Forum: F-35 Lightning II

SpudmanWP wrote:

LMAggie wrote:

SpudmanWP wrote:

LMAggie wrote:

dwightlooi wrote:

Interesting Note: The first weight optimized CTOL will be the AF-6 not AF-1.

Says who?

um..... you did read the press release, right?

It says "...first production Lightning II jet, a weight-optimized..." Its the first production jet, but not the first weight optimized. AF-1 will break that ground.

From the first post

Quote:

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has begun assembling the center fuselage for the first production Lightning II jet, a weight-optimized, U.S. Air Force F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant designated AF-6.

In the very first sentence it says it all. How are you missing that?

It says its "a weight optimized" not "the first weight optimized". The first is refering to the first production article. If there is a big difference between AF-1 and AF-6 besides avionics, then my manager forgot to send that memo to me. lol

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I see your point as the first weight optimized airframe is still a testbed aircraft.

I think dwightlooi might have meant that he was surprised that the naming of the production airframes did not start with AF-1 instead of continuing with the AA-x naming convention.

Ya its confusing. Im curious as to where "AA" came from, because "AF" and "AG" are pretty logical.

btw, two thumbs up on the BF-1 rollout Smile

Looking forward to it's first flight.

SpudmanWP wrote:

btw, two thumbs up on the BF-1 rollout Smile

Looking forward to it's first flight.

It'll fly before you know it!

Where do we send the beer for more pics of BF-1?

geogen wrote:

Corsair1963 wrote:

I love this talk like the F-35 is on verge of failure or cancelation..........Really, the Lightning is in a position to take a share of the export market like no fighter has before it! Just think the thousands of aircraft in need of replacement........F-4's, F-15's, F-16's, F/A-18's, AV-8's, A-10's, Mirage 2000's, Mig-29's, Tornado's, etc. etc. etc. Personally, I would love for anyone to tell me what design is going to take any of these sales away from the F-35? Wink

Corsair, besides the obvious F-35 being deployed operationally overseas around 2015-16(?) as is widely anticipated, the 'thousands' needing replacement will be and ARE also being replaced by F-18 Superhornets, Typhoons, F-15 advance mods, F-16 advance blocks, Rafale, Gripen (and advance 2010 Gripen) and perhaps Russian make Mig/Su. Just to answer your 'wink' Very Happy

Major business deals going down out there today (and tomorrow) .

You are hardly making a case? While, the Super Hornet did replace the F-14 Tomcat and A-6 Intruder in USN Service. Its only export order thus far is for 24 aircraft for the RAAF. As a matter of fact in both cases (i.e. USN & RAAF) it was only selected as stop gap until the arrival of the F-35! On the otherhand both F-15 and F-16 production lines are nearing the end. While more advance 4.5 Generation Types like the Typhoon and Rafale have had little or no success at all.............As for the Russians they usually sell to non-Western Customers. (with a few exceptions and in small numbers) Wink

checksixx wrote:

Where do we send the beer for more pics of BF-1?

Well, I dont have any pics but you can always send me beer.

It's hard to say corsair. But I'm just sticking to the current affairs vis-a-vis the hundreds of recent, current and near-future tactical aircraft which could very well be replaced with other competitive modern versions such as the ones I listed. Take Norway, Denmark and Nederlands, e.g. Can you assume they are going to wait until 2016 and even then assume they are going to buy F-35? You really can't say with certainty. Look at the Gulf states too.. very modern alternatives being scooped up. India needs to replace Mig-21 but this is a valid example of what is being sought today. Maybe Superhornet will be the answer, who knows. Brazil is rumored to be looking at SH too. Why not - with latest avionics/radar/counter-measures/weapons, it's formidable. Moreover, it's very hard to say what plan Japan will arrive at, but of course one can't discount F-35.

Not saying that numerous potential buyers will never, eventually, augment their tactical mix with some F-35s, but it's really so far off and the costs are unknown, to really assume anything firm.

geogen wrote:

It's hard to say corsair. But I'm just sticking to the current affairs vis-a-vis the hundreds of recent, current and near-future tactical aircraft which could very well be replaced with other competitive modern versions such as the ones I listed. Take Norway, Denmark and Nederlands, e.g. Can you assume they are going to wait until 2016 and even then assume they are going to buy F-35? You really can't say with certainty. Look at the Gulf states too.. very modern alternatives being scooped up. India needs to replace Mig-21 but this is a valid example of what is being sought today. Maybe Superhornet will be the answer, who knows. Brazil is rumored to be looking at SH too. Why not - with latest avionics/radar/counter-measures/weapons, it's formidable. Moreover, it's very hard to say what plan Japan will arrive at, but of course one can't discount F-35.

Not saying that numerous potential buyers will never, eventually, augment their tactical mix with some F-35s, but it's really so far off and the costs are unknown, to really assume anything firm.

Personally, I don't see the Netherlands, Norway, or Denmark leaving the JSF Program. Nor, do I see countries like Japan or Israel selecting something other than the F-35..................Really, except for India's forthcoming MMRCA or a possible small order from a third world country. The Lightning will very likely dominate the market for the forseeable future. Of course I am not including countries that don't or can't buy a Wetern Type and are forced to purchase aircraft from Russia or China. (Syria or Iran for example) Wink

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Northrop Grumman Begins Assembling First F-35 Production Jet