F-35 Lightning II developments

[Coati]

More info on Israeli second batch of F-35As from Reuters:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/ ... 4T20141028

Israel to buy 25 more F-35 Lockheed stealth fighters: sources

(Reuters) - Israel plans to buy a second batch of Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter jets, bringing the total number it has on order to about 44, Israeli defence sources said on Tuesday.

Israel bought 19 F-35s for $2.75 billion in 2010, a deal that included options for up to 75 of the planes. Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, visiting the United States last week, placed a preliminary order for about 25 more F-35s, defence sources said without elaborating on the cost.

More at link

[sdamico]

Hi all,

F-35B BF-39 made test flight today (28 Oct) as Strike11. Not sure if this was its first flight; confirmation appreciated.

Regards,
SD

[Coati]

Next week, starting November 3, two F-35C aircraft will operate from aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, off the coast of San Diego. Aircraft doing this first sea trial for the C model are CF-3 and CF-5.

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[tally]

Correct. They came through Texas on their way west together with two super bugs (one E and one F model) and a KC-130 for tanker support.

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[Coati]

Hi all,

F-35B BF-39 made test flight today (28 Oct) as Strike11. Not sure if this was its first flight; confirmation appreciated.

Regards,
SD

AFAIK not noted yet as flying, so very probably a first flight. Did you happen to note a code?

[Coati]

Next cotract will be a combined contract for both LRIP-9 and LRIP-10. LRIP-9 has a planned total of 57 F-35 aircraft, LRIP-10 will be for a now planned total of 96 aircraft.


Planned Increases
Bogdan said yesterday that the Pentagon will start negotiations with Lockheed for a deal on the combined ninth and 10th rounds that would continue to achieve lower prices and would send “a very powerful signal to the supply chain” that “this is a stable program.”

The ninth contract would be for 57 aircraft, including 34 for the U.S., and the 10th would be intended to buy 96, with 55 of them for the U.S.



http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-3 ... llion.html

[sdamico]

Hi all,

F-35B BF-39 made test flight today (28 Oct) as Strike11. Not sure if this was its first flight; confirmation appreciated.

Regards,
SD

AFAIK not noted yet as flying, so very probably a first flight. Did you happen to note a code?

No, I only heard Lockheed refer to it as BF-39.

SD

[tally]

Hi all,

F-35B BF-39 made test flight today (28 Oct) as Strike11. Not sure if this was its first flight; confirmation appreciated.

Regards,
SD

AFAIK not noted yet as flying, so very probably a first flight. Did you happen to note a code?

No, I only heard Lockheed refer to it as BF-39.

SD

From sources BF-39 only made engine runs. No first flight as of yet. Same goes for CF-20 that also made engine runs Oct 28.

Tally.

[Coati]

First landing on an Aircraft carrier by a F-35C is a fact. Today the First F-35C trapped a wire on CVN-68, USS Nimitz. Number 2 Will follow any moment today.

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[Coati]

Credit Code One magazine
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/f35_news ... em_id=1362

OK Three Wire Posted 3 November 2014

US Navy Test pilot Cmdr. Tony Wilson made the first arrested landing of the F-35C Lightning II on an aircraft carrier on 3 November 2014. Wilson landed F-35C test aircraft CF-03 at 12:18 p.m. local time aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) underway at sea in the Pacific Ocean. He caught the number-three arresting wire. The arrested landing is part of initial at-sea Developmental Testing I (DT-1) for the F-35C, which expected to last two weeks. During DT-1, the F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, has scheduled test pilots flying test aircraft CF-3 and CF-5 to perform a variety of operational maneuvers, including catapult takeoffs.DT-1 will also include general maintenance and fit tests for the aircraft and support equipment, as well as simulated maintenance operations.

Link: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=84238

[Rockville]

A video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STVAM85y3i0&app=desktop

[Melchior Timmers]

Hi all,

F-35B BF-39 made test flight today (28 Oct) as Strike11. Not sure if this was its first flight; confirmation appreciated.

Regards,
SD

AFAIK not noted yet as flying, so very probably a first flight. Did you happen to note a code?

Saw a picture of 169024/VM-11 so this one is likely BF-39

Still looking for the Buno's of CF-17 and CF-18 though...

[Coati]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/ ... 4M20141114

F-35Cs made first carrier night landings, already met 95% of testing ahead of schedule and performed better than expected during the sea carrier trial. So good news for the F-35C variant.

[wamovements]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/ ... 4M20141114

F-35Cs made first carrier night landings, already met 95% of testing ahead of schedule and performed better than expected during the sea carrier trial. So good news for the F-35C variant.

95% ahead of the latest schedule, in the end the programm is still seven years behind its original schedule.

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[Coati]

I am referring to the news and the progress of the two week carrier trial.

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