DT-III aboard USS America

[SpudmanWP]

Lens distortion makes it look like the pylons are canted outwards like the Superhornet, but they are not.

You are correct that the three pylons are angled up/down at different angles. The inner pylon is relatively parallel to the deck, the outer pylon is angled up a little bit and the far outer A2A pylon is angled down.

[Dragon029]

Naturally they'd be angled differently for safe separation, the outer pylons being pointed down so much due to the expectation that they'll be getting launched at higher angles of attack, the inner / mid pylons being angled just to account for the different air pressure / direction of flow around the fuselage / wing.

[gc]

Frontal shots have to be made at a decent distance with zoom lens to give an accurate view of the pylons.

[gc]

Check this deck roll angle out.

[spazsinbad]

At Last! PEEPs talking sense! COOL.

[botsing]

Naturally they'd be angled differently for safe separation, the outer pylons being pointed down so much due to the expectation that they'll be getting launched at higher angles of attack, the inner / mid pylons being angled just to account for the different air pressure / direction of flow around the fuselage / wing.

Thank you for this explanation Dragon029!

At Last! PEEPs talking sense! COOL.

Sorry for the confusion spazsinbad.

[spazsinbad]

'botsing' my apologies. "0:44 Interesting: do the outer pylons point more upwards?" I completely misread your question.

[bring_it_on]

Marines complete third and final F-35B development test at sea

ABOARD THE USS AMERICA (LHA-6) -- The Marine Corps recently completed the third and final developmental test of the F-35B at sea that included the first integration of the logistics system, integration with the Aegis Combat System, live ordnance and night vision camera operations.

Col. George "Sack" Rowell, Marine Operational Test and Evaluation One (VMX-1) commander, told reporters here Nov. 19 there were seven F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing jets on the ship for DT-3.

The focus of the test was on envelope expansion in a heavy sea state, asymmetric loading of an aircraft, live ordnance loading, Link 16 integration and testing the Joint Precision and Landing System, he continued.

The November test period was the first time the service used the Autonomic Logistics Information System Squadron Operating Unit Version 2 (SOUv2) at sea. During the first F-35B operations test the Marines used SOUv1, which is a more permanent version of the system.

"SOUv2 is essentially a repackaged modular version of the SOUv1 that comes in ruggedized cases and allows us to not only install it on [a] ship's preconfigured racks for seaworthiness but also to move the system ashore into an expeditionary environment if required," Lt. Col. Richard "BC" Rusnok, a VMX-1 pilot told Inside the Navy in August. Rusnok will be the commander of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-121, which is the first unit to deploy with the F-35B.

The Marine Corps demonstrated the use of SOUv2 on land during exercise Steel Knight in December 2015. Having tested the system on land and at-sea allows the service to identify any issues before the first scheduled fleet deployment in 2018.

DT-3 was also the first time the F-35B was integrated with Aegis. In September, the jet successfully detected and engaged a target link with Aegis on the Desert Ship (LLS-1) at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This is part of the Navy's existing Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air architecture and will extend the service's range.

"What I can tell you is we were able to talk electronically to the Aegis Combat System, pump that data from the end-to-end sensor into their system, engage and therefore target successfully," Rowell said. "When I say engage successfully, it was metal-on-metal engagement from a significant range . . . it was a very, very impressive shot to see."

At sea the F-35B was able to take advantage of other exercises occurring off the coast of California and plugged into Aegis systems that were afloat, he continued.

"A lot of that was to verify that the message tracking passed through the Link 16 system [and the jet] is reading properly through our aircraft and their systems," Rowell said.

Lt. Col. Chad "Mo" Vaughn, VMFA-211 commander, told reporters at the end of January and in early February an exercise called Agile Lightning will leverage testing the F-35B has conducted with Aegis.

The exercise will take place along the West Coast and the Marine Corps will use the Bunker Hill (CG-52), which is an Aegis-capable ship.


"We're going to use some additional assets from VMX-1, we're going to use V-22s from there as well as F-18s from [Marine Aircraft Group]-11in Miramar," Vaughn said.

Rowell said this is part of the process of marking what will become standard when operating the F-35B.

For two days in a row during DT-3 the Marine Corps launched a jet with live ordnance off the ship. The F-35B then flew to the ranges at Yuma, AZ, dropped ordnance, and then returned to the ship, according to Rowell.

Another first for the F-35B during DT-3 was pulling an engine, lift fan and drive shaft out of the same aircraft and reinstalling the parts. Rowell said it took the Marines about 12 days to complete the task but anticipates his team can perform the same fix in four days.

http://insidedefense.com/daily-news/mar ... t-test-sea

[KamenRiderBlade]

[spazsinbad]

'bring_it_on' thanks for the 'InsideDefence' article. What bugs me is that for such an expensive subscription that website often provides poor information. For example there is no mention of "Lightning Carrier Proof of Concept Demonstration". However I will concede perhaps that demo is highlighted in another article from 'InsideDefence'?

AND... a good video above from LM about it all (no mention of LCPofCD - but hey that is USMC).

[spazsinbad]

On page 2 of this thread - amongst the chains - is a dramatic photo of the up/down nature of external weapon pointings.

download/file.php?id=23727&mode=view

[spazsinbad]

Below are two bomb screenshots from the F-35C DT-III Aug 2016 'wrap' video. The gunpod is seen in the video also.

[spazsinbad]

More happy trails... LONG ARTICLE best read at source if'n youse are interested.

For the First Time Ever, the F-35B Takes-Off at Sea With Full Weapons Load and Drops Live-Bombs
30 Nov 2016 Kris Osborn

"The Marine Corps F-35B Short-Take-Off-and-Vertical-Landing Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter took off from a Navy amphibious assault ship for the first time with a full load of weapons — in preparation for its planned deployment in 2018.

The aircraft flew from the Navy’s first America-Class Amphibious Assault Ship, the USS America, to Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz., where it dropped live precision guided weapons on mock targets in the desert.

The F-35B dropped laser-guided GBU 12s and satellite-guided GBU 32s as part of the exercise; the ordance team aboard the USS America assembled 72-GBU 12s and 40-GBU 32s aboar the ship, Marine Corps officials said.

“Laser-guided bomb (LGB) kits consist of a computer control group and air foil group normally attached to a general-purpose bomb to form an LGB. The dual mode, laser-guided kit enhances existing LGB kits by adding GPS/inertial navigation system capabilities,” a Navy statement from Chief Petty Officer John Scorza said....

...DT-III was also the first time an operational F-35B took off with the latest Block 3F software at sea, and involved the first qualification of a British Royal Navy F-35B.

F-35B Will Change Tactics and Procedures on Amphibs:
Part of the challenge to F-35B integration is recognizing how its technologies will change concepts of operations, tactics and procedures; the F-35B is a very different aircraft than the Harrier jets it is replacing, Navy officials said.

Harrier jets, which also have the ability to conduct vertical take-off-and-landings, are multi-role jets primarily designed for light attack missions – such as quickly flying over land locations where Marines are forward deployed and providing close air support.

While the F-35B can perform these missions as well, the new Joint Strike Fighter brings a wide range of new sensors, weaponry and aviation technology to the Corps....

...Thus far, the Navy and Marine Corps have made progress with a series of extensive preparations on board amphibious assault ships in order to ensure that their flight decks, sensors and weapons systems can accommodate the first ever deployment of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter slated for 2018.

The Marine Corps short-take-off-and-landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35B, could be the first ever fifth-generation aircraft in the world to deploy when they serve on board several amphibs in 2018, Marine Corps and Navy leaders told Scout Warrior.

The technological modifications are already complete on the USS Wasp, an operational Navy amphib; they are also operational aboard the USS America while also being built into the USS Tripoli, Navy officials said....

...Thus far, the Navy and Marine Corps have made progress with a series of extensive preparations on board amphibious assault ships in order to ensure that their flight decks, sensors and weapons systems can accommodate the first ever deployment of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter slated for 2018.

The Marine Corps short-take-off-and-landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35B, could be the first ever fifth-generation aircraft in the world to deploy when they serve on board several amphibs in 2018, Marine Corps and Navy leaders told Scout Warrior.

The technological modifications are already complete on the USS Wasp, an operational Navy amphib; they are also operational aboard the USS America while also being built into the USS Tripoli, Navy officials said.

Navy engineers and shipbuilders have recently done extensive work on board the USS America, the lead ship in a series of 11 planned America-class big-deck amphibs. The USS America, or LHA 6, was commissioned by the Navy October of 2014 and has completed a trail period known as “post-shakedown availability” and gone on missions to South America to connect with key allies. The ship is slated for full operational deployment with the F-35B in the future.


The USS America underwent a series of intense modifications in order to ensure that the weapons and sensors and synchronized with the Joint Strike Fighter and that flight deck can withstand the heat of the F-35B vertical take-offs-and-landings.

Navy engineers are installing a new heat-resistant thermally sprayed non-skid, which is designed to prevent long-term heat damage to the flight deck and underlying structure, adding intercostal structural members below landing spots seven and nine. This reduces stress on flight deck, and integrating the flight deck with support equipment, sensors and weapons.

“With the added structure, these two landing spots will provide the capability to perform closely timed cyclic flight operations with the F-35B without overstressing the flight deck,” a Navy official said.

Also, some of the modifications may involve re-adjusting some of the ship’s antennas in order to allow for a clear flight path for the JSF....

...America-Class Amphibious Assault Ships:
Much of the effort with the USS America is going inside the ship and dropping lighting and ventilation and piping wiring and everything down far enough so new material can be installed and welded in place, senior Navy officials said.

“The America class is intended to operate for sustained periods in transit and operations in an Amphibious Objective Area to include embarking, transporting, controlling, inserting, sustaining and extracting elements of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and supporting forces by helicopters and tilt rotors supported by Joint Strike Fighters F-35B,” a Navy official added.

Overall, the USS Tripoli will be 844-feet long and 106-feet wide and have a weight of more than 44,000 tons. A fuel-efficient gas turbine propulsion system will bring the ship’s speed up to more than 20 knots, a Huntington Ingalls statement said.

The ship will be able to carry a crew of 1,204 and 1,871 troops, meaning the ship is being engineered to carry a Marine Expeditionary Unit, the statement added...."

Source: http://hrana.org/news/2016/11/for-the-f ... ive-bombs/

[spazsinbad]

This tidbit will be repeated on the more appropriate F-35C DT-III thread but relevant here due above screenshots etc....

Navy F-35C Now Armed With Max Weapons Load
25 Aug 2016 Kris Osborn

"During recent developmental testing on the USS George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean, the F-35C took off with one GBU-31, two AIM-120s and four GBU-12s along with its 25mm gun mounted in a pod beneath the aircraft...."

Source: http://hrana.org/news/2016/08/navy-f-35 ... pons-load/

[spazsinbad]

LM F-35 GM Weekly Update
01 Dec 2016 Jeff Babione

"F-35B DT-III Complete
After three weeks on board, and just in time for Thanksgiving, our PAX River test team completed DT-III for the F-35B. Overall, they accomplished 60 flights, 128 vertical landings, 126 short takeoffs, two vertical takeoffs, and expanded the F-35B’s shipboard operating envelope to full operational capability for the U.S. Marine Corps...."

Source: https://a855196877272cb14560-2a4fa819a6 ... 2_1_16.pdf (0.9Mb)