F-35 Lightning II developments

[Starfighter_F-104G]

LM proposal for Belgium reported all built at Ft Worth but change will be possible


Japan AX-11 89-8711 f/f 31-10-2018

[Bjorn]

15-5196 spotted at NAS Fort Worth and also 15-5200 with a first flight on November 10th, 2018. Noted is that 15-5200 is adorned with a 421st FS patch on the tail. To my knowledge this squadron wasn't disbanded as a F-16 unit yet. Any news on that?

Greets,

[Coati]

From an article last year:

388th Fighter Wing Commander Col. David Lyons said the base’s third and final F-35 fighter squadron, the 421st, will begin operations sometime in 2018. By 2019, the 388th and 419th fighter wings are scheduled to receive their full allotment of 78 jets, spread across the three operational squadrons.

(4th FS, 34th FS and 421st FS)

[Starfighter_F-104G]

14.11.2018

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $22,712,874,822 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price advanced acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001) for 255 aircraft.
106 F-35 aircraft for the U.S. services (64 F-35As Air Force; 26 F-35Bs Marine Corps; 16 F-35Cs Navy);
89 F-35s for non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants (71 F-35As, 18 F-35 Bs);
60 F-35s for Foreign Military Sales customers (60 F-35As).

The U.S. aircraft quantities are for the Lot 12 program of record plus fiscal 2018/fiscal 2019 aircraft quantity congressional adds

[Starfighter_F-104G]

IAF F-35I on delivery left FW 18-11-2018
919 AS013 / 916 AS014

[raameagle]

919 and 921 arrived at Lajes as Retro51 and 52 (thanks Andre).
Regards
Mark

[Starfighter_F-104G]

919 and 921 arrived at Lajes as Retro51 and 52 (thanks Andre).
Regards
Mark

thanks ... so AS014 916 has been reserialled 921

[raameagle]

Yes, which makes perfect sense. A painting error initially no doubt!
Regards
Mark

[Lordofthedragons]

Nice picture in both links.

F-35A combat power exercise conducted at Hill AFB

388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published November 19, 2018

Pilots from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings taxi F-35As on the runway in preparation for a combat power exercise Nov. 19, 2018, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. During the exersice, the wings confirmed their ability to employ a large force of jets against air and ground targets, demonstrating the readiness and lethality of the F-35 Lightning II. As the first combat-ready F-35 units in the Air Force, the 388th and 419th FWs are ready to deploy anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force Photo By Cynthia Griggs)


HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force Reserve 419th Fighter Wing conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19, launching dozens of F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time.

As the Air Force’s only combat-ready F-35A units, the 388th and 419th FWs must be prepared to launch any number of aircraft to support the national defense mission at a moment’s notice. 

“We are ready to fight tonight, and exercising with multiple squadrons of F-35s can demonstrate our ability to defeat potential adversaries wherever they may arise,” said Maj. Caleb Guthmann, 34th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations and exercise project officer. 

The wings fly between 30-60 sorties per day from Hill’s flight line. During the exercise, they launched roughly the same number of sorties, and aircraft took off in 20- to 40-second intervals. 

Launching aircraft from multiple squadrons simultaneously presents various challenges and allows the wings to evaluate the capabilities of maintenance professionals, as well as pilots and command and control teams.


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... oser=false

https://www.hill.af.mil/News/Article-Di ... -hill-afb/

[tally]

AF-167 15-5192/HL delivered to the 388 FW, 34 FS at Hill AFB Nov 20, 2018.

[Coati]

Apparently Japan has decided to buy up to 40 F-35B. Should be outlined next month in a defence paper.

https://defence-blog.com/news/japan-to- ... craft.html

[Melchior Timmers]

Interesting since Japan still is not aloud to have an aircraft carrier because it may not have offensive war fighting capabilities.....

[Coati]

It seems the military expansion of China has been the trigger to bend the policy a bit... There has been a long debate in Japan on the prohibition on 'Aircraft Attack Carriers' and how the Helicopter destroyer may or may not fit in. in the article below in the Japan Times this is being outlined how things are developing. The Izumo is now called a 'multi-purpose-aircraft-mothership'... . And there is debate how to fit carriers in the strict defense policy.

Also interesting: the 40 F-35B will be part of a total of a whopping 100 F-35A/F-35B follow up order! This will instantly make Japan the biggest F-35 user outside of the USA (100 on top of the 42 f-35A already ordered to replace the F-4 fleet).


https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/ ... _0OgNv7SM8

The helicopter carrier Izumo will be modified to accommodate the F-35B. The Bees will also be used to operate from some smaller airbases on remote islands.

http://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/world/ ... 1768OcoAlE

More details on the 100 F-35 purchase here:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Intern ... rs-from-US

[Bjorn]

#15-5202 first flight on November 26th, 2018.

Greets,

[tally]

Today at NAS Fort Worth, November 29, 2018:
BF-68, 169593 delivered to MCAS Beaufort. No markings as of yet.
AF-170, 15-5195/HL 388 FW, 4 FS delivered to Hill AFB.
AF-178, 15-5203/HL 388 FW, 421 FS on a company 2 or 3 flight.