UK MOD in a muddle over F-35C

[quicksilver]

"History" eh?

Ten years from now very few will remember and fewer yet will care about this 'first'. Meanwhile, there are forces that remain in harms way on distant parts of the planet.

[noth]

And the Osprey has landed!

https://twitter.com/HMSQnlz/status/1050148328598593541

[spazsinbad]

More interesting than Osprey is this Twitter tidbit garnered from earlier USMC F-35B crash report fallout by 'hyltheday':
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=54487&p=403552&hilit=Brits#p403552

11 Oct 2018 "...Contrary to reports, all F-35 jets have not been grounded. We have paused some F-35 flying as a precautionary measure while we consider the findings of an ongoing enquiry. Flight trials from @HMSQnlz continue and the programme remains on schedule...." https://mobile.twitter.com/DefenceHQ/st ... 0293050368

F-35 Flights Suspended While F135 Fuel Tubes Checked; UK F-35Bs Keep Flying on HMS QE
11 Oct 2018 Colin Clark and Paul McLeary

"WASHINGTON: It may not last long, but the entire F-35 fleet — all versions from all countries — was just grounded “while the enterprise conducts a fleet-wide inspection of a fuel tube within the engine on all F-35 aircraft.” The British — clearly hungry to keep their two F-35Bs flying as they press ahead with testing aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth — have checked their planes already.

A British defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told us the crew of the Queen Elizabeth “has checked her embarked jets and flight trials are continuing… they are flying today.”

We just got this official statement from the British MoD, clarifying how they are handling this across their F-35B fleet: “Safety is our paramount concern, therefore the UK has decided to pause some F-35 flying as a precautionary measure while we consider the findings of an ongoing enquiry...."

“F-35 flight trials from the aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, are continuing and the programme remains on schedule to provide our Armed Forces with a game-changing capability. We will continue to review the situation as further information becomes available.”..."

Source: https://breakingdefense.com/2018/10/f-3 ... on-hms-qe/

[spazsinbad]

UK MoD PR is run by kindies for sure - however I will concede perhaps there is some wordplay involved but I apologise not.

HMS Queen Elizabeth @HMSQnlz
12 Oct 2018 RN/MoD PR

"In a Sea State 6 with winds gusting to 50 knots we continue to develop @thef35 to life at Sea.

Our Rotary Wing are also showing their metal [METTLE youse Fwits!] on Search & Rescue duties. With a pitching, rolling deck; they certainly are earning their flying pay today!#roughers #FlyNavy #F35ondeck

Source: https://twitter.com/hashtag/roughers?src=hash

[spazsinbad]

F-35s on board UK's newest aircraft carrier | We Are HMS Queen Elizabeth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eE_ahJlvtI

[spazsinbad]

Lots of photos here: https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/f-35-f ... nt-part-4/

Photo: "HMS Monmouth acting as plane guard while flight operations continue. Note how close to shore this is taking place – the city of Baltimore can be seen on the horizon." https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/wp-con ... nmouth.jpg & https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/wp-con ... n-deck.jpg
&
"Coming into the hover – the jetwash kicks up plenty of spray. One of the reasons carrier aircraft need to be thoroughly marinised to resist the corrosive effects of salt water." https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/wp-con ... t-wash.jpg

[spazsinbad]

Probably NOT Baltimore on horizon in above pic but possibly Ocean City / Atlantic City?

[spazsinbad]

Photo: https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org ... fcac88.jpg

[spazsinbad]

On page 118 this thread is the SKY PILOT on the SKI JUMP entering harbor story tradition (wot is new)…. Thanks SEAgull.

viewtopic.php?f=58&t=15969&p=402041&hilit=rools#p402041

Photo: https://news.usni.org/wp-content/upload ... 049001.jpg (2.2Mb)

[spazsinbad]

Attached below is same 10 page PDF: https://www.eucass.eu/doi/EUCASS2017-275.pdf (0.8Mb)

Carrier deck launching of adapted land-based airplanes
23 Jul 2017 HERNANDO, José-Luis and MARTINEZ-VAL, Rodrigo - Department of Aircraft and Spacecraft
School of Aerospace Engineering; Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; 28040 Madrid, Spain

"Abstract
Harrier VTOL is the basic combat airplane for many Navies, but it will soon be retired from service. Three main alternatives appear: to incorporate another, already existing or under development airplane; to design a completely new aircraft; or to modify an existing land-based airplane for carrier suitability. The present paper is part of a study to assess the feasibility of the third option. In former papers the authors have addressed the compatibility of land-based airplanes with aircraft carriers and the details of the carrier approach guidance and recovery; and showed some major modifications required in wing structure and landing gear. The research proposed here studies the airplane performance during the launching manoeuvre, formed by a take-off run on the flat deck followed by a ski-jump....

…5. Conclusions
The present paper has been devoted to assess the feasibility of launching an advanced combat airplane from a midsize carrier, without entering into the complex analysis of how such aircraft would board the vessel, topic that would deserve a specific study. As an example of critical aircraft/vessel combination Eurofighter Typhoon (EFA) and Juan Carlos I have been used. Needless-to-say, any analysis on the aircraft/vessel compatibility topic is highly specific and cannot be extrapolated to another combination.

In this research a number of aerodynamic features of the aircraft have been estimated, with methods proper of preliminary design and, therefore, the findings presented here have such depth level. The key finding is that EFA is capable of safely operate from a mid-size carrier without catapult, and the only help of a ski-jump on the ship’s bow. The fly-away from the end of the curved deck follows a trajectory compatible with common piloting practice.

Interestingly, the aircraft requires no major modifications for the launching manoeuvre, as opposed to what can be expected from the recovery, this last due to the much higher than normal vertical speed at touchdown in sea approaches. This preliminary study has been carried out with the original all up weight. This means that the land-based airplane could perform the manoeuvre without being penalized for the requirement of taking-off from a carrier, and would keep all its combat capability.

Additional research is necessary to confirm the preliminary results, to assess the effectiveness of thrust vectoring control, and to optimize piloting control laws and airplane attitude during the initial fly-away phase."

Source: https://www.eucass.eu/doi/EUCASS2017-275.pdf

[spazsinbad]

VOYAGER REFUELS F-35B FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UK
18 Oct 2018 RAF PR

"...The refuel took place on the 16th October 2018, over the North Sea at 19000ft. The Voyager, based at RAF Brize Norton, home to the RAF’s Air Mobility Fleet is no stranger to refuelling fast jets, being the RAF’s sole AAR capability. The Voyager KC. Mk 2, is equipped with two underwing pods for refuelling fast jets, and the Voyager KC. Mk 3 has an additional centreline hose for use by larger aircraft...."

Photo: https://www.raf.mod.uk/raf-beta/assets/ ... 5-0032.jpg

Source: https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation ... in-the-uk/

[spazsinbad]

First test bombs dropped from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s F-35 Lightning fighter jets
18 Oct 2018 RN PR

"The first bombs have been dropped from F-35 Lightning fighter jets conducting trials on board Britain’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The inert GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided precision bombs were dropped off the east coast of the USA, marking another significant milestone in the carrier’s trials. Adding the 500lb bombs to the jets for take-off has enabled the trials teams to see how the jets behave when carrying various weights, gathering crucial test data.

It is the first time the American-made bombs have ever been embarked in a UK ship. They are made up of a head, containing the bomb’s computer, the tail and a concrete warhead. As they are test bombs, they carry no explosives. They are being built onboard by Royal Navy air engineers, supervised by specialist US Navy ordnance ratings from the US aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, further demonstrating the close co-operation between the two key allied nations...."

Photo: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/ro ... 048002.jpg & https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/ro ... 048005.jpg

Source: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... -bomb-drop

[spazsinbad]

A great bunch of NewYARK & QE photos in the article below.

Sailors stand at attention around HMS Queen Elizabeth arriving in New York
19 Oct 2018 Martine Berg Olsen

"...The £3.1 billion behemoth warship, which has more than 1,000 personnel on board, anchored about two miles from Manhattan in the Hudson River on Friday. Captain Jerry Kyd said: ‘We are the biggest carrier to go in there (New York) for about 50 years,’ he said – highlighting how the larger nuclear-powered Nimitz Class American carriers are forbidden. There was much excitement on board the vast vessel ahead of the visit, with those in the officers mess the night before heartily singing along to Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York....

...With both of the test F-35B Lightning jets having disembarked the ship for maintenance, he [Captain Kyd] said his visit 32 years ago involved a touch of aviation flair in the form of two Sea Harriers flying off HMS Ark Royal, hovering in front of the Statue of Liberty and bowing to it....

Photo: "There was much excitement on board the vast vessel ahead of the visit (Picture: EPA/LPhot Kyle Heller)" https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/20 ... 0-91ae.jpg

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2018/10/19/sailors- ... k-8056704/

[spazsinbad]

Britain's biggest warship HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in New York
19 Oct 2018 RN PR

"Britain's biggest warship HMS Queen Elizabeth today made waves in the Big Apple beginning a historic week-long visit to New York. The ultimate symbol of British naval power dropped anchor within sight of the Statue of Liberty and the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan for seven days in New York’s Upper Bay – in full view of Ellis and Liberty Island tourists and thousands of commuters on the Staten Island ferry....

...The visit brings to an end Captain Kyd’s stint as the first Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth. He hands over to Captain Nick Cooke-Priest who will take the future flagship through her second spell of Lightning trials.

Those trials resume with far more achieved in the first three weeks than anticipated: 98 take-offs using the ski ramp, the first ‘rolling’ landing, bringing the F-35 to a stop on the flight deck instead of the aircraft dropping down vertically, night flying and even some rough weather trials to begin pushing the conditions in which the carrier can operate her air power safely.

Capt Jerry Kyd added: “It has been a superb effort by everyone across the Integrated Test Force and HMS Queen Elizabeth so far – I could not be more pleased with the team spirit and dynamism shown by all. “That has delivered a volume of quality data which has put us well ahead of where we expected to be at this stage. I am very grateful to all the Integrated Test Force folk who have been focused, professional and willing to go the extra mile.”"

Photo: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/ro ... 277005.jpg

Source: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... n-new-york

[spazsinbad]

HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in New York https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-hqtOaerfo