Cleared for Takeoff: F-35B Removed From Probation

[shree835]

Cleared for Takeoff: F-35B Removed From Probation


Source: Lockheed Martin

Based on the tremendous progress of the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) program during the past year, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced he is rescinding probation for the F-35B. His announcement was made at a town meeting with government and contractor employees at the F-35 Integrated Test Facility at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on Friday. This is a full year ahead of schedule.

“Because STOVL’s performance is now in line with the other two F-35 variants and as a result of the hard work of everyone here and the progress of the program as of today, I am lifting STOVL probation,” Panetta stated.

The F-35B is a stealthy fighter jet capable of landing vertically and taking off in less than 500 feet, giving expeditionary forces the ability to operate from major bases, damaged airstrips, conventional aircraft carriers and smaller amphibious ships. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to make the F-35B its fighter of the future.

“We are honored by the trust and confidence Secretary Panetta showed in the F-35 STOVL variant and the entire F-35 team with today’s announcement,” said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program executive vice president and general manager. “I want to thank General Amos and Vice Admiral Venlet for their stalwart leadership in navigating the STOVL program through the year long probation period. I’d also like to thank the thousands of men and women of the combined government and contractor team who worked tirelessly to make substantial progress in flight testing the STOVL and by solving critical engineering challenges to get us to this point today. We are committed to the Marine Corps vision and the F-35B role that will revolutionize our expeditionary Marine Air-Ground combat power in current and future threat environments. These 5th Generation aircraft are essential capabilities to our military services and partner nations.”

Last January, former Secretary Gates placed the B-model on a two-year probationary period citing significant testing problems. The STOVL aircraft program responded by making tremendous progress in 2011. The variant achieved all test flight and point requirements ahead of schedule, successfully completed ship trials onboard the USS WASP (LHD-1), tested Mission Systems Block 1B software and accomplished 268 vertical landings.

Additionally, the STOVL team addressed the former Secretary’s engineering concerns by redesigning the interior bulkhead to prevent cracking, solving roll post nozzle overheating issues, implementing changes to the Auxiliary Air Intake doors, correcting driveshaft spacing and improving cooling and temperature monitoring to ensure proper operation of fan clutch plates.

"I am confident that if we continue to do the hard work necessary, if we continue to do the dedicated work that all of you have been doing, that both the carrier and STOVL variants are going to be ready for operations – ready for doing the work they have to do – which is to help protect this country," said Panetta.

 

[shree835]

Hope By next year end it will be service...Good news for Indian Navy.

 

[Birbal]

Hope By next year end it will be service...Good news for Indian Navy.

I hope the Indian Navy doesn't go for this crap aircraft.

 

[shree835]

This is only available STOVL fighter...and Indian Navy need it...and Believe It is good one.

 

[Skull and Bones]

I hope the Indian Navy doesn't go for this crap aircraft.

lol, what makes this a crap aircraft?

 

[Birbal]

lol, what makes this a crap aircraft?

There are a lot of reasons, but the most important ones are the high cost, the tiny payload, and the slow speed (good luck trying to protect your fleet by intercepting enemy aircraft).

 

[anon45]

There are a lot of reasons, but the most important ones are the high cost, the tiny payload, and the slow speed (good luck trying to protect your fleet by intercepting enemy aircraft).

It has been stated that operationally the F-35 will have a higher operational speed than the F-16C/D and F-18C/D and will not be at a speed disadvantage to 4 or 4.5 generation fighters like the SU-30, MIG-33, Rafale or the EF Typhoon. Meanwhile it will have a superior sensor suite giving it an advantage in combat.

By what i'ver read the F-35 also has six external pylons for bombs and missiles for bomb truck missions.

 

[Ammyy]

Hope By next year end it will be service...Good news for Indian Navy.

It will be disaster if IN go for US fighter ..

 

[Birbal]

It has been stated that operationally the F-35 will have a higher operational speed than the F-16C/D and F-18C/D and will not be at a speed disadvantage to 4 or 4.5 generation fighters like the SU-30, MIG-33, Rafale or the EF Typhoon. Meanwhile it will have a superior sensor suite giving it an advantage in combat.

By what i'ver read the F-35 also has six external pylons for bombs and missiles for bomb truck missions.

The F-18, F-16, and Rafale are pretty slow aircraft, so it isn't surprising that the F-35 would have similar operational speed. It would still have a slightly lower dash speed and significantly worse acceleration, which is much more important in a naval interception. But there is no way it can compete with the Su-33 or Mig-29K, let alone their land based counterparts. I had posted a few months back how the F-35A was significantly outmaneuvered, out-accelerated and outrun by the 30 year old Mig-29.

The problem with the payload is that if the F-35 chooses to use the external stores, then it looses its stealth. And if it looses its stealth, then it is highly vulnerable to the enemy aircraft which have better overall performance.

 

[Maj. Zia'r Sunglass]

f 35 has superior avionics, stealth and is a 5th generation aircraft, in fact the only 5th generation to have stovl. It can take down any of the above jets in combat, you can't shoot down something you can't see, and f 35 is that jet. The west are far more experienced than the russians and the chinese, they wouldnt have invested so much it it was a 'crap' fighter.

 

[IndoUS]

IN should hold off for now the aircraft had issues before, let it come into production and let the American Navy and other countries test it out before buying it. As of now Mig 29 and maybe Rafale can work for the navy's need.

 

[Chogy]

The notion of a MiG-29 destroying that "crap" fighter is laughable. How is the MiG supposed to find the F-35?

In the meantime, the MiG is about to swallow an AA missile.

It's all about superior sensors and stealth. The crap jet has both, and they are superb. The MiG (or the Su) has the radar cross section of a flying farm tractor, and crude (by comparison) sensors.