Launching the F-35C Lightning II

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10/16/2015

10/16/2015: F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighters assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 go through flight evolutions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducting follow-on sea trials.

 Credit:U.S. Navy video/Released:10/2/15

According to Colin Clark of Breaking Defense:

One thing that separated this from the first flights aboard the USS Nimitz was that the three-wire, the one pilots like to hit the most and for which they garner the most praise, was out of commission through the voyage.

So we couldn’t report on how the F-35 pilots were besting their F-18 Super Hornet colleagues on catching the three-wire every time as happened aboard the Nimitz.

However, several pilots I spoke with said they had been targeting the same area and hit the target each time.

Also, Joe DellaVedova (PAO for the Joint Program Office) said in an email that the program stressed the airframe of the F-35A, the Air Force version, for the equivalent of two lifetimes.

The test, known as the F-35A Full Airframe Durability Test Article (AJ-1) finished the day before we flew to the Ike, completing 16,000 hours of maneuver and buffet loads cycling.

 

 

F-35C Lightning II Goes Through Flight Evolutions

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10/15/2015

10/15/2015: F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighters assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 go through flight evolutions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducting follow-on sea trials.

 Credit:U.S. Navy video/Released:10/3/15

According to Andrea Shalal of Reuters:

The Navy will be the last of the U.S. services to start using the new jets, following the Marine Corps, which declared an initial squadron combat-ready in July, and the Air Force, which is slated to follow suit in August 2016. The Navy is expected to have a first combat-ready squadron in late 2018.

Haley said the F-35 C-model would provide a “huge benefit” to U.S. military commanders in coming years, working in tandem with Boeing Co F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets and EA-18G electronic attack planes for years to come.

He said the jets’ ability to fuse data from a variety of radars and other sensors, and then share it with ships and other aircraft, would change the way the U.S. Navy fights wars.

“The F-35 is going to bring … sensors and an ability to guide the fight, whether it’s an air-to-ground fight or an air-to-air fight.

They’re going to have an ability that’s going to change how we think about getting to the target, delivering weapons and getting out of the target,” Haley said.

 

The F-35C Lands Aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

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10/14/2015

10/13/2015: F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighters assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 land aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducting follow-on sea trials.

 Credit:U.S. Navy video/Released):10/2/15

According to Ali Rockett of the Newport News. Daily Press:

Rear Adm. J.R. Haley, commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic… (commented):

With the aircraft’s stealth ability and sensors, the F-35C would be able to, from great distance, spy and shoot any plane that might challenge it close up, Haley said.

“It’s not about stealthy. It’s about the entire air frame itself and what it brings to the fight,” Haley said.

“And bringing that up and down off the carrier provides the country with huge, huge benefits and a lot of latitude of where we operate that air platform.

It’s going to change dramatically our tactics and how we fight the air wing and the ship and how we fight the battle group.”

Luke F-35 Academic Training Center

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08/24/2015: F-35 operations at Luke Air Force Base as well as classes at the F-35 Academic Training Center.

The ATC began classes in May 2015 and trains pilots who will fly the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter.

Students include pilots from Undergraduate Pilot Training, pilots who have previously flown the F-15, F-16, and A-10 aircraft, and pilots from F-35 partner nations and Foreign Military Sales nations.

Training at the ATC will last five to six weeks, at which point pilots will go to one of the F-35 flying squadrons at Luke.

They will occasionally return to the ATC for advanced weapons training and other courses during their time on the flight line.

Credit:56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs:8/13/15

 

F-35C Flight Ops Aboard USS Eisenhower

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10/13/2015

10/12/2015: F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighters assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 go through flight evolutions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducting follow-on sea trials.

 Credit:Navy Media Content Service:10/3/15

According to Colin Clark of Breaking Defense:

After all the talk from senior Navy leaders about the life cycle costs of the Joint Strike Fighter program and the limits of stealth over the last five years, it was intriguing to hear top Navy commanders and pilots praising the performance of the F-35Cs being tested here.

The pilots were using the third generation helmets, a little over a month since the first one was delivered by Rockwell Collins. The verdict from three different pilots: it improved their ability to fly and land on the carrier at night, perhaps the most difficult feat for any pilot. They also got the chance to push the plane and the carrier to their limits.

The carrier was operating in crosswinds of up to 40 knots, and the planes were taking off with nearly full fuel loads of 50,000 pounds at the lowest speeds possible to establish the baseline for F-35C operations from here on out.

As the planes cleared the bow after being catapulted forward, they were falling up to 17 feet, testing the pilots’ abilities to control the plane, as well as pushing the planes avionics and control surfaces. Joe DellaVedova, the F-35 program spokesman, called the effort “once in a lifetime” testing.

 

F-35 Aboard the USS Eisenhower

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10/13/2015: Flight deck members watch a F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighters assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 land aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).

The POV for this video is from the flight deck Integrated Catapult Control Station (ICCS) which is sometimes called the “bubble.”

The aircraft is later launched from a catapult aboard the ship.

Credit:Navy Media Content Services:10/4/15

According to Colin Clark of Breaking Defense:

One of the more intriguing comments on the interaction between ship and planes came from the Mighty Ike’s captain, Stephen Koehler, a former F-14 pilot who now commands one very big ship.

He noted that the ship drivers use each of the four huge propellers to best position the ship as she’s underway to give pilots the best combination of wind and takeoff speeds.

Rear Admiral John Haley, commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic, told us the aircraft was about 80 percent of the way through development testing. This was the second of three DT events. The Navy plans to declare Initial Operating Capability by the end of August 2018.

One thing that separated this from the first flights aboard the USS Nimitz was that the three-wire, the one pilots like to hit the most and for which they garner the most praise, was out of commission through the voyage.

 

Indonesia 2015 Amphibious Assault

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10/07/2015

Sailors and Marines work alongside their Indonesian counterparts during the amphibious assault landing held in support of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia.

In its 21st year, CARAT is an annual, bilateral exercise series with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine partner nations including, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

 Credit:AFN Yokosuka:8/8/15

Also see:

Shaping Deterrence in Depth Strategy: The Key Role of Focused Partnerships and Multilateralism

08/14/2015 – Habitual partnerships are a key element of shaping an effective deterrence in depth strategy in the Pacific.

In an interview with William Wesley, who works partnerships for PACFLEET, the way ahead in working collective security and defense in the Pacific is the focus of attention.

https://www.sldinfo.com/shaping-deterrence-in-depth-strategy-the-key-role-of-focused-partnerships-and-multilateralism/

 

 

The Australians Participate in Norwegian F-35 Missile Program

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2015-10-07 An element of the F-35 global enterprise is the possibility for allies to collaborate among themselves on building new missiles for the platform.

Meteor is clearly one example and the Norwegian maritime strike missile is another.

According to a story in Australian Aviation published on September 22, 2015:

The governments of Norway and Australia have formalised their agreement for Australia to participate in the development of the Joint Strike Missile for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Joint Strike Missile – JSM – is being developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence Systems as a long-range maritime strike missile that can be carried in the F-35’s internal weapons bays. The agreement between Australia and Norway, first annocuned at the Avalon Airshow in February, will see BAE Systems Australia integrate an RF (radio frequency) seeking capability into the missile’s seeker, allowing it to locate targets from their electronic signature.

If Australia also decides to procure the JSM for its F-35s the agreement, signed on September 15, will also see Australia share in the cost of integrating the JSM onto the F-35.

“The JSM will provide one of the core capabilities of the future Norwegian Armed Forces, and this agreement not only confirms that other nations are seeing the value of what this missile can deliver, but also that they are prepared to help make it even better,” Norwegian Minister of Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide, said in a statement.

“This agreement is a prime example of instances where two nations, each bringing their own specialities and skills to the table, are able to build a better system by working together compared to what they could have done on their own.

This, in a nutshell, is what the F-35 partnership is all about, and it is an important example of the kind of positive ripple effects the program helps generate beyond the aircraft themselves.”

And the first Norwegian F-35 has come off the Fort Worth assembly line in September as well with the Norwegian pilots to train at Luke AFB with the Australians, the USAF and other partners as well.

According to the official Norwegian news site in the United States, norway.org, in a story published on 9/24/15:

Our new combat aircraft will strengthen all of the Armed Forces,” said Norwegian Minister of Defense Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide, who on Sept. 22, 2015 participated in the formal roll-out of the first Norwegian F-35 at Lockheed Martin’s production facilities in Fort Worth, Texas.

Norway is planning to acquire up to 52 F-35As in the years leading up to 2025, and today’s ceremony celebrated the completion of the first of these, which is destined for Luke Air Force Base where it will take part in the training of Norwegian and partner pilots.

“This is a historic milestone for the Norwegian Armed Forces. I am very pleased to see the results of the extended and thorough selection process that we have completed. I feel very privileged to be the Minister of Defense on a day like this. Politicians from across the political spectrum have contributed over an extended period of time to ensure that we are able to carry out this extremely important acquisition,” said Ms. Eriksen Søreide.

The F-35 will replace Norway’s current fleet of F-16 fighters, which date back to the early 1980s, but the Minister stresses that the new aircraft are far more than simply an F-16-replacement.

“Our new combat aircraft will provide the Armed Forces with a number of new capabilities that we have never had before. In particular, the F-35 when equipped with the Norwegian Joint Strike Missile will ensure that we will be able to target and defeat even well defended targets at extended distances with very high precision. This will strengthen our ability to deter any potential opponent. The F-35 is also more able to support other parts of the Armed Forces than our current aircraft, and it will also be able to operate in areas which would be too dangerous for the F-16,” said the minister.

Cost estimates have held firm
The Norwegian cost for the first aircraft have held firm, and the aircraft are being delivered at the right time and with the right capability.

“The Norwegian acquisition of the F-35 is progressing on schedule. In total we now have ten aircraft in various stages of production, and the price for the two aircraft delivered in 2015 has proven to be in line with our earlier estimates,” said Ms. Eriksen Søreide.

The aircraft delivered in 2015 and 2016 will be used to train Norwegian and partner pilots at the training center at Luke Air Force Base. The first aircraft to arrive in Norway will be delivered in 2017, and will then begin preparations for Norway’s initial operating capability with the F-35 in 2019.

“We continue to see significant political support for the F-35 in the Norwegian Parliament, and the aircraft is a central part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen Norway’s defensive capabilities,” said Ms. Eriksen Søreide.

Providing industrial opportunities 

After only a few hundred of the more than 3,000 aircraft that are planned for users worldwide, Norwegian industry has already secured contracts worth almost NOK 3 billion, something that is expected to grow as the annual production numbers increase. These deliveries particularly include composites from Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, as well as other key components in the aircraft and the engine from companies such as GKN Aerospace and Kitron.

Beyond this there is also a significant potential for subsequent deliveries of weapons and ammunition as the aircraft enter widespread operational service. The Defense Minister particularly points to the recent agreement with Australia for development and integration of the JSM as important proof of the kind of opportunities this creates.

“We are now well underway with the final phase of development for the JSM, and the missiles is to be integrated on the F-35 and delivered to the Norwegian Armed Forces by 2025. With Australia already now investing to help improve the missile, before deciding to buy the missile, says a lot about the interest we see also among other countries for the kind of capabilities that Norwegian industry can deliver and what opportunities this can create in the future,” said Ms. Eriksen Søreide.