compliant Gen 3 standard,” JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova said in an Oct. 10 statement.

“The cost guarantee made by the Lockheed Martin/Rockwell Collins/Elbit team resulted in a reduction of 12% from the previous cost for the helmet system,” the statement continued. “Additionally, deciding to downselect to the Gen 2/3 helmet now will avoid future cost of $45 million required to completely mature the BAE helmet.”

In other words, the cost for the helmet has dropped while confidence in the technology has risen. It’s a major milestone for the program, given the longstanding issues with the high-tech helmet.

The helmet is key to the F-35’s advanced suite of technologies. It provides a 360-degree digital view of what is going on around the plane, in essence letting a pilot “look” through the cockpit floor and walls. In addition, data is projected directly onto the visor of the pilot, providing enhanced situational awareness.

(...)