The Hidden Troubles of the F-35 [DefenseNews]

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 13 Jun 2019, 17:40

And furthermore, this issue is not about generalized ‘structure’ w LO coatings anywhere on the fuselage; it’s about the tail boom and horizontal stab edges aft/near the engine exhaust. ‘Why just B/C?’ answered in posts above by m2048 and the dragon.

usnvo · by **usnvo** » 14 Jun 2019, 04:51

Since I didn't see it anywhere, and apologize in advance if it was posted somewhere else, here is the response from LMT about the Defense News article as reported by Air Force Magazine.

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pag ... olved.aspx

It is interesting to me that all of these "unreported" issues seem to have been previously reported and are well known, at least to anyone who periodically reads up on it. Just as an example, anyone who reads anything about the F-35C knows the green glow has been identified since at least 2015 and the OLED fix was tested in 2016.

juretrn · by **juretrn** » 14 Jun 2019, 06:27

I don'tthink the timing of this release is a coincidence. It seems the DoD is trying to grab LM by the balls, especially in regards to spare parts and maintainability.
Some tough love is needed- the program will be stronger for it.

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 14 Jun 2019, 06:43

juretrn wrote:I don'tthink the timing of this release is a coincidence. It seems the DoD is trying to grab LM by the balls, especially in regards to spare parts and maintainability.
Some tough love is needed- the program will be stronger for it.

Yeah, that just announced $34B multi-year deal is a real nut-roll...

(And in case you missed it, that’s 34 Bbbbbillion dollars; billion with a capital ‘B’)

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 14 Jun 2019, 07:42

usnvo wrote:Since I didn't see it anywhere, and apologize in advance if it was posted somewhere else, here is the response from LMT about the Defense News article as reported by Air Force Magazine.

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pag ... olved.aspx

It is interesting to me that all of these "unreported" issues seem to have been previously reported and are well known, at least to anyone who periodically reads up on it. Just as an example, anyone who reads anything about the F-35C knows the green glow has been identified since at least 2015 and the OLED fix was tested in 2016.

I'll be kind. On previous page this thread is the same post: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=55673&p=421741&hilit=dump#p421741

marauder2048 · by **marauder2048** » 14 Jun 2019, 07:46

juretrn wrote:I don'tthink the timing of this release is a coincidence. It seems the DoD is trying to grab LM by the balls, especially in regards to spare parts and maintainability.
Some tough love is needed- the program will be stronger for it.

I guess one big carrot that's looming is the on-again, off-again MYP for Lots 15 -17.
The RFP is either out or will be soon.

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 14 Jun 2019, 08:31

The most popular UK tabloid, The Sun, has now reported this story with a sensational headline. This is bad PR.

PLANE STUPID RAF’s new £100million F-35 stealth fighter jets can only fly supersonic for short bursts or they’ll ‘crack’, Pentagon warns

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9282274/r ... tagon/amp/

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 14 Jun 2019, 08:58

marsavian wrote:...This is bad PR....

One may ask: Who organised this PR? It seems 'weenies' or somewhosuch. What GOOD PR and by WHOM do you suggest?

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 14 Jun 2019, 10:23

This issue should have been discussed and defused years ago rather then letting tabloids springing it on the world with all their sensationalist interpretations. There has been a lack of transparency on so many F-35 issues so people are forced to scramble to react rather than be proactive and forward in their explanations.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 14 Jun 2019, 10:35

As some here have pointed out along with other credible news outlets some of this 'unknown' stuff was KNOWN in detail. Perhaps some 'not known' was thought to be not that significant however I myself cannot divine stuff on my own with just the DEFnews interpretations rather than the original documents. In any event most of the issues have been addressed as pointed out by LM & others. You might ask why old glitches were dredged up now. Glitches that are being fixed right now. You can read the responses from those in the know as much as I can. I'll consider teacup storm well stirred - but it's over.

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 14 Jun 2019, 13:50

This same crap goes on with almost every new airframe, doesn't matter what it is. Make that goes on with almost every new piece of military hardware..

The F-15's radar broke too often. It was too big, too expensive and too complex to maintain and sortie at a respectable rate. So what happened? Went on to become the most successful air to air platform in history.

Same thing for the M1A1 Abrams. Would never work in the desert. Broke too often, couldn't go far enough. What happened during Desert Storm 1 (and 2, for that matter)? Completely outclassed everything that made the mistake of going up against it.

The F-35 will be no different..

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 14 Jun 2019, 14:02

marsavian wrote:This issue should have been discussed and defused years ago rather then letting tabloids springing it on the world with all their sensationalist interpretations. There has been a lack of transparency on so many F-35 issues so people are forced to scramble to react rather than be proactive and forward in their explanations.

You must have missed it — news media outlets are in the business of making money. They do so in-part by sensationalizing even the normal, routine and mundane. The prestigious Pulitzer Prize is named after Joseph Pulitzer who, with William Randolph Hearst, in the 1890s developed the techniques of “yellow journalism,” which won over readers with “sensationalism, *****, crime and graphic horrors.” Apart from the technology and the ability to now reach global masses, it’s little different. Unless you live in a country where the state essentially owns/controls the media, it’s not gonna change.

“Lack of transparency”?? F-35 is the most routinely audited, monitored and reported-on program in the history of the planet.

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 14 Jun 2019, 14:15

Has the supersonic thermal issue or the oscillation at moderate AoA for F-35B/C ever been reported before despite being issues of many years standing ? First I have heard of either.

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 14 Jun 2019, 14:18

marsavian wrote:Has the supersonic thermal issue or the oscillation at moderate AoA for F-35B/C ever been reported before despite being issues of many years standing ? First I have heard of either.

They were reported to the people in the government who are responsible for resolving such things. Are you on that list?

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 14 Jun 2019, 14:21

Proves my point about lack of transparency but maybe I am being unfair and too critical and perhaps all modern military projects are run like that. The point I am making is transparency would force the manufacturer to fix these issues fully and quickly as exports will rely on that because it's hard to keep these issues hidden forever, so proactive transparency rather than scrambling to explain when discovered. Or maybe I am too naive and the project is on such a PR knife edge it can't afford any bad publicity upfront.