Forum: F-35 milestones

Quote:

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 8, 2013 – The first Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II with a Center Wing Assembly (CWA) built at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga., was flown for the first time this week (March 6). The aircraft, known as BF-25, is an F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variant that will be delivered to the U. S. Marine Corps at Yuma, Arizona. The CWA is a major structural component and represents approximately one quarter of the aircraft’s fuselage. Approximately 350 people work on the F-35 program in Marietta. In addition to building the CWAs, technicians also apply specialized stealth coatings to F-35 horizontal and vertical tail control assemblies and also coat spare and repaired aircraft doors, panels and covers.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least ten other countries.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation's net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2013/march/130308ae_f-35-marietta-center-wing-flown.html

Hi-res
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed/data/aero/photos/press_photos/2013/march/BF_25.jpg

First flight of F-35B (BF-25) with Paul Hattendorf at the controls on March 6th, 2013 at NAS Fort Worth.

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What is the latest with the Navy version of the F-35? Has it flown yet?

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Last edited by spazsinbad on Mar 08, 2013 - 11:09 PM; edited 2 times in total

'jsontag' google is useful and it found this first or read/search the forum.

F-35C first flight and the audacity of naval aviation By Stephen Trimble on June 9, 2010

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-d ... e-aud.html

"...The 55-minute flight on 6 June [2010] by CF-1 -- the first carrier variant..."
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OR if you want the first F-35C Production Aircraft then:

First F-35C Production model takes flight

https://www.f35.com/news-events/news-releases.aspx

"FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 15, 2013 - The first Lockheed Martin production model F-35C carrier variant, known as CF-6, raises its landing gear on takeoff for its first sortie Thursday. Upon delivery later this year, the jet will be assigned to US Navy Fighter Attack Squadron 101 (VFA-101) at Eglin AFB, Fla. The unit will serve as the Fleet Replacement Squadron, training Navy F-35C pilots and maintainers. While CF-6 will be the first carrier variant jet assigned to Eglin, it will join a fleet of nine F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jets and 13 F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jets already on station. (Lockheed Martin photo by Angel DelCueto)"
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And good ole Neppie has filled in the other blanks...

jsontag wrote:

What is the latest with the Navy version of the F-35? Has it flown yet?

CF-5 is the latest and the last SDD to fly with Gigliotti, William J. (Bill) on 30 Nov 12 (first flight) and delivered to PAX on 11 Dec 12. Smile

Last edited by jsontag on Mar 08, 2013 - 11:24 PM; edited 1 time in total

Thanks for the replies. I thought I read that the Navy will start carrier trials in 2014? Any idea when they may be opeartional?

OK that is a different matter and you are correct AFAIK.

jsontag wrote:

Thanks for the replies. I thought I read that the Navy will start carrier trials in 2014? Any idea when they may be opeartional?

The Navy is intending to commence carrier trials with the F-35C in 2014, but that depends on how well they address the infamous tailhook issue.

These aircraft are currently scheduled to finish their development in about 2017. I imagine sometime after that the aircraft will be operational.

It takes a lot more to declare an operational capability than merely having an aircraft that has completed development.

For example, Australia just bought 24 brand new and fully mature, Super Hornet fighters. We ordered them in May 2007. The first aircraft were delivered to us in July 2009. We subsequently declared Initial Operational Capability for our Super Hornet fleet in December 2010.

So IOC for us from the date of initial delivery of fully developed combat aircraft was about 18 months after we received the first aircraft.

To have an operational capability, you've got to have developed and reasonably mature platforms, trained crews, mature support systems in place, infrastructure to maintain the capability in place, weapon systems in place and the capability exercised, so the crews can learn how to "fight" the aircraft, rather than merely operate it.

Getting all of that ready takes a bit of time and work...

Quote:

BF-25, pictured here, is one of three F-35B first flights flown this week in Fort Worth, Texas

http://www.facebook.com/thef35
Is that means BF-24 and BF-26 also made FF?

Conan, thank you so very much for the information about the F-35C. Seems like it will be sometime before the Navy has it operational.

fang wrote:

Quote:

BF-25, pictured here, is one of three F-35B first flights flown this week in Fort Worth, Texas

[Link pending approval]
Is that means BF-24 and BF-26 also made FF?

BF-26 FF March 6th, 2013. BF-24 went up a day or 2 before , I believe, but I missed it.

BuNo. of BF-26 from above photo: BuNo 168724 (I have no idea how the BuNos run - just provided that is all).

Here is a time laps movie from the Marietta facility where the CWA's are being manufactured.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2pJlZajYG8&feature=youtu.be

Forum: F-35 milestones

BF-25 first flight