What is up with the F-35? Part II

[jlvfr]

... doesn't Turkey also have a maintenance center that was supposed to support other EU countries?...

[Josh]

My understanding is that while two aircraft have been 'delivered', in reality they are at Luke AFB where the first Turk pilots were training and are not actually in Turkish possession. Is that the case? Because otherwise it seems certain that any copies in actual Turkish possession get sold off to highest bidder as part of the current political fight.

[bfng3569]

the saga continues....

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...-35s-to-turkey

No Stealth For You!: Trump Signs Defense Bill That Blocks Transfer Of F-35s To Turkey

just a snipit...

The language in the law requires a written review within 90 days on Turkish-U.S. relations, including the use of Incirlik Air Base by American forces, as well as a risk assessment associated with delivering F-35s to Turkey as well as other platforms and weapons systems. It reads in part:

Assessment of impacts on other United States weapon systems and platforms operated jointly with the Republic of Turkey" for the following

(ii) the Patriot surface-to-air missile system;

(iii) the CH–47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter;

(iv) the AH–64 Attack helicopter;

(v) the H–60 Black Hawk utility helicopter; and

(vi) the F–16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

Only once these documents are delivered can a reevaluation of the restrictions be made.

The first Turkish F-35 has already been delivered, but it will be some time before the jets actually migrate to Turkey as Turkish F-35 pilot training is just being spun up at Luke AFB in Arizona.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis was opposed to blocking the transfer on the grounds that Turkey is still a regional strategic ally of the United States and that it would add to the F-35 program's cost and potentially disrupt its supply chain among other factors. But rhetoric emanating from Ankara doesn't point to the possibility of a repeal of the embargo anytime soon, as both Trump and Erdogan squabble over the return of religious leaders in each other's countries.

[SteveDaPirate]

F-35 Air Vehicle Configuration Evolution



https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2018-3367

[TopHatter]

Essex Amphibious Ready Group Quietly Deployed on Tuesday with Marine F-35s

THE PENTAGON — The three-ship Essex Amphibious Ready Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit left San Diego, Calif., on Tuesday with little fanfare for an expected Western Pacific and Middle East deployment, a defense official confirmed to USNI News on Thursday.

The big deck USS Essex (LHD-2), amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) departed for an routine deployment with a squadron of Marine F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters from the “Wake Island Avengers” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, the official confirmed to USNI News.

“The Essex Amphibious Ready Group with embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit got underway from San Diego, Tuesday,” Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. Charlie Brown said in a Thursday statement to USNI News. “For reasons of operational security, we are not publicly disclosing any additional details.”

The deployment is the first for Marine Joint Strike Fighters from the U.S., following a short float of Japan-based “Green Knights” of VMFA-121 on the forward-deployed amphibious warship USS Wasp (LHD-1) in March.

The Marine F-35Bs aboard Essex are set to bring a drastically expanded set of capabilities to the ARG/MEU beyond the more-than-30-year-old design of the AV-8B Harrier II that makes up the bulk of the Marines’ strike inventory.

“With the new aircraft, we want to be able to capitalize on all the capability that aircraft has to bear, like multi-functional data links, how do we get that information from that airplane to the ship so we can use it,” Capt. Gerald Olin, Amphibious Squadron 1 commander and commodore of the Essex ARG, said in February. “That also gives me additional command-and-control capability.”

While the Marines have widely publicized the F-35Bs on Essex, the departure of the ARG/MEU was not announced publicly before the ships left San Diego. Typically, the service alerts media in advance of deployments for those interested in covering the departure events, as well as sends a separate announcement once the ships formally deploy. Numerous social media posts on Facebook and Twitter – posted by private citizens, not military-affiliated accounts – showed sailors and Marines manning the rails of the ships of the ARG as they departed San Diego.

The decision to not announce the departure of the about 5,000 sailors and Marines were made at the discretion of the new U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. John Aquilino, two sources familiar with the behind-the-scenes conversations on the preparations told USNI News on Thursday. The communications move was designed to change the expectations on what information the public could expect when ships in the Pacific area of operations deploy, the sources told USNI News.

A San Diego-based Navy official would not confirm to USNI News when called on Thursday if Essex was in port, citing a new Pacific Fleet policy that was not elaborated on. Link

[Albany Rifles]

Sounds like it's less of an issue with the software than suppliers that are unable to keep up with the demand. New build F-35s probably get priority, especially if all the little guys are contracting with Lockheed rather than DOD. With the ever expanding production lines in Fort Worth, there may not be much excess capacity to produce spares.

That's an issue across all military aircraft.

[Gun Grape]

First British f-35s arrive in the UK

[SteveDaPirate]

Back to the F-35: the spare parts control software is still giving headaches. Big ones.

Sounds like it's less of an issue with the software than suppliers that are unable to keep up with the demand. New build F-35s probably get priority, especially if all the little guys are contracting with Lockheed rather than DOD. With the ever expanding production lines in Fort Worth, there may not be much excess capacity to produce spares.

[jlvfr]

Didn't work out too well in 2015 (and the secular right wing was sort of friendly and united back then), and Mr. Najib Razak also thought he had the election in the bag.

True, but Razak didn't have the power Erdogan has today...

Back to the F-35: the spare parts control software is still giving headaches. Big ones.

[Skywatcher]

I very much doubt he's going to leave the election to chance...

Didn't work out too well in 2015 (and the secular right wing was sort of friendly and united back then), and Mr. Najib Razak also thought he had the election in the bag.

[Heorot]

jlvfr. Since the state of emergency was declared, it has been the law that ID (passports for tourists) must be carried at all times. The area where we have our villa has a high level of British & Dutch ex-pats and, until recently, they were rarely if ever asked to show them.

That has changed in the last few weeks. The Jandama have been setting up road blocks to check the papers of all, Turkish citizens and ex-pats alike. Before, on the rare occasions you were asked for ID, it was just given a cursory glance but now, they are being taken to a portable scanned to be checked. I believe that these extra checks are to re-inforce the fact among Turks that the State of Emergency is still in place before the elections. There is little overt opposition to Ergogan in our area but during the emergency teachers, and other prominent citizens deemed to be likely opponents of the regime have been arrested without trial as supporters of Gulen, who has been accused of orchestrating the "coup".

[Gun Grape]

I wonder what happens to the program if we decide to exclude Turkey?
. They are one of the 6 prime partner nations and one of the largest buyers

https://www.f35.com/global/participa...-participation

Industrial Participation
In total for Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney, F-35 Production Industrial Participation opportunities for Turkish companies are expected to reach more than $12 billion.

Below are details on the 10 Turkish companies who have supported the development and/or production of F-35 / F135.

• Alp Aviation has been supporting the program since 2004 and currently manufactures F-35 production airframe structure and assemblies, production landing gear components and over 100 F135 production engine parts to include titanium integrated blade rotors.
• Aselsan is developing manufacturing approaches for advanced optical components, which are part of the F-35 Electro Optical Targeting System. They are also working with Northrup Grumman on the F-35 CNI Avionic Interface Controller and will initiate full scale production activities in the near term.
• Ayesas currently is the sole source supplier for two major F-35 components – missile remote interface unit and the panoramic cockpit display.
• Fokker Elmo manufactures 40 percent of the F-35 Electrical Wiring & Interconnection System (EWIS) and will also deliver and support TAI with all center section wiring systems. Fokker Elmo is also developing the EWIS for the F135 engine, for which a major share is produced in Fokker Elmo Turkey in Izmir.
• Havelsan has been supporting the F-35 training systems since 2005. Additionally, Havelsan has been instrumental as the Turkish lead for developing the construct of the future Turkish F-35 Integrated Pilot and Maintenance Training Center (ITC) and associated training systems in Turkey.
• Kale Aerospace has been supporting the F-35 since 2005. In conjunction with Turkish Aerospace Industries, they manufacture and produce F-35 airframe structures and assemblies. Kale Aero also supports Heroux Devtek as the sole source supplier for all three variants landing gear up lock assemblies. Additionally, Kale Aerospace has also established a joint venture in Izmir with Pratt & Whitney and is manufacturing production hardware for the F135 engine.
• MiKES has supported the F-35 Program during SDD delivering F-35 aircraft components and assemblies for BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman
• ROKETSAN and Tubitak-SAGE are the Turkish joint leadership team who strategically manage the development, integration, and production of the advanced precision-guided Stand-off Missile (SOM-J) which will be carried internally on the 5th Generation F-35 aircraft. Additionally, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has partnered with Roketsan, through a teaming agreement, to jointly develop, produce, market and sell the advanced, precision guided Stand Off Missile – Joint Strike Fighter (SOM-J).
• Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has been strategically supporting the F-35 Program since 2008. The company currently supplies production hardware that goes into every F-35 production aircraft. In conjunction with Northrup Grumman, TAI manufactures and assembles the center fuselages, produces composite skins and weapon bay doors, and manufactures fiber placement composite air inlet ducts. Additionally, TAI is strategically manufacturing 45 percent of the F-35’s including Air-to-Ground Pylons and adapters which is Alternate Mission Equipment (AME).

Additionally, Turkish Industry are going to have significant Industrial Participation role supporting Lockheed Martin and Pratt and Whitney for F-35 aircraft sustainment and F135 engine production and sustainment. Turkey has been given the approval to build its own F135 engines and was also selected to have the first European Regional F135 Engine depot overhaul capability. Both the engine production and overhaul will take place at the 1st HIBM in Eskisehir. Additionally, TAI has also been assigned to represent the organic depots of the Turkish Armed Forces within the Autonomic Logistic Global Sustainment (ALGS) system and Havelsan has been assigned as the Turkish Integrator for the National Integrated Training Center (ITC).

[jlvfr]

Wonder if Erdogan will still be in power after June 24th (assuming no run off)?

I'm surprised he called the snap election, considering what a mess the 2015 one was for the AKP.

But then again, like Bibi and Abe, he's just the least incompetent politician in his country.

I very much doubt he's going to leave the election to chance...

[Skywatcher]

Wonder if Erdogan will still be in power after June 24th (assuming no run off)?

I'm surprised he called the snap election, considering what a mess the 2015 one was for the AKP.

But then again, like Bibi and Abe, he's just the least incompetent politician in his country.

[Heorot]

As someone who has a villa in Turkey I keep a close eye on the politics there. You have to remember that Erdogan's party is an Islamist party and his ultimate goal is to make Turkey an Islamist state (with him as top dog). Unfortunately for him, there is a very large westernised population in opposition so he is taking baby steps. Since the coup, he has been tightening his grip on the country, arresting anyone with pretensions of being an intellectual. By the way, in my OPINION, the coup was so poorly executed that I believe that it was orchestrated by his own party to be doomed to failure so that he had the excuse to crack down on all opposition. Remember, that the Army has twice conducted successful coups against islamist governments so they have institutional knowledge how to conduct one properly.