Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Does Lockheed Martin have the capacity to build both F-16's and F-35's at its Fort Worth Assy Plant? As F-16 Productions keeps on going....... Very Happy

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Both platforms are hatched at plant 04 ... however one shines and one slimes!

I think we need to consolidate Two Cents

FUNDS AND SCREW MORE RAPTORS TOGETHER!

You didn't answer the question?

BTW - We are getting more Raptors so the point is moot! Two Cents

both at the same factory?
any recent Pics guys.. Whistle

F35 will be increaing rate while the f16 winds down and will be replaced. A large part of this factory conversion has already taken place. Like the f16 before it, the f35 will consume much of the floor space in the facility

[quote="Corsair1963"]You didn't answer the question?

Yes ... They just need to swap buildings!

could production be moved somewhere else to get us F-35s quicker

Last edited by VarkVet on Nov 27, 2009 - 05:21 PM; edited 1 time in total

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/business/24plane.html

They are putting 35’s on the ramp faster than Illegal immigrants produce anchor babies?

Problem is … they are not flying!

discofishing wrote:

could production be moved somewhere else to get us F-35s quicker

In theory, they could open at at second line at Palmdale or shift some production to the British, Italian, or Turkish lines.

I know we don't often think about strikes in the U.S., but we have like 2 major sub bases, 1 major carrier ship yard, 1 major plant to produce the F-35, 1 base that hosts B-2's etc... I could go on and on about how the commercial and defense manufacturing industry has become so vulnerable, both geographically and in production capacity, not to mention the sub contractor tails and international components. We're so much more limited than the past industrial models we've operated.

bjr1028 wrote:

discofishing wrote:

could production be moved somewhere else to get us F-35s quicker

In theory, they could open at at second line at Palmdale or shift some production to the British, Italian, or Turkish lines.

If I am not mistaken, the other partner countries are only producing components...

OPSEC and assembly still goes hand in hand, right?

I was thinking that if F-16 production moved to some other plant that had already produced them before like Samsung/KAI in Korea, we could focus totally on F-35s.

According to the NY Times:
"At the Pentagon’s request, Lockheed Martin is already building some of the planes even though the flight test program is only 2 percent complete. That means costly modifications could be needed if problems are found."

Wouldn't it be a good idea (for right now) to be cranking out test flights instead of more planes?

International partners are assembling the jet, with tai in turkey building the center fuselage, and alenia itially doing subassembly work, and final aircraft assembly as a second line.

Building of the jet now is low rate, we will not get too far along before significant flight test feedback. Fact is, the rate level we will get to requires building now for the lessons learned do we can meet the rate needs in the short term future. Just like the pilots and flight test need to fly the jet, themechanics and engineers need to build it.

rivetspacer wrote:

International partners are assembling the jet, with tai in turkey building the center fuselage, and alenia itially doing subassembly work, and final aircraft assembly as a second line.

[color=blue]Building of the jet now is low rate, we will not get too far along before significant flight test feedback. Fact is, the rate level we will get to requires building now for the lessons learned do we can meet the rate needs in the short term future. Just like the pilots and flight test need to fly the jet, themechanics and engineers need to build it.

Aren't you kind of really stretching the definition of *assembling* here? I guess since Turkey is making the tail section or body or whatever their piece of the pie is and it obviously does not come in one huge piece they would have to assemble that part into the piece it is suppose to be. But when people ask where is the jet being assembled they are I think asking where it is being put together into a fully functional, operational, flyable jet. Not where each piece is put together. It seems that useing your definition of assembly that one could say the F22 is assembled in all 50 states since they all make something for it and I do not think anyone considered the F22 to be assembled anywhere but the one planr in Marietta GA? And I understood that Italy had *requested* that a final assembly plant also be put in Italy, but as of now, one has not been approved or built there for such purpose?

The Texas plant is scheduled to be able to produce 1 plane per day minus weekends and holidays and unless orders exceed that there will not be another final assembly plant or need for one? It also appears as of now there is only 3 years where that rate of production is even scheduled. Those years are 2017,18,19 and after that the rate goes down each and every year until projected orders are completed. I realize that can all change but it's really hard at this time to imagine more planes then that would be required. One could argue that when it all gets going the rate could actually go down rather then up under the current financila climate in every nation involved with it.

Beazz[/color]

Tai will build complete center fuselages, exactly like those sourced within the states (second source). Final jets will roll off the itallian final assembly & check out facility. I don't know what else to call that except complete assembly. Some 400 or so jets are planned to be built in such a way. The fort worth plant alone will never reach 1 jet a day. The program might, but the Texas checkout will not.

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

F-16, F-35, and Fort Worth?