Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Faulkner gives upbeat JSF assessment

March 29, 2010 - 2:40PM

Ads by Google
Stainless Steel Coils SRA
300 Series, 17-7, SRA stainless strip, sheet, shim stock .0005-.035

www.brownmetals.com

AAP

Defence Minister John Faulkner has provided an upbeat assessment of the troubled Joint Strike Fighter project despite acknowledging it has its problems.

But the problems should be resolved in time for the aircraft to enter Australian operational service by 2018, he said.

Senator Faulkner, addressing the RAAF Air Power Conference in Canberra on Monday, said the government welcomed recent decisive US government action to keep the project on track.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSF is an advanced stealthy multi-role combat aircraft that will be the mainstay of US and allied air forces to around mid-century.

Australia will acquire up to 100 aircraft with the first entering service in 2018.

Senator Faulkner said the project had experienced cost and schedule issues - rising costs and delays - during the past couple of years but it had made significant progress.

The short takeoff and vertical landing variant, not being acquired by Australia, had successfully completed its first takeoff and vertical landing.

"I can report that ground structural testing has also been progressing very well with ground test aircraft completing testing at about three times the rate of earlier aircraft programs," he said.

"Testing of the stealth performance of the aircraft is also progressing well, meeting predictions based on new technologies that will significantly reduce the time and cost of maintaining stealth capabilities."

Senator Faulkner said all JSF sensors were performing well in the labs and on test aircraft and would soon fly on the first JSF avionics test aircraft.

"And by the end of 2010, the 19 test aircraft already on contract should be delivered to the flight test sites," he said.

The arrival of the RAAF's first five of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets last Friday would allow retirement of elderly F-111 strike bombers at the end of this year.

Super Hornets were ordered by the previous Howard government as a bridging capability in event of delay in arrival of JSF.

The aircraft would greatly enhance Australia's air combat capability but it was the JSF that represented the next generation of Australian air power, Senator Faulkner said.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-na ... -r77x.html

F-16.net Sponsor

Why hasn't this tread had 250 replies yet? WTF

If it were a negative post, everyone would have jumped all over it by now! Poke

TEG

ZOMG LIES!!!!~ F-35 JSF wil FALL APART when fighting might T-50 PAK FA b/c of pidgeon wing loading!!!11

Better, TEG?

It's funny, anyone with any form of "official" knowledge backs the program, and eagerly awaits IOC. Knowing full well all the total cost speculation is purely media reading tea leaves. I don't think I've seen the same cost value twice, but constanly I read people in the know stating their support and anticipation. Of course that means nothing to the keyboard quarterbacks who will do backflips the second someone like the apa (or national inquirer for that matter) makes a outlandish negative claim of the jet.

thanks Prinz E.... I was beginning to think the F-35 could be successful if it's given a chance in the real world.

I'm glad there is still a voice of reason out there.

(Very heavy sarcasm for those who can't read into the lines above.)

TEG

AND don't forget (seems to be a widespread problem nevertheless) Oz has bought 14 of these wunnerful machines already. Twisted Evil

The F-35 will never be able to compare to the F-22's maneuverability, speed, supercruise, blah blah blah. Even though the a/c wasn't designed to do so. The T-50, even if it is only a shell, will outperform the JSF in every category!

It is good to see some positive news put out here for a change. Good lookin out Marshal

I wonder what people are going to say 10 years from now when the JSF is flying around in numbers with operational units. They'll probably find a new defense program to bash. They could start with the KC-X, the CSAR-X or a number of other programs. Reminds me of how the GAO and news bashed the AH-64A Apache for being horribly unreliable, super expensive, and dangerous to fly. Those critics were silenced after Desert Storm. Well, most of them.

The critics don't stop until it's actually done it's job. A-10, F-16, F/A-18, Ah-64 are all examples of that. When the F-35 starts getting 100% of all missions done. They will shut up.

Countries voting with their wallets says a lot more about the F-35 than tons of speculation on any internet forum/blog.

Australia's in a good position to buy these right now and should be snapping them up while our dollar is still really good against the US. Hopefully we'll be buying all 100 of these as fast as possible.

Sorta ironic that China's demand for Australian resources is responsible for us buying much better defense technology.

Last edited by spazsinbad on Mar 30, 2010 - 07:58 AM; edited 1 time in total

munny, Probably the 'Pig Iron Bob (Menzies) fable' is too long ago maybe this one answers your question (while Stern Hu was jailed today for various (some unknown) reasons: ("Sorta ironic that China's demand for Australian resources is responsible for us buying much better defense technology")

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/ ... ghood.html

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: And Granny. What big teeth you have. (she is looking directly at the wolf’s teeth and his mouth is wide open)

BIG BAD WOLF: (growling in his deep wolf voice) All the better to eat you with my dear!

Guys I'm a little worried actually. I hope our three stooges are ok.

LMAggie wrote:

Guys I'm a little worried actually. I hope our three stooges are ok.

??? By three stooges, do you mean the three F-35 variants??? What are you worried about?

Why can't send topic ?