08/02/2011 - The introduction of non-US stealth aircraft into the global competition is a significant development. The Chinese and Russians have introduced developmental prototypes that signify both capabilities and intentions to enter the stealth aircraft game. The former Secretary of Defense indicated that this competition was years away; but it…
The Missing Element from the “Sustainment” Debate By Dr. Robbin Laird 08/01/2011 - In the wake of the headlines about the trillion-dollar airplane, F-35 sustainment costs have been tossed into the political fray. According to a single line in an unreleased SAR report, the F-35 fleet is projected to cost…
An Interview with Joel Malone F-35As at Edwards AFB June 2011 (Credit: Lockheed Martin) 07/25/2011 - The shift from the F-16 to the F-35A for the USAF will provide significant capability to improve operational performance and operational tempo. In an interview with Joel Malone, the shift was discussed and analyzed.…
Or, How to Build the Honeycomb 07/19/2011 - The F-22 and F-35 have sophisticated sensors and self defense capabilities, which, in and of themselves, when combined with stealth enable these aircraft to become true game changers. But in and of themselves is not where the real game changing capability comes…
07/14/2011 The first F-35A for the pilot training and maintenance training program arrived today at Eglin AFB. Our sources at Eglin indicate that this is a DD250 aircraft which means that, de facto, it is part of the operational USAF. The DD 250 shows Air Force ownership of aircraft. This…
07/07/2011 - The Eurofighter has been down selected for the Indian competition and clearly the Eurofighter consortium hopes to replicate its success in Japan. F-22 was a clear candidate for Japan, but the Administration preferred cancelling the program. The F-35 is clearly on the table as a U.S. offering, but…
An Interview with Armando Martinez In an earlier article on the website, we discussed the impact of the design of the F-35 on maintenance. One system, which was discussed in the article, was the new approach to building and maintaining hydraulic systems. The article discussed the impact of the EHAS…
Building a Stable and Effective Public-Private Partnership In a recent interview Sldinfo conducted with Lou Kratz, Vice President, Logistics and Sustainment, Lockheed Martin Corporation, the core significance of shaping an effective partnership between industry and the Department of Defense was underscored. Indeed, Lou Kratz laid out an approach towards shaping a new…
