F-35B Gun Test 06JUL16

[Corsair1963]

Very confusing....

[Corsair1963]

Haven heard anything recently about the Nammo Apex round for the GAU-22. Is the US still planning on using it???

Interesting news bit regarding the FAP round above. I have no knowledge about it.

Last I had learned from a lot of oogling, was the Nammo round appeared set to be purchased by foreign F-35 partners and Orbital ATK manufactured rounds (PGU-32/U SAPHEI-T) were going to be procured by the US. News of the Rheinmetal FAP round purchase leaves me scratching my head.

Sounds like the FAP and APEX rounds are similar in design. Just wondered what happen to Nammo and why the Rheinmetal round was selected instead???

[steve2267]

Sounds like the FAP and APEX rounds are similar in design. Just wondered what happen to Nammo and why the Rheinmetal round was selected instead???

I don't think so. FAP has no explosive component whereas APEX definitely does have an explosive filler. Both are considered a "dual use" round though -- capable of being used air-to-air as well as air-to-ground with decent armor penetration capabilities (around 2" in the case of APEX), suitable for infantry fighting vehicles etc.

[spazsinbad]

OP has a link to the video https://gfycat.com/FlickeringWeeAyeaye which is now on Ubend below.... TWEE huh.

[spazsinbad]

I'm not of the twittering face*uck persuasion so getting proper URLs/info from there difficult but HERE GOES....

Airborne Gunfire Testing for the F-35B Completed
12 May 2017 Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)

"#ICYMI - The Salty Dogs of VX-23's Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF) made aviation history Monday, May 8, when they completed airborne gunfire testing for the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant."

Source: https://www.facebook.com/NAVAIR/?hc_ref ... NE&fref=nf

[spazsinbad]

Courtesy of the DRAGON via DVids:

[spazsinbad]

'MY' background music [CONFIDENCE MAN - Boyfriend (Repeat)] added to original Dvid Clip as shown/heard....

[spazsinbad]

Fighter wings successfully field test F-35A ammunition loader
14 Jun 2017 Donovan K. Potter, 388th Fighter Wing

"HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- The 388th Fighter Wing, the Air Force’s first F-35 Lightning II operational wing, recently received five F-35A bulk ammunition loaders for field use.

Airmen extensively tested one of the loaders June 6-9, 2017, during an engineering validation and verification evaluation here.

The mobile loader lets weapon experts safely and efficiently load 25mm ammunition into the F-35A while simultaneously unloading spent shells.

It’s important for the Airmen who will use the loader on a daily basis to test it at an operational unit, said Lt. Col. Randall Austill, the Air Combat Command Maintenance Munitions Branch chief .

Members of Hill Air Force Base’s active-duty 388th Maintenance Group and the reserve component 419th Maintenance Group used the published technical guidance to stock the loader and load the ammunition into the F-35A.

Tech. Sgt. Creighton Daetwyler, who is part of the 388th Maintenance Squadron, said the tests not only validated the loader, but also provided maintainers an opportunity to give input on improving the procedures and equipment in the future.

“I’m proud of our weapons and ammo communities for their proactive drive to unleash Air Force combat capability,” said Col. Michael Miles, the 388th Maintenance Group commander. “The results of this loader evaluation will help the maintenance group deliver combat capability anytime, anywhere when tasked.”

Photo:"Master Sgt. Jeffrey Taggart, a 388th Maintenance Group Loading Standardization crew member, reads technical data during a validation and verification process of an ammunition bulk loader used to load cannon rounds onto the F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, June 7, 2017, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. (U.S. Air Force photo/R. Nial Bradshaw)" https://media.defense.gov/2017/Jun/12/2 ... 6-0069.JPG (1.8Mb)

Source: http://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/ ... on-loader/