F-35 Lightning II developments

[atla]

@Patrick, here it is:

The F16V introduced:
http://www.defenseworld.net/go/defensenews.jsp?id=6665

and the upgrade by the USAF:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/ ... 0H20120203

and the upgrade by the USAF in Dutch language:
http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nl-NL/Ar ... komst_F-35

[ehusmann]

But this topic is about the developments of the F-35, not about the Dutch decision how to replace the F-16s. There is another topic about that decision already.

Erwin

[Glidepath]

Due to 'The Hague' and even worse, current high pressure from Brussels, (EC), the Dutch will have to change a lot of things in all aspects of their society. Pretty scary, as next to nothing will remain the same then.

Makes me wonder what is there left to choose for Defence.
Will there be any fighting air force be left at all....or just some sort of civil defence and protection air unit? (see NZ,, Eire and Malta)

e.g. Scrapping the F-35 entirely, selling all (but a handful?) F-16s, + all training PC-7, selling the LPDs. etc etc.?

Moneywise this could appear sensible for at least some decision makers.

[SquAdmin]

@Patrick, here it is:

Ah, thx. According to the article the USAF F-16's will be upgraded to deal with the delay of the JSF, not to cancel it. Besides that, the upgrade seems to be available for F-16C's and D's, so I wonder if it will also be possible on A and B models.

[atla]

The V-standard is offered as upgrade pack and as new plane. If not possible on A/B, buy them new.
So, how much money can be saved in buying 60 new F16V's instead of 42 JSF's?
And about delaying and cancelling: http://www.jsfnieuws.nl/?p=706

But the point in this discussion is: leaked plans about the dutch Klu.
Wat was thought for years is now real. If GW did not blow up the Catshuisoverleg, it would be an official policy, to be kept secret after the elections.
It is about CDA-VVD acting sneeky and giving false information.

Let's hope that that the next government will show common sense and make a good policy based on real facts.

[PilotoRico]

Due to 'The Hague' and even worse, current high pressure from Brussels, (EC), the Dutch will have to change a lot of things in all aspects of their society. Pretty scary, as next to nothing will remain the same then.

Makes me wonder what is there left to choose for Defence.
Will there be any fighting air force be left at all....or just some sort of civil defence and protection air unit? (see NZ,, Eire and Malta)

e.g. Scrapping the F-35 entirely, selling all (but a handful?) F-16s, + all training PC-7, selling the LPDs. etc etc.?

Moneywise this could appear sensible for at least some decision makers.

Well, we can all moan about decisions.... but face the fact that if, and I say if, the F-35 will be the next fighter aircraft... it will also be the last! I am pretty sure that the future of such a small nation as we are will be mainly supportive; helicopters and transports.... just like New Zealand. Nothing to do about that....

Look at the neighbours, they all shrink..... so for The Netherlands it will the last fighter aircraft.... perhaps after all replaced by a few unmanned combat capable air vehicles.... nothing more then that.

Cheers

[Richard from Rotterdam]

Meanwhile the strike continues at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant, even though LM tries to break the strike by hiring temporary non-union workers:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05/24 ... orary.html

[jah wise]

Berichtje van de Yanken zelf:


Senaatscommissie VS kritisch over JSF .

De defensiecommissie van de Amerikaanse Senaat maakt zich zorgen over de kwaliteit van het productieproces van de F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).


Bron: nu.nl

[Starman]

Maybe I missed something, but, with all you Dutch chappies in the Eurozone, why don´t you get together with your neighbours and form some kind of United States of Europe (U.S. of E.), then the Greeks could pay for the U.S.of E. aircraft, and naturally, default. The manufacturers wouldn´t mind, it´s all about keeping skilled production workers in jobs, and they would get their money anyway either thru insurance or from the US federal reserve.

The jets would be based, well, in the Netherlands of course, highest % of people wanting to actually operate them, on a sort of TTTE basis, so lots of interesting visitors, but if they rotated thru the other nations, say every six months, there would be a constant supply of new colour schemes and serials to keep us busy. Shame one can´t buy real film any more, Kodak could actually start to make a profit!

One step further on, keep changing your minds over which version to buy and LM would eventually sell/give you three sets just to keep you happy. I believe one eastern mediterranean country is trying that approach

[Piet Luijken]

09-5005/OT flew on 6. June 2012.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Coati]

The IDF plans to approve the procurement of a second squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters at a meeting of the General Staff later this month that will convene to finalize the military’s multi-year program. If decided upon, it will be a second order of around 20 aircraft on top of the first 20 already ordered in October 2010.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=272939

[Coati]

Next first flight was on June the 9th:

AF-19 (09-5006/OT) made it's first flight from NAS Fort Worth.

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/f35_news ... tem_id=703

[Piet Luijken]

first flight of the dutch F-35 is expected end of july 2012 ( 24th? ).

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... ef25c5.2b1

Norway orders first F-35 jets as part of $10bn deal
(AFP) – 1 day ago

OSLO — Norway said on Friday it had authorised orders for the first two of dozens of F-35 fighter jets it plans to buy from the United States as part of its largest-ever government spending project.

[Coati]

From F-16.Net: "Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $489,528,000 advance acquisition contract to provide long lead-time parts, material and components required for the delivery of 35 low rate initial production Lot VII F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft (19 Conventional Takeoff and Landing [CTOL] aircraft for the U.S. Air Force; three CTOLs for the government of Italy; 2 CTOLs for the government of Turkey; six Short Take-Off Vertical Landing [STOVL] aircraft for the Marine Corps; one STOVL for the United Kingdom; and four carrier variant aircraft for the Navy). In addition, this contract provides long lead-time efforts required for the incorporation of a drag chute in CTOL air systems for the government of Norway."

Most was known. New is the inclusion in LRIP-7 of a STOVL for the UK (number 4).