F-35 program documents

[SpudmanWP]

10 Sep 2008
F-35 Technology Transition

Author:Dr. Jim M. Alper, Science & Technology Lead, F-35 Lightning II Program
Original Location: Available Here

Highlights:
1. Basic info for the time
2. Does include a detailed Post-SDD Block Dev Schedule on page 29.


.

[sextusempiricus]

The devil is in the details.

That cost quote is:

Average Unit Recurring Flyaway Cost (in FY 2002 dollars – the most recent comprehensive estimate)
F-35A upper-$40 million
F-35B mid-$60 million
F-35C mid-$60 million

There is nothing wrong with that estimation. It is based on the REC flyaway in FY2002 dollars. The recent news articles about soaring costs have been in Then Year dollars (with inflation added) and for total program cost, not just REC Flyaway.

Spud, I wish for this to remain civil and for it not to deteriorate into a flame war, but what you claim is not at all accurate. Costs have, in fact, skyrocketed, and LM's estimates in this "fact sheet" have long ago been proven overly optimistic, to say the least. Here are a couple of links to articles that explain that what you claim is simply not the case:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/04/06 ... -soar.html

In short, from Sweetman:

"The reported increase in the APUC - from $113.6 million to $136.2 million - coincides fairly closely with Fox's March statement that the APUC "will fall in the range of $80?$95 million" in base 2002 dollars, compared with a goal of $50 million - that is, a 60-90 per cent increase.

"Fox added that the final APUC figure would "be determined based on review of the latest program plans and cost information for those aspects of the program that affect primarily the years beyond 2015." So that's what we're seeing in current news reports: Fox's 60 per cent increase was based on incomplete estimates and 90 per cent is more likely.

"So, getting back to Gates' speech last summer: Even adjusting for the more expensive B and C versions, the APUC for the F-35A now looks like $129 million. A recently released RAND report estimates that the APUC for the F-22, had production been continued, would have been $173 million. Three quarters is not less than half, Mr Secretary."

Reports Bob Cox:

"Based on figures in the document, the average cost of one F-35 -- $62 million when the program was launched in 2002 -- could rise to $115.5 million, not counting inflation, by the time all 2,457 planes that the U.S. plans to buy are built.

"Including inflation, the government now expects each F-35 to cost an average of $133.6 million. But even that figure could swell to more than $150 million when revised estimates are completed in June.

"It shows that Pentagon officials now estimate that the average cost of one F-35 has risen 57 percent before accounting for inflation. It predicts that the next round of estimates could show an increase of up to 87 percent, again before inflation."

[SpudmanWP]

Again, these types of debates belong in their own thread. I started this thread to have a repository of official Program docs for reference.

The problem with debating them here is that there is just not the room due to the vast amount of items covered in the Docs.

I welcome any healthy, and civil debate on any issue that you wish.

[sextusempiricus]

Fair enough, Spud, I'll start another thread.

[bandit66]

sextemusin whatever....are you really in mexico city?

[sextusempiricus]

sextemusin whatever....are you really in mexico city?

Yeah, why, are you as well?

[flateric]

Joint Strike Fighter Program Office has authorized a series of publications to be produced by Faircount Media Group. Volume I “Commemorating First Flight” was published in December 2006 to coincide with the F-35’s maiden flight on 12/15/06.
The series will continue early in 2010 with Volume II “Commemorating Delivery” as the program continues its System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase. The “Delivery” edition will contain introductory messages and interviews from JSF program personnel and senior military staff. The publication will also contain feature stories that examine the continuing chronology of the program, the international partnerships, the aircraft’s testing program, the aircraft’s design, airframe, flight systems, technology, and weaponry.

Volume I (52,7 Mb)

[f35phixer]

i have one still in the wrapper, Bidding starts at $ 1000.00 )))

[LMAggie]

Interesting, this is the first I've heard of this. I may have to haggle with f35phixer to get one!

[spazsinbad]

F-35 Live Fire Test: Full-Up Systems Level Testing

http://www.bahdayton.com/surviac/asnews ... ring10.pdf (3.3Mb)

"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) (F-35, Lightning II) Vulnerability and Live Fire Test Team will be
conducting Full-Up System Level (FUSL) testing on the 1st JSF System Design and Development
(SDD) aircraft (2AA:0001). The F-35 live fire test and evaluation (LFT&E) strategy is to conduct a
comprehensive test and evaluation of the system-level vulnerability and lethality of all three F-35
variants against ballistic and advanced threats. The original LFT&E strategy for determining the
system-level vulnerability for the F-35 family of aircraft was founded on the FUSL testing of an
F-35 short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant. The approach for the remaining two
variants was to leverage the high degree of commonality between the F-35 family of aircraft by
conducting Full-Up testing of the variant unique features and component/system level tests. The
waiver approving this live fire (LF) strategy was approved by the Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD AT&L) on 25 October 2001."

[spazsinbad]

Genesis of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Paul M. Bevilaqua (7.7Mb PDF)

JOURNAL OF AIRCRAFT - 2009 WRIGHT BROTHERS LECTURE - Vol. 46, No. 6, November–December 2009

http://pdf.aiaa.org/getfile.cfm?urlX=-% ... 0%20%20%0A

"Functional analysis has been used to design a common aircraft to replace the U.S. Air Force F-16s, Navy and
Marine Corps F/A-18s, and Marine AV-8s. The technical and program challenges involved in developing a common
aircraft for all three services were met by designing three highly common, but not identical, variants of the same
aircraft. The key elements of this commonality are an innovative propulsion system that can be switched from a
turbofan cycle for conventional flight to a turboshaft cycle for vertical takeoff and landing and a basic structural
arrangement that can accommodate the substitution of stronger parts in the Naval variant to absorb the greater
takeoff and landing loads of carrier operations."

[energo]

Great reading. Good work!

[spazsinbad]

F-35 Weapon System Overview Doug Hayward - Deputy Director F-35 Vehicle Systems - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2010armament/T ... ayward.pdf (4 Mb) Public Release JSF 10-205 4/14/10

[spazsinbad]

Integration of Ground and Flight Testing on F-35 Lightning II Program 04 December 2007 J. B. Yates Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

http://www.asipcon.com/2008/proceedings ... _Yates.pdf (1.6Mb)

[spazsinbad]

post deleted - just an early repeated PDF I [re]discovered. [Knotts Canadian Brief May 2009 PDF repeated on the DEWLINE today] http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-d ... versy.html

See this thread: http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopi ... rt-15.html