Forum: Program and politics

Exclusive: U.S. Air Force to move forward target date for F-35 use Andrea Shalal-Esa, Reuters 20 May 2013

Quote:

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force plans to start operational use of Lockheed Martin Corp.-built F-35 fighter jets in mid-2016, a year earlier than planned, using a similar software package as the Marine Corps, two sources familiar with the plans said on Monday....

...The Air Force, Marines and Navy must report to Congress by June 1 on their target dates for initial operational capability, or IOC, which marks the point when the services have enough planes on hand to go to war if needed. Actual deployments usually lag IOC dates by about a year....

...Former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said accelerating operational use of the new warplane would allow the Air Force to learn more about the F-35's integrated battle management system....

...The Navy has set mid-2018 for starting operational use of its C-model F-35, which is designed for use aboard U.S. aircraft carriers. Its deadline or threshold date is early 2019....

...The Air Force jets would use the 3I software, which will include a technology refresh with improved memory processors for some sensors on board.

Bogdan said it was not as clear that work on the final software package would be done in 2017, when the Air Force initially planned to declare IOC...."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 4960.story

BEST to read it all at the jump.

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Oh my God, they will start pulling our their hair, tearing their clothes, yelling, screaming, running and jumping out windows now! Laughing

They will focus on this last part of the report:

Quote:

The Air Force jets would use the 3I software, which will include a technology refresh with improved memory processors for some sensors on board.

Bogdan said it was not as clear that work on the final software package would be done in 2017, when the Air Force initially planned to declare IOC.

The final 3F software will support use of the aircraft's full war fighting capability, with additional internal and external weapons, and more advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities.

That reads like a delay of the full software, or at least a hedging of bets... even if the USAF's IOC date has moved forward. Something for everyone here I guess.

Or, the USAF realized that:

1. If 3I was good enough for several of our Partners to start with, then why not.
2. The cost of F-16 SLEPs was too much and the F-35A at 3I could be very useful prior to 3F.
3. The cost savings of going to MYB and FRP earlier were tremendous (not sure if this applies)
4. It's a tremendous vote of confidence in the plane's abilities at 3I and the Program's abilities to deliver 3F in a timely manner.
5. The only difference between 3I and 3F is a software update with "maybe" a couple of cards thrown in. This can be done in the field.
6. This will likely stabilize the Partners as they will see the USAF going IOC early.

SpudmanWP wrote:

Or, the USAF realized that:

1. If 3I was good enough for several of our Partners to start with, then why not.
2. The cost of F-16 SLEPs was too much and the F-35A at 3I could be very useful prior to 3F.
3. The cost savings of going to MYB and FRP earlier were tremendous (not sure if this applies)
4. It's a tremendous vote of confidence in the plane's abilities at 3I and the Program's abilities to deliver 3F in a timely manner.
5. The only difference between 3I and 3F is a software update with "maybe" a couple of cards thrown in. This can be done in the field.
6. This will likely stabilize the Partners as they will see the USAF going IOC early.

Sure, there are a lot of good reasons to go operational with 3I. The capabilities it offers compare very favorably with what aircraft like the Rafale and Eurofighter went operational with.

My previous response was directed specifically at the various "concerned, skeptical people," who are convinced the program will utterly fail and that its continued refusal to do so is evidence of a conspiracy to destroy European aviation and blah blah blah...

No worries. Winslow Wheeler will no doubt tell us all why this is a bad idea, too expensive and will fail.

Blah, blah blah.

hobo wrote:

SpudmanWP wrote:

Or, the USAF realized that:

1. If 3I was good enough for several of our Partners to start with, then why not.
2. The cost of F-16 SLEPs was too much and the F-35A at 3I could be very useful prior to 3F.
3. The cost savings of going to MYB and FRP earlier were tremendous (not sure if this applies)
4. It's a tremendous vote of confidence in the plane's abilities at 3I and the Program's abilities to deliver 3F in a timely manner.
5. The only difference between 3I and 3F is a software update with "maybe" a couple of cards thrown in. This can be done in the field.
6. This will likely stabilize the Partners as they will see the USAF going IOC early.

Sure, there are a lot of good reasons to go operational with 3I. The capabilities it offers compare very favorably with what aircraft like the Rafale and Eurofighter went operational with.

My previous response was directed specifically at the various "concerned, skeptical people," who are convinced the program will utterly fail and that its continued refusal to do so is evidence of a conspiracy to destroy European aviation and blah blah blah...

What will be amusing about this line of thought is that even if delayed a year for 3F capability the F-35 will still be very capable out of the box, especially compared to other fighter programs out there. The Eurofighter still has pretty limited ground attack capabilities and it has been in service for quite a while. The fact is that even at 3I the F-35 will be a more complete weapon system out of the box than most new fighters have been since the end of the Cold War.

Forum: Program and politics

USAF to move forward target date for F-35A use