Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Quote:

PALMDALE, Calif., April 1, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- 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. The center fuselage is the core structure around which the F-35 aircraft is built.

A photo accompanying this release is available at
Photo Here

The assembly process began March 24 at the company's Palmdale Manufacturing Center with the loading of an all-composite air inlet duct into a special tooling structure called a jig. This first assembly process, one of approximately 18 major steps in assembling an F-35 center fuselage, consists of attaching metal frames around the duct. The frames serve to brace and position the duct properly within the center fuselage.

"Jig loading the AF-6 center fuselage is significant because it shows the F-35 program is successfully transitioning from the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase into the production phase," said Janis Pamiljans, vice president and F-35 program manager for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "Through a disciplined approach to managing costs and engineering changes, we've reduced our average center fuselage assembly time by approximately 28 percent since the SDD program began."

To illustrate his point, Pamiljans noted that the company had started assembling the AF-6 center fuselage approximately one week sooner than the date indicated by the F-35 program's master schedule.

Northrop Grumman is a principal partner and founding member of the F-35 industry team led by Lockheed Martin. To date, the company has delivered eight of 19 SDD center fuselages - three for the Air Force and five for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps - with the remaining 11 currently in the assembly flow in Palmdale. The company has also begun work on three LRIP jets, including AF-6.

Final assembly of all F-35 jets is performed by Lockheed Martin at a facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The process includes mating a Northrop Grumman-built center fuselage to an aft fuselage produced by BAE Systems, and the forward fuselage/cockpit and wings produced by Lockheed Martin.

The F-35 Lightning II is a stealthy, supersonic multi-role fighter designed to replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft. It is being produced in three variants - CTOL, short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) and a carrier variant (CV) - to meet the diverse performance needs of the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy and allied defense forces worldwide. The three variants use a high degree of commonality to meet strict affordability requirements.

Northrop Grumman's roles on the F-35 team include producing the aircraft's center fuselage, key radar and electro-optical subsystems, and its communication, navigation and identification avionics. The company also provides mission systems and mission-planning software; and develops pilot and maintenance training systems.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $32 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

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Get back to us when there are 48+ per year A models produced for USAF and when they become operational... Smile

I'll support the F-35 project if it becomes viable for the USAF, but for now, I'll support an F-16XL variant as backup in case the F-35A falls through.

Last edited by SpudmanWP on Apr 04, 2008 - 01:53 AM; edited 1 time in total

geogen wrote:

Get back to us when there are 48+ per year A models produced for USAF and when they become operational... Smile

If you do not care about the F-35 until it reaches 48+ a year.... then why are you reading these posts? This was newsworthy because this is the first airframe that incorporates all the weight-saving efforts over the past couple of years.

geogen wrote:

I'll support the F-35 project if it becomes viable for the USAF, but for now, I'll support an F-16XL variant as backup in case the F-35A falls through.

Now who is being unrealistic? The whole F-16Xl vs F-35 thing has been beaten to death, but what the heck, I'll give it one more whack Smile

1. The F-35 SMOKES the F-16XL in stealth.
2. The F-16XL has no internal weapons bay. I know of it's semi-conformal stations, but they have a HUGE problem. They are made with ONE type of weapon in mind. Change the weapon and you have to redesign the wing.
3. The F-16XL in ATA looses all it's lower RCS when mounting the AIM-120s. The F-35 can mount 4 Aim-120s internally NOW.
4. The F-35 SPANKS it in SA. No DAS in the F-16XL.
5. The F-35 is further along in the design and testing process that the F-16XL.
6. No naval or STOVAL F-16XL.

I'm sure there are much more, these are just off the top of my head. I have not had a chance to check that G-O-O-G-L-E thing Smile

Great news!

(F-16XL?!? come on...that's way old tech and a thing of the past.
BUT! it is a much better looking airplane than anything built in the last 30 years.)

Nope, if for some reason the F-35 falls through (wich it wont) the most logical choice would be to use an equaly powerfull AG platform that already exists in operation for other countries...similar to block 60. (US cant purchase block 60 due to agreement with the UAE)

At Least block 52+. F-16XL would have to be developed all over again.

Thats because block 52+ can dogfight if they have to defend themselves, and the F-16XL would bleed off all its speed the moment it was forced to turn hard to pull G's.

Yeah, call me an XLfile Smile

Of course it would have to be redesigned but perhaps in assistance with NASA and JPL, etc, in a rapid development mode it could require as little as 2-3 years R&D, maybe 4 depending on new composites, LON, LO inlet (and maybe 2-D vectoring)? Integreating off the shelf AESA radar/avionics/IRST and borrowing even the DAS Smile

It could be ready for production before RAAF would expect to procure F-35s!! Hmmm, maybe a joint-development?

With 2-D, and a higher rated 32,000+ lb engine, one could argue it's maneuvering would be quite satisfactory, despite the delta config. But the big pay off of course, would be the extreme high rate of climb and supercruise, enabling an intercept role - impossible for F-35. (note: perhaps bomber/cruise-missile intercept capability is currently under-rated).

Factor in an 'XL-variant' (Super Viper) CFT config for maybe 1.5x combat range of F-35. And add reverse thrusting a couple years down the line for a nice little <500m road landing capable STOL option??

Remember, for at least 30 years, the US as far as I know, is relying on a significant mix of legacy to complement F-22/35. My main argument, is therefor, what if many many more USAF legacy craft are forced out of service far ahead of previously calculated time frames? Something, especially with strong ata (given the evolving threat reality) should be in the pipeline?

Spudman, you must understand I enjoy a good debate on F-35 and F-35 alternatives, even though I am rather crossing my fingers in support of F-35A/C at least. I know this is your thread about the first production model, so I'm sorry to detract so much from it and I do salute this first bird making history as such. And therefor I won't make any further detracting posts on this thread as it should indeed represent the accomplishments put forth.

goegen - NP, I enjoy a good debat too Smile

I even I will say that the F-16XL is a beautiful plane, it's time has passed. Wait, give me a second to put the violin back in the case from reading your long post above Wink

I think you are being a bit optimistic on the R&D times considering all the changes you propose to the Xl would basically create a new plane.

To address you main concern, if USAF aircraft start failing ahead of schedule, then the only logical option is to ramp up F-22 and F-35 production. If that is not enough, then MAYBE purchase some latest gen F-16 and F-15 airframes. In no instance would I start developing and testing any changes to the F-16 as that would take an additional 5-10 years.

Elite Joined: Aug 02, 2006 Posts: 879 Status: Offline

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

dwightlooi wrote:

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

Says who?

Elite Joined: Dec 19, 2005 Posts: 615 Status: Offline

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

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) .

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?

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.

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?

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Northrop Grumman Begins Assembling First F-35 Production Jet