What is up with the F-35? Part II

[Gun Grape]

Looking at the America subclass. They are designed to carry 16 F-35s and a full compliment of 16 MV-22s.

That leaves the Ch-53s and the AH-1s.

53s easily shift to the LHDs and frankly the AH-1s are pretty much useless except to escort the 53s.

Not fast enough to keep up with the Ospreys and with long range strike being the in thing, to short ranged to have much ToS when they get to the objective.

Need a Osprey type gunship

[jlvfr]

Next stop, an AEW Osprey...

[TopHatter]

Greece proceeds with purchase of 20 Lockheed F-35 fighter jets -PM

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece has sent an official request to the United States for the purchase of 20 Lockheed Martin-made F-35 fighter jets, the country's prime minister said on Thursday.

NATO member Greece spends more than 2% of its gross domestic product on defence spending. It has beefed up its military purchases in recent years as tensions with its neighbour, historic rival and NATO ally Turkey, have resurfaced.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece is also examining the purchase of a second group of the jets.

"Our intention is to acquire an F-35 squadron with a possible option for a second one. Sending a Letter of Request (LoR) which has happened in the past few days is part of this process," Mitsotakis told reporters after a NATO summit.

Sending a request is the first step in a multi-stage process, Mitsotakis said, adding that the government expected deliveries of the jets would begin in 2027-2028.

"It is a long process and I am saying this because it means we have the fiscal space allowing us to make such a purchase," the conservative premier, who faces elections in 2023, said.

Greece and Turkey have been at odds for decades over a series of issues ranging from overflights in the Aegean and the extent of their continental shelves and maritime boundaries to energy resources and ethnically-split Cyprus.

Mitsotakis first referred to the purchase of F-35 jets during a visit in May to the United States.

Athens ordered 24 Dassault-made Rafale jets last year for 2.5 billion euros ($2.60 billion) and three navy frigates with an option for a fourth one from France for about 3 billion euros.

According to state ERT TV, the defence ministry also wants to proceed with the upgrade of 38 F-16 fighter jets.

On Wednesday, the United States supported the potential sale of U.S. F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, a day after Ankara lifted a veto of NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, saying that strong Turkish defence capabilities would reinforce NATO's defences.
________

[tbm3fan]

On Wednesday, the United States supported the potential sale of U.S. F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, a day after Ankara lifted a veto of NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, saying that strong Turkish defence capabilities would reinforce NATO's defences.
________

That is quite the tap dance playing out in dealing with two NATO, but diametrically opposed, "allies".

[Gun Grape]

Pentagon suspends F-35 deliveries over Chinese alloy in magnet

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022...loy-in-magnet/

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has temporarily halted deliveries of F-35 fighters following the discovery that the raw materials used for a magnet in the plane were produced in China.

In a release Wednesday, Lockheed Martin said a magnet in the F-35′s Honeywell-made turbomachine — an engine component that provides power to its engine-mounted starter/generator — was recently discovered to have been made with cobalt and samarium alloy that came from China.

Lockheed said the alloy for this part is magnetized in the United States.

Company spokeswoman Laura Siebert said magnets on F-35s already delivered will not be replaced with magnets made from non-Chinese materials because the Pentagon has decided the magnets are safe for flight and do not put sensitive program information at risk.

Russell Goemaere, a spokesman for the F-35 JPO, confirmed the magnet doesn’t transmit information or endanger the plane, and said flight operations for F-35s already delivered and in service will continue unchanged.

But due to a concern about compliance with the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, or DFARS, the F-35 Joint Program Office has ordered the Defense Contract Management Agency to stop accepting F-35s for now.

Lockheed Martin said that, going forward, turbomachine production will use magnets made from another alloy using materials from the U.S.

Bloomberg first reported the news about the delivery halt.

In a statement to Defense News, Honeywell said it “remains committed to supplying high-quality products that meet or exceed all customer contract requirements.”

“We are committed to working closely with DoD [the Department of Defense] and Lockheed Martin to ensure that we continue to achieve those commitments on products Honeywell supplies for use on the F-35,” the company added.

Goemaere said in an email to Defense News that the Defense Contract Management Agency notified the office about the possible regulatory noncompliance of the magnet alloy on Aug. 19, and the noncompliance was formally confirmed Sept. 2.

An investigation is now underway to understand how the Chinese materials slipped through the process and to fix the problem. Goemaere said the contractors involved have found a new source for this alloy to be used for future turbomachines.

Lockheed said that Honeywell told it about the Chinese-sourced alloy in late August. That disclosure came after Honeywell learned from one of its suppliers that another supplier had used alloy sourced from China for its magnets.

“We are working with our partners and the DoD to ensure contractual compliance within the supply chain,” Lockheed said. “The magnet has no visibility or access to any sensitive program information. The F-35 remains safe for flight, and we are working with the DoD to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume deliveries.”

It is unclear how long the halt in deliveries will last, Lockheed said, but added that the company remains on track to deliver 148-153 of the fighters in 2022. So far, 88 F-35s were delivered this year.

Fighters that are already finished but not delivered will stay with Lockheed until deliveries are cleared again.

Lockheed said in its release it is working with the Pentagon to solve the problem, and is providing information to the JPO that might be needed for a possible national security waiver allowing the delivery of fighters with the Chinese alloy.

If the government decides a national security waiver is needed, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, William LaPlante, will have to make a written determination that it is in the national security interests of the United States to accept the F-35s with the Chinese materials.

The F-35 is made of 300,000 parts from more than 1,700 suppliers, Lockheed said. The company also said all supplier parts are inspected at each stage of production.

[João]

Normally you can hear a jet from a distance and some of the US Jets are very loud. But this plane I only knew was there when it was directly above at low level Frightened the life out of me. I nearly hit the floor. I don't know if the pilot had lined up on me while I was out in the open but. But he must have a good laugh at my expense.

[Albany Rifles]

Interesting but not totally surprising development.

Canada finalizes deal for Lockheed's F-35 fighter jets in C$19 bln project | Reuters

Canada finalizes deal for Lockheed's F-35 fighter jets in C$19 bln project

U.S. Air Force Captain Andrew "Dojo" Olson, F-35 Demo Team pilot and commander performs aerial maneuvers during the Aero Gatineau-Ottawa Airshow in Quebec, Canada, September 7, 2019. U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Alexander Cook/Handout via REUTERS.


OTTAWA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Canada has finalized a deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) in a C$19 billion ($14.2 billion) project to replace its aging fleet of fighter aircraft, the Canadian government said on Monday.

Ottawa has been trying for more than a decade to replace its fleet of Boeing Co (BA.N) CF-18 fighters, some of which are more than 40 years old. The purchase of F-35 stealth fighters would mark the largest investment in the Canadian Air Force in more than 30 years.

Canada expects the first F-35s to be delivered in 2026 and the fleet's full operational capability is anticipated between 2032 and 2034, Defense Minister Anita Anand told a news conference.


The F-35 fighter deal announcement coincides with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's trip to Mexico on Monday for the North American leaders' summit where he will meet U.S. President Joe Biden.

The deal "will help us to meet our NORAD and NATO commitments and it will also deliver concrete economic benefits to our country," Anand said.

The C$19 billion project includes cost of infrastructure set-up, weapons and other related expenses in addition to the price of planes.

Canada is part of a consortium that helped develop Lockheed Martin's F-35 and Ottawa will pay the same amount for the aircraft as the other participants, including the United States.

($1 = 1.3404 Canadian dollars)

[jlvfr]

Are they going to be cheaper than the original project?

[JRT]

...Canada finalizes deal for Lockheed's F-35 fighter jets in C$19 bln project...

Just to clarify Reuters' reporting, those 88 aircraft will be the F-35A (not sure if Canada's aircraft will be varying much from the US Air Force F35A).

[Albany Rifles]

Just to clarify Reuters' reporting, those 88 aircraft will be the F-35A (not sure if Canada's aircraft will be varying much from the US Air Force F35A).

Since the RCAF & USAF are intricately integrated so I couldn't see why not.

[Albany Rifles]

Are they going to be cheaper than the original project?

The unit price has come down significantly as the program is beginning to have the effects of economy of scale. The per unit cost has been dropping since they did a mass firing and new appointing in the F-35 PM offices.

[Albany Rifles]

A more complete report on the deal.

Canada strikes deal to buy F-35s from Lockheed, as CF-18s retire (defensenews.com)

Air Warfare

Canada strikes deal to buy F-35s from Lockheed, as CF-18s retire

By Stephen Losey
Jan 9, 12:53 PM

Canada's first F-35s are expected to arrive in 2026, and its CF-18 fleet is scheduled to retire by 2032. (Senior Airman Erica Webster/U.S. Air Force)

WASHINGTON — Canada on Monday announced plans to buy 88 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters for CA$19 billion (U.S. $14 billion).

Defence Minister Anita Anand said in an online briefing the Royal Canadian Air Force would receive its first four Lockheed Martin-made F-35s in 2026, with the next six in 2027 and another six in 2028. The remainder would come in subsequent years.

The fifth-generation fighters will replace Canada’s current fleet of CF-18 Hornets, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s version of the F/A-18, Anand said. Canada expects the full F-35 fleet to be delivered in time for the service to phase the older fighters out by the end of 2032.

Anand said Canada has procured Australian F/A-18 fighters to supplement its CF-18s in the meantime. Canada plans to upgrade its CF-18s as part of the Hornet extension project, to enable them to last until 2032.

Anand said this purchase will be the Air Force’s largest fleet investment in the last three decades, and is necessary given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s “increasingly assertive behavior in the Indo-Pacific.”

“The F-35 is a modern, reliable and agile fighter aircraft used by our closest allies in missions across the globe,” Anand said. “It is the most advanced fighter on the market, and it is the right aircraft for our country.”

Canada first said it would buy the F-35 aircrat in March 2022.

The U.S. military and Lockheed applauded Canada’s announcement in a statement from the company.

“Canada is our friend and a close ally,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, the program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office. “The F-35 is the best in the world, providing unmatched interoperability to America, Canada and the additional 15 nations that have selected the fighter. It is a global game-changer. Through power projection, the F-35 is at the tip of the spear for deterrence. Its forward presence will continue to ensure that potential adversaries choose diplomacy over armed conflict.”

“We are honored the Government of Canada has selected the F-35, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian defense industry to deliver and sustain the aircraft,” said Bridget Lauderdale, vice president and general manager for Lockheed’s F-35 program. “The selection of [the] F-35 strengthens allied airpower in Canada, North America and around the world.”

The selection amounts to a reversal for the administration of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said before assuming office in 2015 that Canada would not buy the F-35. Anand said Monday that the aircraft has since “matured.”

“We see now that many of our allies … are using the F-35,” Anand explained. “I am focused on ensuring that we deliver for the Canadian Armed Forces and for our country, as well as our multilateral obligations. And with this aircraft, which as I said has matured, we are doing just that.”

Canada has confidence in Lockheed’s ability to deliver F-35s on time so the country can retire its CF-18s, Anand said, noting that she has no concerns over the related supply chain.

Anand acknowledged Canada’s colder temperatures make for a “unique” operating environment, and said the F-35 was selected after a “robust” decision process that took the weather into account. She pointed to Norway’s success in flying the fighter, as well as the United States’ experience flying it in Alaska, adding that Canada will take steps to ensure its F-35s can operate in the Arctic.

Canada will ensure its F-35s have drag chute capabilities to land on “short, icy, wet Arctic runways,” Anand said, and that its fighters have true north navigation capabilities, rather than magnetic north, to allow it to fly accurately deep into the Arctic.

Anand said Canada will build operational and training squadron facilities, including maintenance bays and simulator training, at two of its military bases: Bagotville in Quebec and Cold Lake in Alberta.

Anand also said Canada is investing in a series of infrastructure upgrades nationwide to better support North American Aerospace Defense Command and F-35 operations.

“Together these projects will sharpen our military edge to keep Canadians safe, and they will create economic opportunities for our country,” Anand said.

She added that the F-35 acquisition and initial maintenance could contribute more than CA$425 million to the local economy each year, as well as create nearly 3,300 jobs annually over 25 years.

Companies in Canada have already secured nearly $3 billion from the country’s participation in the F-35 program, Anand said, which will grow further as Canada increases its participation.

[Monash]

The unit price has come down significantly as the program is beginning to have the effects of economy of scale. The per unit cost has been dropping since they did a mass firing and new appointing in the F-35 PM offices.

The story behind THAT little incident would be interesting!

[Albany Rifles]

The story behind THAT little incident would be interesting!

It's a case study in how not to run a program. Basically it was allowing requirements to creep in way late in developmental cycles so system engineering work was incomplete. The hardest thing to get to work is integrating various software systems and hardware platform. If current aircraft are flying computers the F-35 variants are that on steroids. Improper systems engineering will cause you to fail integration 13 out of 10 times. So folks were allowed to retire or shunted elsewhere and fresh blood were brought in. All the lessons learned we covered in my Advanced Acquisition Logistician Courses I took at the Defense Acquition University from 2016-2018. Every time when the slides came up in those classes all the folks from the F-35 office just cringed and would slink down in their seats.

I know more and learned some more over drinks with folks...but since we all had to sign Non attribution and nondisclosure agreements in the program I can't say more. And the great thing about those agreements it allowed all of us to openly discuss things from our experiences would be used as intended...a cross pollination of talent across DOD acquisition programs.

[Monash]

It's a case study in how not to run a program. Basically it was allowing requirements to creep in way late in developmental cycles so system engineering work was incomplete. The hardest thing to get to work is integrating various software systems and hardware platform. If current aircraft are flying computers the F-35 variants are that on steroids. Improper systems engineering will cause you to fail integration 13 out of 10 times. So folks were allowed to retire or shunted elsewhere and fresh blood were brought in. All the lessons learned we covered in my Advanced Acquisition Logistician Courses I took at the Defense Acquition University from 2016-2018. Every time when the slides came up in those classes all the folks from the F-35 office just cringed and would slink down in their seats.

I know more and learned some more over drinks with folks...but since we all had to sign Non attribution and nondisclosure agreements in the program I can't say more. And the great thing about those agreements it allowed all of us to openly discuss things from our experiences would be used as intended...a cross pollination of talent across DOD acquisition programs.

There you go. And despite knowing better my first thought (what with my career and all) had been corruption/conspiracy. I should have known better. Humans being what they are I learned long ago that whenever something goes wrong and you have a choice between malice and a cock up the latter wins 999 times out of a thousand.