Forum: General F-35 Forum

Nice, in future during Red Flag when an F-35B has an IFE and decides to land in my back yard ... I now know it won't kill my Desert Tourtise!

Spanish & RAN LHD eye candy cutaway (with Harriers) you can imagine the F-35Bs...

Hmmm, Conan, that is how JSF-B ops will start for the RAN FAA if it is ever going to happen. All the talk about 'no plan' is fine until there is a plan. There is even talk/imagining of other fixed wing assets being employed on the RAN LHDs (as poor man substitutes for JSF-B). My interest is in advancing the plan for JSF-Bs on RAN LHDs by educating myself about the issues involved to enable that 'plan'.

Corsair1963, good question. Here is a web page: http://www.sldinfo.com/?p=3609 "Sldinfo’s Robbin Laird interviewed Colonel Tomassetti, 33rd Fighter Wing, Vice Commander, in early January 2010 and discussed the 33rd Fighter Wing’s approach to F-35 training and the nature of the training center."

Preparing for the F35: The 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base Stands Up a Comprehensive Training Facility

..."SLD: What’s the thinking about involving the partner countries?
Colonel Tomassetti: Right now, there will be partner countries at Eglin, those who are already involved in the program and then whatever foreign military sales happen as we go down range. Exactly how many and which partner countries will appear at Eglin has not quite been determined yet. There will be some. It could be up to and including everybody who’s in the program right now, and we are preparing and planning for it to be of that magnitude. If it’s something less than that, then so be it but right now, we are working towards being able to accommodate every partner country who is involved with the program today and even doing a little planning for all those anticipated foreign military sales that may come later on down the road."
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F-35 pilot training on track despite problems By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 6, 2010

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/04/n ... g_040510w/

"Development of a training pipeline for pilots and maintainers for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter remains on track despite the recent problems with the jet’s cost and development schedule.

“Our focus has remained the same — to be ready when that first jet arrives,” said Navy Capt. Mike Saunders, deputy commander of the 33rd Operations Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

Saunders is helping oversee the joint command that is standing up the F-35’s first fleet training squadrons for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

All three services plan to begin flying the F-35 within the next two years, Saunders said.

The first simulators arrived in late March, he said.

The Marine Corps’ training squadron, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, stood up April 2, making the Corps the second service to formally create a training unit. The Air Force created the 58th Fighter Squadron last year. The Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron 101 will stand up next year.

The Air Force and Marine Corps have several pilots at Eglin for training. The Navy, which will be the last service to put the F-35 into operation, expects to send its first pilots to the Florida base early next year.

The timeline for the training wing has not changed despite the wrangling among Washington bureaucrats about the shortcomings of the F-35 program, which is run by Lockheed Martin. Pentagon officials added 13 months to the fighter jet’s development schedule and warned that it may cost much more than initially thought.

The 33rd Fighter Wing staff and squadrons have 141 total personnel for all three services. Hangars, academic centers and a dining hall are under construction.

Initial staffers are developing standard operating procedures for the training squadrons, drawing up a curriculum and becoming technically familiar with the engine, software systems and other components of the new aircraft.

“We are really getting down into the devil in the details on this,” Saunders said.

Joint JSF Training
The joint training program for the F-35 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will include three separate training squadrons for the Air Force, Marines and Navy.

• Air Force: 58th Fighter Squadron stood up in October. Has seven officers and one enlisted airman. First F-35A expected to arrive this fall.

• Marine Corps: VMFA-501 stood up April 2. Has eight officers and 23 enlisted Marines. First F-35B expected to arrive spring 2011.

• Navy: VFA-101 stands up in October 2011. First pilots expected to arrive in early 2011. First F-35C expected to arrive in early 2012."
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Relevant to operation / some training in UK only: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics ... t_Aircraft

"In November 2005 it was announced that the F-35 main base will be RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland. Lossiemouth was selected due its existing facilities and access to training areas."