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Does anyone know what kind of camouflage pattern the F-35 will get?

I saw some models that had something like the F-16. Or something like the Raptor?

Personally I like the brown/grey color of AA-1.

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Enthusiast Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 39 Status: Offline

Choice of color will likely be limited by the low E coating.

How about the new digital camo like on new military uniforms?

djcross wrote:

Choice of color will likely be limited by the low E coating.

Can you explain? This is the first time I heard about E-coating. Thanks!

Enthusiast Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 39 Status: Offline

JanHas wrote:

djcross wrote:

Choice of color will likely be limited by the low E coating.

Can you explain? This is the first time I heard about E-coating. Thanks!

Look at pictures of F-22 and recent production V-22s. Notice the shimmer? That is the low-e coating.

Quote:

Can you explain? This is the first time I heard about E-coating. Thanks!

Quote:

Look at pictures of F-22 and recent production V-22s. Notice the shimmer? That is the low-e coating.

From a general perspective -- not particularly stealth or aircraft related -- Low E coatings refer to thin film metal or metal oxide coating used on high end window glass and other transparencies. Low-E stands for Low Emissivity. The metal film reflects IR radiation and reduces its transmittance through the transparency by 30~60% depending on the coating and the media itself. It is typically applied to outside pane of a double pane window to keep heat out and to the inside pane to keep heat in. A conspicuous example can be found on Lexus RX330 rear windows -- you'll see it as a slightly brownish metallic sheen which is most apparent in direct sunlight.

Personally, I don't think it makes a lot of sense to apply it to a fighter and even less sense that its application would cause a shimmer. I say that because the primary purpose of such coatings is to reflect IR energy from going through a transparency. The fuselage and wings of an aircraft are not transparencies. If you are trying to keep heat from radiating out of something that doesn't have to be transparent, you'll use an insulating undercoat of some kind. A 1.5 inch thick insular ceramic can be 2500 degrees on one side and about 150 degrees on the other. Since there is no way an aircraft is going to get that hot on the inside, a paper thin insulation coat would have been more than sufficient. The shimmering part makes even less sense since if reducing IR emission is the goal, then why is a thermal reflective coating applied on the outside?

"let's be careful out there..."

What is the most likely pattern? F-22 / F-15 style, F-16 style, AA-1 or something else?

You have to consider the fact that F-35 IOC is literally years away. IMO it is much too soon to expect a camo pattern to be specified. All else is pure speculation.

Oke, does anyone know when we will see AA-2 roll out?

JanHas wrote:

Oke, does anyone know when we will see AA-2 roll out?

We'll never see an AA-2. All "AA" series aircraft have been cancelled and the AA-1 will be the only F-35 prototype built to the original (pre-2003) design.

The aircraft was re-designed after 2003 to reduce weight, refine its aerodynamics and improve on its intakes. All F-35 prototypes other than the very first will be based on the re-designed airframe. The first of these will be designated AF-1, BF-1 and CF-1 respectively, and these will truly represent the production airframe.

The next F-35 production prototype due to roll out will be the BF-1. On December 19 (2006) subcontractor Northrop-Grumman completed the BF-1 fuselage. This fuselage subassembly was delivered on Jan 8 (2007) to Lockmart marking the beginning of the BF-1's final assembly. We can expect the completion of the BF-1 this year and first flight either 4th Qtr 2007 or 1st Qtr 2008. That is about as specific as anyone can be right now.

IIRC there are some AG/BG/CG series, these are dedicated ground test articles that will never fly.

Just a question, what is all the AA AG BG CG ???? what does it stand for

The first letter for the version. G probably for ground (test). The second A in AA-1...?

ViperFan16D wrote:

Just a question, what is all the AA AG BG CG ???? what does it stand for

The first letter is the variant. The letter in the middle denotes the design version or type. The number at the end denotes the whether it is the first, second, third or N-th airframe.

Hence the AA-1 is an F-35A prototype, version "A", airframe #1. The BF-1 is an F-35B prototype, version "F", airframe #1.

All the airframes with a "G" in the middle are ground test units that will not and are not equipped to fly. Eg. AG-1, BG-1, etc.

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Future camo pattern?