F-35 program updates
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Lightning strike: Flight simulator lets people pilot F-35 fighter jet 10 Aug 2013 Christina Higginbotham
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... /130819943
"...According to a public statement, the F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program with more than 3,200 flights, 5,300 flight hours and nearly 500 vertical landings while maintaining very high mission readiness levels.
The F135 has accumulated more than 26,000 hours of ground and flight test and all variants achieved Initial Service Release (ISR) certification from the U.S. Department of Defense in 2010...."
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... /130819943
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http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=123
F-35 Flight Test Update 11
By Eric Hehs
Posted 27 August 2013
The F-35 Flight Test Update in the Volume 28, Number 1 issue of Code One concluded with the first aerial release of an AIM-120 AMRAAM from an F-35B on 26 March 2013. This eleventh installment in the series of flight test updates on the F-35 program covers the AIM-120 launch as well as other achievements of the F-35 Integrated Test Force located at Edwards AFB, California, and at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
2 April 2013: Marine Corps Maj. C. R. Clift;
completed the first vertical landing at night in an F-35. The mission, at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, was performed in F-35B BF-4.
3 April 2013: Marine Corps Capt. Mike Kingen;
took an F-35C to Mach 1.6 for the first time during a flight from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Mach 1.6 is the top design speed for the F-35C.
9 April 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Jon Ohman;
performed the first GBU-12 separation test in an F-35A. The weapon was released from the left weapon bay of F-35A AF-1 flying over the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Center ranges.
10 April 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Peter Vitt;
flew F-35A AF-1 on its 300th flight. The mission involved a successful GBU-31 separation test over the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Center ranges.
10 April 2013: Air Force Capt. Eric Schultz;
flew F-35A AF-7 in the first night Instrument Meteorological Conditions flight test. The IMC mission, from Edwards AFB, California, also included the first hot pit refueling for an F-35 at night.
11 April 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Jon Ohman;
flew BF-17 for the first F-35 link with an AWACS aircraft, successfully exchanging Link 16 messages during a multiship flight that included an E-3 Sentry, multiple F-16s, and multiple F/A-18E/Fs.
18 April 2013: Navy Lt. Cdr. Michael Burks flying CF-5 and Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin flying CF-2;
The F-35C fleet completed the 500th System Design and Development flight;
26 April 2013: Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. James Schofield;
delivered F-35B BF-18 to the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards AFB, California. The aircraft is to be used at the ITF for Mission System testing. BF-18 was ferried from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, by way of Fort Worth, Texas.
29 April 2013: Lockheed Martin test pilot Mark Ward;
flew F-35A AF-2 for the first high asymmetric load flight test on an F-35. The load consisted of an AIM-120 on Station 7; a GBU-31 on Station 8; an AIM-9X on Station 11; and weapon pylons on Stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10. The load equated to 15,000 foot-pounds asymmetry.
2 May 2013: The F-35 test program flew eleven flights in one day;
to set a new record. The flights consisted of five for F-35A, four for F-35B, and two for F-35C.
3 May 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Peter Vitt;
flew F-35A AF-6 for the first mission that included two AIM-120 missiles. The flight occurred at Edwards AFB, California.
10 May 2013: The F-35 SDD fleet surpassed 5,000 flight hours.
13 May 2013: Marine Corps Maj. C. R. Clift;
flew BF-4 in a test that marked the 400th vertical landing of an F-35B during SDD. The flight occurred from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
16 May 2013: F-35As AF-3, AF-6, and AF-7 demonstrated the first three-ship connectivity for the Multi-Functional Advanced Datalink, or MADL;
during ground operations at Edwards AFB, California.
20 May 2013: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran;
was at the controls for Flight 100 of F-35C CF-3.
28 May 2013: Sqn. Ldr. James Schofield;
flying F-35B BF-1 on Flight 296, performed the first vertical landing for an RAF pilot at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
31 May 2013: Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin;
was at the controls for Flight 200 of F-35C CF-2.
4 June 2013: BAE test pilot Peter Wilson;
was at the controls for Flight 300 of F-35B BF-1.
5 June 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. George Schwartz;
flew F-35A AF-1 for the first powered AIM-120 air-to-air missile launch from an F-35. The missile was released from the internal weapon bay of the F-35. The flight originated from the Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB, California. The launch occurred over the Point Mugu Sea Test Range off the California coast.
6 June 2013: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Tony Wilson;
was in the cockpit during the test. F-35C CF-3 was used for a heavyweight ground tow test;
at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division test facility at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The aircraft was fitted with four 2,000-pound GBU-31 guided bombs on its external pylons.
14 June 2013: AF-6, AF-7, BF-17, and BF-18 were used to complete the first F-35 airborne four-ship MADL connection;
at Edwards AFB, California. The airborne four-ship also achieved MADL connectivity with AF-3 during its ground test, marking the first five-ship MADL connection.
20 June 2013: Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti;
flew the first flight of F-35C CF-8 (US Navy Bureau Number 168735). Takeoff and landing occurred at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas. CF-8 is scheduled to join the test fleet at Edwards AFB, California, later in 2013.
9 July 2013: Air Force Maj. Mark Massaro;
completed the last GBU-31 separation test required as part of the process for releasing 2B software for the F-35A fleet. The flight occurred with AF-1 at Edwards AFB, California.
11 July 2013: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran;
flew the first night aerial refueling mission in an F-35B. The mission, from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, was Flight 265 for BF-2. The tanker was a US Air Force KC-10.
16 July 2013: Air Force Maj. Matt Phillips;
flew AF-1 to complete an AIM-120 launch at Mach 1.2. This flight was the first supersonic and second overall AIM-120 launch for the F-35 program.
22 July 2013: Navy Lt. Cdr. Michael Wilson;
was at the controls for Flight 200 of F-35B BF-4.
24 July 2013: Marine Corps Maj. Richard Rusnok;
was at the controls of F-35A AF-1 to complete the third and final AIM-120 launch required as part of the process for releasing 2B software to the F-35A fleet.
24 July 2013: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran;
The first strategic tanking test with an F-35B and a KC-135;
with wingtip hose and drogue refueling capability was carried out on the range near NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The test was strictly a contact test in which no fuel was transferred. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran was at the controls of F-35 BF-2 on Flight 266. The KC-135 came from McConnell AFB, Kansas.
31 July 2013: Air Force Maj. Matt Phillips;
was at the controls for Flight 200 of F-35A AF-3.
3 August 2013: Navy Capt. Michael Kingen;
completed the 500th vertical landing of an F-35B when he landed F-35B BF-1 on Flight 315 at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
F-35 Flight Test Update 11
By Eric Hehs
Posted 27 August 2013
The F-35 Flight Test Update in the Volume 28, Number 1 issue of Code One concluded with the first aerial release of an AIM-120 AMRAAM from an F-35B on 26 March 2013. This eleventh installment in the series of flight test updates on the F-35 program covers the AIM-120 launch as well as other achievements of the F-35 Integrated Test Force located at Edwards AFB, California, and at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
2 April 2013: Marine Corps Maj. C. R. Clift;
completed the first vertical landing at night in an F-35. The mission, at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, was performed in F-35B BF-4.
3 April 2013: Marine Corps Capt. Mike Kingen;
took an F-35C to Mach 1.6 for the first time during a flight from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Mach 1.6 is the top design speed for the F-35C.
9 April 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Jon Ohman;
performed the first GBU-12 separation test in an F-35A. The weapon was released from the left weapon bay of F-35A AF-1 flying over the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Center ranges.
10 April 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Peter Vitt;
flew F-35A AF-1 on its 300th flight. The mission involved a successful GBU-31 separation test over the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Center ranges.
10 April 2013: Air Force Capt. Eric Schultz;
flew F-35A AF-7 in the first night Instrument Meteorological Conditions flight test. The IMC mission, from Edwards AFB, California, also included the first hot pit refueling for an F-35 at night.
11 April 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Jon Ohman;
flew BF-17 for the first F-35 link with an AWACS aircraft, successfully exchanging Link 16 messages during a multiship flight that included an E-3 Sentry, multiple F-16s, and multiple F/A-18E/Fs.
18 April 2013: Navy Lt. Cdr. Michael Burks flying CF-5 and Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin flying CF-2;
The F-35C fleet completed the 500th System Design and Development flight;
26 April 2013: Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. James Schofield;
delivered F-35B BF-18 to the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards AFB, California. The aircraft is to be used at the ITF for Mission System testing. BF-18 was ferried from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, by way of Fort Worth, Texas.
29 April 2013: Lockheed Martin test pilot Mark Ward;
flew F-35A AF-2 for the first high asymmetric load flight test on an F-35. The load consisted of an AIM-120 on Station 7; a GBU-31 on Station 8; an AIM-9X on Station 11; and weapon pylons on Stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10. The load equated to 15,000 foot-pounds asymmetry.
2 May 2013: The F-35 test program flew eleven flights in one day;
to set a new record. The flights consisted of five for F-35A, four for F-35B, and two for F-35C.
3 May 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. Peter Vitt;
flew F-35A AF-6 for the first mission that included two AIM-120 missiles. The flight occurred at Edwards AFB, California.
10 May 2013: The F-35 SDD fleet surpassed 5,000 flight hours.
13 May 2013: Marine Corps Maj. C. R. Clift;
flew BF-4 in a test that marked the 400th vertical landing of an F-35B during SDD. The flight occurred from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
16 May 2013: F-35As AF-3, AF-6, and AF-7 demonstrated the first three-ship connectivity for the Multi-Functional Advanced Datalink, or MADL;
during ground operations at Edwards AFB, California.
20 May 2013: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran;
was at the controls for Flight 100 of F-35C CF-3.
28 May 2013: Sqn. Ldr. James Schofield;
flying F-35B BF-1 on Flight 296, performed the first vertical landing for an RAF pilot at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
31 May 2013: Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin;
was at the controls for Flight 200 of F-35C CF-2.
4 June 2013: BAE test pilot Peter Wilson;
was at the controls for Flight 300 of F-35B BF-1.
5 June 2013: Air Force Lt. Col. George Schwartz;
flew F-35A AF-1 for the first powered AIM-120 air-to-air missile launch from an F-35. The missile was released from the internal weapon bay of the F-35. The flight originated from the Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB, California. The launch occurred over the Point Mugu Sea Test Range off the California coast.
6 June 2013: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Tony Wilson;
was in the cockpit during the test. F-35C CF-3 was used for a heavyweight ground tow test;
at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division test facility at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The aircraft was fitted with four 2,000-pound GBU-31 guided bombs on its external pylons.
14 June 2013: AF-6, AF-7, BF-17, and BF-18 were used to complete the first F-35 airborne four-ship MADL connection;
at Edwards AFB, California. The airborne four-ship also achieved MADL connectivity with AF-3 during its ground test, marking the first five-ship MADL connection.
20 June 2013: Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti;
flew the first flight of F-35C CF-8 (US Navy Bureau Number 168735). Takeoff and landing occurred at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas. CF-8 is scheduled to join the test fleet at Edwards AFB, California, later in 2013.
9 July 2013: Air Force Maj. Mark Massaro;
completed the last GBU-31 separation test required as part of the process for releasing 2B software for the F-35A fleet. The flight occurred with AF-1 at Edwards AFB, California.
11 July 2013: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran;
flew the first night aerial refueling mission in an F-35B. The mission, from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, was Flight 265 for BF-2. The tanker was a US Air Force KC-10.
16 July 2013: Air Force Maj. Matt Phillips;
flew AF-1 to complete an AIM-120 launch at Mach 1.2. This flight was the first supersonic and second overall AIM-120 launch for the F-35 program.
22 July 2013: Navy Lt. Cdr. Michael Wilson;
was at the controls for Flight 200 of F-35B BF-4.
24 July 2013: Marine Corps Maj. Richard Rusnok;
was at the controls of F-35A AF-1 to complete the third and final AIM-120 launch required as part of the process for releasing 2B software to the F-35A fleet.
24 July 2013: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran;
The first strategic tanking test with an F-35B and a KC-135;
with wingtip hose and drogue refueling capability was carried out on the range near NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The test was strictly a contact test in which no fuel was transferred. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Patrick Moran was at the controls of F-35 BF-2 on Flight 266. The KC-135 came from McConnell AFB, Kansas.
31 July 2013: Air Force Maj. Matt Phillips;
was at the controls for Flight 200 of F-35A AF-3.
3 August 2013: Navy Capt. Michael Kingen;
completed the 500th vertical landing of an F-35B when he landed F-35B BF-1 on Flight 315 at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
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http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=129
F-35 Flight Test Update 12
By Eric Hehs
Posted 25 November 2013
The F-35 Flight Test Update in the Volume 28, Number 2 issue of Code One concluded with the 500th vertical landing of an F-35B on 3 August 2013. This twelfth installment in the series of flight test updates on the F-35 program covers the successful second phase of shipboard testing for the F-35B, the beginning of high angle of attack testing for the F-35C, plus other major achievements of the F-35 Integrated Test Force located at the Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB, California, and at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division test facility at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
12 August 2013: F-35B Shipboard Testing Phase II Begins
F-35B BF-1 and BF-5 land on the USS Wasp (LHD-1) for a second session of shipboard testing called Development Testing II. See related article in Volume 28, Number 3 issue of Code One.
13 August 2013: First Launch And Landing For RAF F-35B Pilot At Sea
Sqdn. Ldr. Jim Schofield, a Royal Air Force test pilot, became the first international pilot to conduct a sea-based launch and landing in the F-35B.
14 August 2013: First Night Vertical Landing At Sea
Marine Corps test pilot Maj. C. R. Clift completed the first shipboard vertical landing at night for an F-35B. The landing occurred during developmental tests aboard the USS Wasp.
14 August 2013: F-35C Flight With Spin Recovery System
F-35C CF-5 was flown for the first time with the spin recovery chute in preparation for high angle of attack testing. The initial test flight with the system was flown by Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
20 August 2013: F-35C Aerial Refueling Qualified
Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Patrick Moran completed the first F-35C air-to-air refueling from a drogue-equipped Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker during a flight off eastern Maryland. The flight, which originated at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, was the 217th flight in the first F-35C carrier variant test aircraft, designated CF-1. All three variants of the F-35 are now qualified to refuel from a KC-135.
28 August 2013: F-35B Shipboard Testing Phase II Ends
The second session of F-35B shipboard testing on the Wasp called Development Testing II was completed. The testing involved F-35B BF-1 and BF-5.
10 September 2013: F-35C Achieves Max AoA
BAE test pilot Peter Kosogorin achieved maximum angle of attack when he took F-35C CF-5 to fifty degrees during a test flight from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
13 September 2013: CF-8 To Edwards ITF
Lockheed Martin chief test pilot Al Norman flew F-35C CF-8 to Edwards AFB, California, from Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft joined eight other F-35A and F-35B aircraft at the Integrated Test Force at Edwards.
30 September 2013: Fourteen Cat Shots In One Month
F-35C CF-3 completed fourteen catapult launches in one month. The testing occurred on the TC-7 steam catapult system at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
30 September 2013: F-35 Fleet Surpasses 10,000 Flight Hours
The F-35 Lightning II program surpassed 10,000 flight hours. More than half of the total hours were accumulated since October 2012. This milestone was achieved by operational production aircraft operating from Eglin AFB, Florida; MCAS Yuma, Arizona; and F-35 System Development and Demonstration and Operational Test aircraft operating at Edwards AFB, California; NAS Patuxent River, Maryland; and Nellis AFB, Nevada. Almost half of the total hours were accumulated by production aircraft.
7 October 2013: High AoA Departure At Lowest Altitude
Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Brent Reinhardt was at the controls of F-35A AF-4 for a departure resistance test flight at 20,000 feet—the lowest altitude to date.
21 October 2013: First Weapon Separation Test For F-35C
Navy Capt. Justin Carlson performed the first F-35C weapon separation by releasing a GBU-12 from F-35C CF-2. The flight originated from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
23 October 2013: First Small Diameter Bomb Pit Test
US government test pilot Vince Caterina was at the controls of F-35A AF-1 for the first pit test of the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb. The tests, all drops from the internal weapon bay, were conducted at the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards AFB, California.
29 October 2013: First Guided Weapon Drop
Marine Corps Maj. Richard Rusnok was at the controls of F-35B BF-17 for the first guided weapon delivery from an F-35. Rusnok used the Electro-Optical Targeting System, or EOTS, to guide a GBU-12 Paveway II to a specified ground target after releasing the weapon from the internal weapon bay of the F-35. The GBU-12 is a 500-pound Mk-82 general-purpose bomb mated with a nose-mounted laser seeker and flight guidance fins for precision strike. The test mission was conducted from Edwards AFB, California.
30 October 2013: First Live Missile Launch
The F-35 program executed its first live-fire launch of a guided air-to-air missile over the test range off the California coast. The AIM-120 AMRAAM was launched from F-35A operating from the F-35 Integrated Test Facility at Edwards AFB, California. The pilot, Air Force Capt. Logan Lamping, launched the AIM-120 from the F-35’s internal weapon bay against an aerial drone target. The drone was identified and targeted using the aircraft’s mission systems sensors. After launch, the missile successfully acquired the target and followed an intercept flight profile.
F-35 Flight Test Update 12
By Eric Hehs
Posted 25 November 2013
The F-35 Flight Test Update in the Volume 28, Number 2 issue of Code One concluded with the 500th vertical landing of an F-35B on 3 August 2013. This twelfth installment in the series of flight test updates on the F-35 program covers the successful second phase of shipboard testing for the F-35B, the beginning of high angle of attack testing for the F-35C, plus other major achievements of the F-35 Integrated Test Force located at the Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB, California, and at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division test facility at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
12 August 2013: F-35B Shipboard Testing Phase II Begins
F-35B BF-1 and BF-5 land on the USS Wasp (LHD-1) for a second session of shipboard testing called Development Testing II. See related article in Volume 28, Number 3 issue of Code One.
13 August 2013: First Launch And Landing For RAF F-35B Pilot At Sea
Sqdn. Ldr. Jim Schofield, a Royal Air Force test pilot, became the first international pilot to conduct a sea-based launch and landing in the F-35B.
14 August 2013: First Night Vertical Landing At Sea
Marine Corps test pilot Maj. C. R. Clift completed the first shipboard vertical landing at night for an F-35B. The landing occurred during developmental tests aboard the USS Wasp.
14 August 2013: F-35C Flight With Spin Recovery System
F-35C CF-5 was flown for the first time with the spin recovery chute in preparation for high angle of attack testing. The initial test flight with the system was flown by Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
20 August 2013: F-35C Aerial Refueling Qualified
Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Patrick Moran completed the first F-35C air-to-air refueling from a drogue-equipped Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker during a flight off eastern Maryland. The flight, which originated at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, was the 217th flight in the first F-35C carrier variant test aircraft, designated CF-1. All three variants of the F-35 are now qualified to refuel from a KC-135.
28 August 2013: F-35B Shipboard Testing Phase II Ends
The second session of F-35B shipboard testing on the Wasp called Development Testing II was completed. The testing involved F-35B BF-1 and BF-5.
10 September 2013: F-35C Achieves Max AoA
BAE test pilot Peter Kosogorin achieved maximum angle of attack when he took F-35C CF-5 to fifty degrees during a test flight from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
13 September 2013: CF-8 To Edwards ITF
Lockheed Martin chief test pilot Al Norman flew F-35C CF-8 to Edwards AFB, California, from Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft joined eight other F-35A and F-35B aircraft at the Integrated Test Force at Edwards.
30 September 2013: Fourteen Cat Shots In One Month
F-35C CF-3 completed fourteen catapult launches in one month. The testing occurred on the TC-7 steam catapult system at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
30 September 2013: F-35 Fleet Surpasses 10,000 Flight Hours
The F-35 Lightning II program surpassed 10,000 flight hours. More than half of the total hours were accumulated since October 2012. This milestone was achieved by operational production aircraft operating from Eglin AFB, Florida; MCAS Yuma, Arizona; and F-35 System Development and Demonstration and Operational Test aircraft operating at Edwards AFB, California; NAS Patuxent River, Maryland; and Nellis AFB, Nevada. Almost half of the total hours were accumulated by production aircraft.
7 October 2013: High AoA Departure At Lowest Altitude
Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Brent Reinhardt was at the controls of F-35A AF-4 for a departure resistance test flight at 20,000 feet—the lowest altitude to date.
21 October 2013: First Weapon Separation Test For F-35C
Navy Capt. Justin Carlson performed the first F-35C weapon separation by releasing a GBU-12 from F-35C CF-2. The flight originated from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
23 October 2013: First Small Diameter Bomb Pit Test
US government test pilot Vince Caterina was at the controls of F-35A AF-1 for the first pit test of the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb. The tests, all drops from the internal weapon bay, were conducted at the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards AFB, California.
29 October 2013: First Guided Weapon Drop
Marine Corps Maj. Richard Rusnok was at the controls of F-35B BF-17 for the first guided weapon delivery from an F-35. Rusnok used the Electro-Optical Targeting System, or EOTS, to guide a GBU-12 Paveway II to a specified ground target after releasing the weapon from the internal weapon bay of the F-35. The GBU-12 is a 500-pound Mk-82 general-purpose bomb mated with a nose-mounted laser seeker and flight guidance fins for precision strike. The test mission was conducted from Edwards AFB, California.
30 October 2013: First Live Missile Launch
The F-35 program executed its first live-fire launch of a guided air-to-air missile over the test range off the California coast. The AIM-120 AMRAAM was launched from F-35A operating from the F-35 Integrated Test Facility at Edwards AFB, California. The pilot, Air Force Capt. Logan Lamping, launched the AIM-120 from the F-35’s internal weapon bay against an aerial drone target. The drone was identified and targeted using the aircraft’s mission systems sensors. After launch, the missile successfully acquired the target and followed an intercept flight profile.
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Rolls-Royce Bags Contract To Produce & Support LiftSystem For F-35 Lightning II 25 Nov 2013
http://www.rttnews.com/2229092/rolls-ro ... ng-ii.aspx
"...Moreover, the F-35B fleet nears multiple major milestones. In more than 450 flights of Mode 4 operation, F-35B aircraft have completed over 1,000 short take-offs, 640 vertical landings, comprising over 150 aboard the USS Wasp, 550 slow landings and 250 hover test points...."
http://www.rttnews.com/2229092/rolls-ro ... ng-ii.aspx
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Joint Strike Fighter: What Do the Pilots Who Are Flying It Today Have to Say?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxe4Jv1cJxI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxe4Jv1cJxI
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'bring_it_on' there is a 'thread' about this "WEST 2014" conference with bits of video/audio on this forum. I'll go look....
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24950&p=266351&hilit=Gigliotti#p266351
&
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24950&p=266403&hilit=Gigliotti#p266403
&
VIDEO + Audio CLIP about dat Hook: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=15767&p=262684&hilit=Gigliotti#p262684
&
Seminar info here: viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24814&p=262678#p262678
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24950&p=266351&hilit=Gigliotti#p266351
&
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24950&p=266403&hilit=Gigliotti#p266403
&
VIDEO + Audio CLIP about dat Hook: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=15767&p=262684&hilit=Gigliotti#p262684
&
Seminar info here: viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24814&p=262678#p262678
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spazsinbad wrote:'bring_it_on' there is a 'thread' about this "WEST 2014" conference with bits of video/audio on this forum. I'll go look....
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24950&p=266351&hilit=Gigliotti#p266351
&
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24950&p=266403&hilit=Gigliotti#p266403
&
VIDEO + Audio CLIP about dat Hook: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=15767&p=262684&hilit=Gigliotti#p262684
&
Seminar info here: viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24814&p=262678#p262678
Thanks..Interesting bit of info..
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F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force 2013 Year in Review
[YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voUNeb_JzLY[/YouTube]
[YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voUNeb_JzLY[/YouTube]
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Same Video posted earlier here in the 'F-35 Unit' section: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=25483 The reason? Sheer stupidity I guess.
The way to get youtube videos to show here is different now. Try this: Use only the string after the equals sign surround that with the bracketed youtube/youtube bookends to see this:
youtube]voUNeb_JzLY[/youtube] (I left out the first bracket to illustrate - now for the real deal
The way to get youtube videos to show here is different now. Try this: Use only the string after the equals sign surround that with the bracketed youtube/youtube bookends to see this:
youtube]voUNeb_JzLY[/youtube] (I left out the first bracket to illustrate - now for the real deal
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April Marks New F-35 Flying Records
"FORT WORTH, Texas, May 8, 2014 – The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II aircraft fleet, which surpassed 16,000 cumulative program flight hours to date in April, flew a monthly record high for System Development and Demonstration (SDD) with 282 flight hours and 153 flights in April.
“The SDD fleet achieving more than 150 flights in one month speaks to the quality of this aircraft and the commitment of this team,” said J.D. McFarlan, Lockheed Martin's vice president for F-35 Test & Verification. “We’re nearly complete with Block 2B software flight science testing on the F-35As, and we’ll move forward with Block 3 software testing this summer. The SDD program is scheduled to complete Block 2B testing for the F-35B this year in support of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2015 with its F-35B fleet.”
In April, operational F-35s fleet-wide flew 812 hours, with SDD F-35 aircraft flying 282 flight hours in one month. In 2014, through April, F-35A test aircraft flew 420 hours; F-35B test aircraft flew 281 hours; and F-35C test aircraft flew 222 hours. Operational F-35s of all three variants flew 2,790 hours for the year.
Operational F-35s at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., flew 515 flight hours in April, and operational F-35 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., flew 172 hours. Eglin’s 33rd Fighter Wing is home to 48 F-35A/B/Cs and provides training for U.S. military and program partner nation pilots and maintenance personnel. Yuma is home to the Marine Corps’ first operational F-35B Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing aircraft.
Among the record SDD flights, the F-35B version completed its 700th vertical takeoff and landing sortie, and it began crosswind landings and expeditionary operations...."
CAPTION: "Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Paul “Hat” Hattendorf maneuvers F-35A aircraft AF-3 in a composite photo of the first Manual Ground Collision Avoidance System (MGCAS) test flight over the dry lakebed at Edwards AFB, Calif. on April 11, 2014. Lockheed Matin Photo by Chad Bellay."
BIG PIC: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/d ... omp_01.jpg
SOURCE: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/p ... cords.html
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Lockheed F-35 bulkhead cracks solution proposed, Pentagon says
ockheed Martin Corp. and the Pentagon say a fix has been found that should prevent more bulkhead cracks on the Marine Corps version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the costliest U.S. weapons program.
On-the-ground stress testing may resume as soon as Sept. 30, officials said. It was suspended this past September after inspections found cracks in three of six bulkheads on a plane used for such tests.
[...]
More: http://fwbusinesspress.com/fwbp/article ... -says.aspx
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F-35 Issues Complicate Cost-Reduction Rollout
14 Jul 2014 Amy Butler and Tony Osborne | Aviation Week & Space Technology
"...Though on hold, flight testing is 57% complete, Bogdan says. Envelope expansion testing for Block 2B aircraft is 95% finished, says Al Norman, an F-35 test pilot. These are aircraft with the software package to be used by the U.S. Marine Corps to declare initial operational capability (IOC) for the F-35B next July. “We are very, very confident that from a flight sciences perspective we will get our 2B work done” this year, Norman says, referring to the latest software version. The test team also has scored seven of seven attempted weapons firings from the F-35, out of 15 planned...."
Source: http://aviationweek.com/defense/f-35-is ... on-rollout
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Back to program updates...
F-35 Flight Test Program Milestones Maturing Combat Capabilities
25 Aug 2014 LM
"The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program continued a steady path of flight test milestones in August, including weapons separation, software compatibility and flight hours, all demonstrating program maturity.
"The test milestones are a direct result of the detailed planning, coordination and execution between various government teams and the integrated test force," said J.D. McFarlan, Lockheed Martin's Vice President for F-35 Test & Verification. "Every testing milestone demonstrates the development of the F-35 in successive steps toward enabling the U.S. Marine Corps to attain its F-35B Initial Operational Capacity (IOC) next year."
F-35A aircraft AF-1 accomplished its 400th flight during a successful GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) aircraft separation test on Aug. 13 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. This was the first GBU-31 Mark-84 (2,000-pound guided munition) separation demonstration from the F-35. Previous GBU-31 separations were with the BLU-109 (Bomb Live Unit) bomb body.
F-35B aircraft BF-1 and BF-4 completed "Mode 4" formation testing on Aug 9th, as required for Block 2B software capability. "In Mode 4 operations, the STOVL Propulsion System is engaged, the lift fan, roll post nozzle, and three-bearing-swivel nozzle are operating, and all propulsion system doors and inlets are open. Flight testing validated the F-35B Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant's ability to operate well in this configuration during formation flight which supports operations around the ship; a key milestone for the F-35B path to IOC," McFarlan said.
F-35B aircraft BF-3 completed the 2B software fleet release weapon separation requirements for the F-35B with two successful AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) Air Vehicle Instrumented (AAVI) separation flights on consecutive days, Aug. 14 and 15. The AIM-120 radar-guided missiles were launched over the Atlantic Test Range. "2B software fleet release is critical to the warfighter because it delivers the first combat capability to our most dominant 5th generation platform. Weapons employment is one the most critical combat capabilities. This culminates years of dedicated work that proves safe separation in 2B configurations and provides this capability and confidence to our customers," McFarlan said.
Along with the testing milestones, to date, the overall System Development and Demonstration (SDD) F-35A test fleet surpassed its 4,000th flight hour on Aug. 14 and in total, the F-35 Fleet has surpassed 19,500 flight hours, with more than 8,000 hours in SDD aircraft. F-35A aircraft AF-1 achieved its 400th flight milestone on Aug. 13; F-35A aircraft AF-4 surpassed 500 flight hours, Aug. 11 and F-35C aircraft CF-2 achieved 300 flights on Aug. 14...."
Source: http://www.asdnews.com/news-56569/F-35_ ... lities.htm
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The latest GAO report has some juicy details
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-778
Timeline on pg 6: Low rate production will continue til 2019. However production milestone for full rate decision will only be made in 2019. The issue is that FR1 is intended to start long lead acquisition in year 2017.
Pg 7: full rate production planned for fiscal year 2019 (2018).
Pg 7: Contractor is assembling next lot of 36 which means lot 5 deliveries have been complete sometime between June to Sep 2014. 36 = lot 6 which according to pg 7 has a scheduled delivery by end-2015 (1 year behind schedule).
Pg 7: June 2014 - 78 fielded which means all of lots 1-4 + 1/2 of lot 5.
Pg 12: F-35A, B & C operational cost target per hour cannot exceed $35,200, $38,400, and $36,300.
Pg 17: Mean flight time between failure - significantly above expected time at this current level
Pg 18: A&C variants requiring more time to repair.
Pg 25: Breakdown of O&S cost - fuel only part of unit level consumption. Highest cost = parts & other consumables cost.
Pg 26: Fuel burn rates for estimates = 1,493 gal per hour at lower speed/altitude for B. To increase if vertical landings.
Pg 27: Fuel burn rate of 1,558 gal/hr for A = more accurate.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-778
Timeline on pg 6: Low rate production will continue til 2019. However production milestone for full rate decision will only be made in 2019. The issue is that FR1 is intended to start long lead acquisition in year 2017.
Pg 7: full rate production planned for fiscal year 2019 (2018).
Pg 7: Contractor is assembling next lot of 36 which means lot 5 deliveries have been complete sometime between June to Sep 2014. 36 = lot 6 which according to pg 7 has a scheduled delivery by end-2015 (1 year behind schedule).
Pg 7: June 2014 - 78 fielded which means all of lots 1-4 + 1/2 of lot 5.
Pg 12: F-35A, B & C operational cost target per hour cannot exceed $35,200, $38,400, and $36,300.
Pg 17: Mean flight time between failure - significantly above expected time at this current level
Pg 18: A&C variants requiring more time to repair.
Pg 25: Breakdown of O&S cost - fuel only part of unit level consumption. Highest cost = parts & other consumables cost.
Pg 26: Fuel burn rates for estimates = 1,493 gal per hour at lower speed/altitude for B. To increase if vertical landings.
Pg 27: Fuel burn rate of 1,558 gal/hr for A = more accurate.
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