F-35 program updates

loke · by **loke** » 26 Apr 2019, 08:50

SpudmanWP wrote:
loke wrote: Why not SLEP existing birds and accelerate F-35C instead of buying more SH?

Ask the SecDef.. oh Wait.. nevermind......

I thought the decision to purchase more SH was taken long before Mr. Boing became SecDef? In any case he is not stupid (as demonstrated by the recent investigation), he will recuse himself for all discussions involving Boing products.

marauder2048 · by **marauder2048** » 26 Apr 2019, 20:06

loke wrote:
SpudmanWP wrote:
loke wrote: Why not SLEP existing birds and accelerate F-35C instead of buying more SH?

Ask the SecDef.. oh Wait.. nevermind......

I thought the decision to purchase more SH was taken long before Mr. Boing became SecDef? In any case he is not stupid (as demonstrated by the recent investigation), he will recuse himself for all discussions involving Boing products.

If you are able to define the architecture and mission capabilities and alter the funding profile to achieve that
then it is trivially easy to define things in a way that practically guarantees one outcome.

DODIG was never going to uncover something as vulgar and blatant as "Buy Boeing or I kill the F-35."

*my highlight*

eloise · by **eloise** » 27 Apr 2019, 03:43

: ijUCM4o.png (546.89 KiB) Viewed 69281 times

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 27 Apr 2019, 04:47

Thanks. Would be nice to know origin/URL of the graphic please? TAH.

SpudmanWP · by **SpudmanWP** » 27 Apr 2019, 06:43

Cognitive EW = Freaking artificial intelligence????

magitsu · by **magitsu** » 27 Apr 2019, 07:42

SpudmanWP wrote:Cognitive EW = Freaking artificial intelligence????

Previous thread from 2016:
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=28880

Article that tries to answer directly to your question:
https://www.c4isrnet.com/c2-comms/2016/ ... c-warfare/

Or this one might be better:
http://interactive.aviationtoday.com/av ... -learning/

loke · by **loke** » 27 Apr 2019, 13:35

"The Super Hornets the navy is buying are about $66 million a copy," says Gillian. "The F/A-18 continues to enjoy the lowest cost per flight hour of any [fighter] aircraft in the US inventory at $18,000 a flight hour."

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... te-457459/

Are these numbers for real...?

viper12 · by **viper12** » 27 Apr 2019, 14:24

I wonder if it was an early case of cognitive EW when F-35's ignored threats over 2 years ago : https://breakingdefense.com/2016/11/f-2 ... ges-awacs/

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 27 Apr 2019, 19:36

loke wrote:
"The Super Hornets the navy is buying are about $66 million a copy," says Gillian. "The F/A-18 continues to enjoy the lowest cost per flight hour of any [fighter] aircraft in the US inventory at $18,000 a flight hour."

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... te-457459/

Are these numbers for real...?

I think these are raw airframe+engine costs much like the generally quoted F-35 figures. Fully kitted out with all standard equipment you can probably add another $5-10m, the extra numbers are quoted in the DoD documents somewhere. I was more alerted by this rather bold Boeing claim among many others in that article ...

Block III Super Hornets also come with an external Block II Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor, which, when used by two aircraft at once, can create a targeting solution for an air-to-air missile. Boeing declines to say what the IRST's range is, but claims it is longer than adversaries' air-to-air radar.

SpudmanWP · by **SpudmanWP** » 27 Apr 2019, 23:29

loke wrote:
"The Super Hornets the navy is buying are about $66 million a copy," says Gillian. "The F/A-18 continues to enjoy the lowest cost per flight hour of any [fighter] aircraft in the US inventory at $18,000 a flight hour."

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... te-457459/

Are these numbers for real...?

I know that USAF jets include a lot into their CPFH numbers, including basing costs. I am willing to bet that no carrier-related costs are included in the F-18.

hythelday · by **hythelday** » 28 Apr 2019, 00:06

Meteor is marked as "Surface Warfare", as in naval surface warfare. Am I the only one unaware of Meteors air-to-sea mode?

Also, " multi ship IRST" marked for OCA/DCA: I think this is a solid confirmation of cueing AMRAAMs from BVR using IRST capability, even if it requires several F-35s.

Dragon029 · by **Dragon029** » 03 May 2019, 00:12

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS25 ... 190502.pdf

As of April 2019, more than 400 aircraft have been delivered and all LRIP Lot 10 deliveries are now complete.

citanon · by **citanon** » 08 May 2019, 11:58

F-35A price drop to $80 million for next lot?

https://www.defenseone.com/business/201 ... ef=d-river

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 08 May 2019, 14:29

marsavian wrote:
loke wrote:
"The Super Hornets the navy is buying are about $66 million a copy," says Gillian. "The F/A-18 continues to enjoy the lowest cost per flight hour of any [fighter] aircraft in the US inventory at $18,000 a flight hour."

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... te-457459/

Are these numbers for real...?

I think these are raw airframe+engine costs much like the generally quoted F-35 figures. Fully kitted out with all standard equipment you can probably add another $5-10m, the extra numbers are quoted in the DoD documents somewhere. I was more alerted by this rather bold Boeing claim among many others in that article ...

Block III Super Hornets also come with an external Block II Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor, which, when used by two aircraft at once, can create a targeting solution for an air-to-air missile. Boeing declines to say what the IRST's range is, but claims it is longer than adversaries' air-to-air radar.

I’d bet the 66M number is CFE only.

Update: I checked. The P-5 sheet does include some unspecified GFE, but is also non-specific about what items are CFE.

energo · by **energo** » 08 May 2019, 18:56

29. April GAO report:

https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-19-341

Action Needed to Improve Reliability and Prepare for
Modernization Efforts

What GAO Found
The F-35 program has made slow, sustained progress in improving the aircraft’s
reliability and maintainability (R&M). The F-35 aircraft (see figure) are assessed
against eight R&M metrics, which indicate how much time the aircraft will be in
maintenance rather than operations. Half of these metrics are not meeting
targets. While the Department of Defense (DOD) has a plan for improving R&M,
its guidance is not in line with GAO’s acquisition best practices or federal internal
control standards as it does not include specific, measurable objectives, align
improvement projects to meet those objectives, and prioritize funding. If the R&M
requirements are not met, the warfighter may have to settle for a less reliable
and more costly aircraft than originally envisioned.