The BAE F-35 Production Line: July 2013 Update

07/19/2013
2013-07-18  According to an article in Advance, the UK magazine for Aviation, Defence, Security and Defence Industries, BAE Systems’ new production line for the assembly of F-35 horizontal and vertical tails is operational. (Excerpts): A new revolutionary monorail system for the F-35 assembly line now extends to the manufacture of…

Japan and Participation in F-35 Production

07/18/2013
2013-07-18 (Excerpts): The Japanese government has decided to allow domestic defense-related manufacturers to participate in production of U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jets for the Air Self-Defense Force, government sources said Wednesday. The government, which will sign contracts with the manufacturers in August, is aiming to solidify Japan-U.S. relations in the…

Lockheed Martin Delivers F-35 Targeting System

07/18/2013
2013-07-18 (Excerpts) Lockheed Martin recently delivered the 100th Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) for the F-35 Lightning II. EOTS is the first sensor that combines forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track functionality to provide F-35 pilots with situational awareness and air-to-air and air-to-surface targeting from a safe distance. This technology…

An Update on F-35 Maintenance: The USAF at Eglin Works the Challenges and Receives Recognition

07/17/2013
2013-07-17 The F-35 is built around a new maintenance approach.  The computer-based system is designed to facility a global supply system with significant advantages for improvements in sortie generation rates and global supportability.  But like any new system, the effort is a work in progress. With the declaration of entry into…

Brazil, Protests and the Future

07/15/2013
2013-07-15 by Kenneth Maxwell This was a headline which appeared on USA Today on June 23, 2013: Brazil: 250K protest against government corruption. The article noted that: A quarter-million Brazilians took to the streets in the latest a wave of sometimes-violent protests that are increasingly focusing on corruption and reforming…