First Avionics-Equipped F-35 Rolls Out

[Metallic]

F-35 Radar's Electronic Protection Capabilities Validated During Northern Edge 2009 Exercise
UNITED STATES - 3 JULY 2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has announced that it successfully demonstrated key electronic protection capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II's AN/APG-81 radar during the recent Northern Edge 2009 (NE09) joint military exercise.

The Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar was flown on board the company's BAC 1-11 test aircraft and was integrated into what is considered the United States' largest and most complex airborne electronic warfare (EW) exercise to date. Northrop Grumman demonstrated the electronic protection (EP) capabilities of the AN/APG-81, by successfully countering advanced electronic attacks (EA), which are intended to degrade, neutralize, or destroy friendly combat capability.

"This event represents a major milestone in electronic protection testing for the AN/APG-81 in an operationally representative environment. We have been able to prove a number of EP capabilities years ahead of normal development timelines," said Teri Marconi, vice president of Combat Avionics for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems sector. "The AN/APG-81 is the world's most advanced fighter fire control radar. It has extremely robust electronic warfare capabilities, and these tests validate years of laboratory testing versus a wide array of threat systems."

"The radar was subjected to a scale of scenarios that far exceeded typical developmental or operational test program requirements," said Pete Bartos, a former U.S. Navy F/A-18 operational test director and currently Northrop Grumman program manager for fifth-generation fighter requirements, improvements and derivatives. "In the past, typical EP testing consisted of a few sorties versus a single or maybe two jammers at once. This test was unique in that it included flights versus multiple types of advanced jammers on several aircraft formations at once."

The AN/APG-81 radar is currently undergoing integrated avionics flight testing aboard the Lockheed Martin Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATBird) aircraft, and is being installed in production F-35s on the aircraft assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas. The AN/APG-81 is designed and produced by Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector.

Northern Edge 2009 is a joint field training exercise incorporating over 9,000 warfighters supervised by the Joint Electronic Protection for Air Combat (JEPAC). NE09 provided an operationally representative training environment that integrated over a dozen types of U.S. fighter and bomber aircraft as well as an entire U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Large force air, land, and sea combat scenarios along with airborne interdiction of maritime target scenarios provided unparalleled opportunities for warfighters to 'train-as-they-fight' in a complex radio frequency environment.

Team members from JEPAC collaborated with the U.S. Air Force and Naval Warfare Centers as well as the military service research laboratories to present and integrate a realistic twenty-first century threat capabilities in NE09, effectively exposing over 700 aircrew service members to an unprecedented level of advanced electronic attack scenarios. This environment presented a rare and valuable opportunity to observe the performance of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's APG-81 radar.

The JEPAC is one of ten test projects under the Office of the Secretary of Defense-sponsored Joint Test and Evaluation (JT&E) Program that develops joint tactics techniques and procedures to improve combat effectiveness through the use of electronic protection via timely integration of specific target track generating capabilities with tactical shooters during combat employment through the use of enhanced testing methodologies such as Northern Edge. The NE09 exercise is approved by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS); scheduled by the Commander, United States Pacific Command (USPACOM); and sponsored by the Alaskan Command (ALCOM).


Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation

 

[xebex]

F-35 Radar's Electronic Protection Capabilities Validated During Northern Edge 2009 Exercise
UNITED STATES - 3 JULY 2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has announced that it successfully demonstrated key electronic protection capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II's AN/APG-81 radar during the recent Northern Edge 2009 (NE09) joint military exercise.

The Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar was flown on board the company's BAC 1-11 test aircraft and was integrated into what is considered the United States' largest and most complex airborne electronic warfare (EW) exercise to date. Northrop Grumman demonstrated the electronic protection (EP) capabilities of the AN/APG-81, by successfully countering advanced electronic attacks (EA), which are intended to degrade, neutralize, or destroy friendly combat capability.

"This event represents a major milestone in electronic protection testing for the AN/APG-81 in an operationally representative environment. We have been able to prove a number of EP capabilities years ahead of normal development timelines," said Teri Marconi, vice president of Combat Avionics for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems sector. "The AN/APG-81 is the world's most advanced fighter fire control radar. It has extremely robust electronic warfare capabilities, and these tests validate years of laboratory testing versus a wide array of threat systems."

"The radar was subjected to a scale of scenarios that far exceeded typical developmental or operational test program requirements," said Pete Bartos, a former U.S. Navy F/A-18 operational test director and currently Northrop Grumman program manager for fifth-generation fighter requirements, improvements and derivatives. "In the past, typical EP testing consisted of a few sorties versus a single or maybe two jammers at once. This test was unique in that it included flights versus multiple types of advanced jammers on several aircraft formations at once."

The AN/APG-81 radar is currently undergoing integrated avionics flight testing aboard the Lockheed Martin Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATBird) aircraft, and is being installed in production F-35s on the aircraft assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas. The AN/APG-81 is designed and produced by Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector.

Northern Edge 2009 is a joint field training exercise incorporating over 9,000 warfighters supervised by the Joint Electronic Protection for Air Combat (JEPAC). NE09 provided an operationally representative training environment that integrated over a dozen types of U.S. fighter and bomber aircraft as well as an entire U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Large force air, land, and sea combat scenarios along with airborne interdiction of maritime target scenarios provided unparalleled opportunities for warfighters to 'train-as-they-fight' in a complex radio frequency environment.

Team members from JEPAC collaborated with the U.S. Air Force and Naval Warfare Centers as well as the military service research laboratories to present and integrate a realistic twenty-first century threat capabilities in NE09, effectively exposing over 700 aircrew service members to an unprecedented level of advanced electronic attack scenarios. This environment presented a rare and valuable opportunity to observe the performance of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's APG-81 radar.

The JEPAC is one of ten test projects under the Office of the Secretary of Defense-sponsored Joint Test and Evaluation (JT&E) Program that develops joint tactics techniques and procedures to improve combat effectiveness through the use of electronic protection via timely integration of specific target track generating capabilities with tactical shooters during combat employment through the use of enhanced testing methodologies such as Northern Edge. The NE09 exercise is approved by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS); scheduled by the Commander, United States Pacific Command (USPACOM); and sponsored by the Alaskan Command (ALCOM).


Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation

I used to live in Fortworth, Texas and i never knew about F35 production line. I should hang around sometimes.

 

[Metallic]

Pratt & Whitney Awarded $684 Million in New Contracts for F135 Engine Production
UNITED STATES - 22 JULY 2009

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Pratt & Whitney a $571million production contract for F135 engines to power the F-35 Lightning II. This low rate initial production (LRIP) contract covers production, sustainment, spare parts and engineering support for the third lot of F135 engines, including 10 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) and 11 short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) engines for F-35 aircraft. Additionally, Pratt & Whitney has been awarded a $113 million contract for long lead material procurement to produce 32 F135 engines for the fourth lot of F135 engines. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

“Pratt & Whitney is proud to be producing operational F135 engines scheduled for delivery later this year,” said Warren Boley, vice president, Pratt & Whitney F135 programs. “These contracts demonstrate the maturity of the F135 engine program, which has completed more than 100 successful test flights and hover pit testing, meeting the demanding STOVL vertical thrust requirements.”

“The F135 has demonstrated very high reliability during the F-35 flight test program, surpassing 130 flight test hours without a single engine event,” Boley said. “This is a very significant year for the F135 engine and the F-35 Lightning II program. Pratt & Whitney continues to proudly support both Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office on this important program.”

Pratt & Whitney has designed, developed and tested the F135 to deliver the most advanced fifth generation fighter engine for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as eight international partner countries. The F135 is derived from proven technology of the only operational fifth generation fighter engine, the Pratt & Whitney F119. It has been further enhanced with technologies developed in several Air Force and Navy technology programs.

The F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program. The F135 propulsion system has proven it can meet diverse aircraft requirements, and the ground-and-flight-test experience demonstrates the maturity and the associated reliability of the F135 engine for armed forces around the world.


Source: Pratt & Whitney

 

[Metallic]

Lockheed Martin F-35 Successful In First Probe-And-Drogue Aerial Refueling
UNITED STATES - 14 AUGUST 2009

A short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter has become the first F-35 to complete an aerial refueling test using the Navy- and Marine Corps-style probe-and-drogue refueling system. Thursday's successful mission is the first in a short series of tests that will clear the STOVL F-35B variant for extended-range flights, particularly to its primary test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

"The F-35 program is on the cusp of a tremendous expansion in flight test as a large number of new aircraft enter the test fleet this year and early next year," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "This milestone will help ensure that we fill the pipeline between Fort Worth and Pax River with F-35s and maintain our flight-test tempo."

During Thursday's flight, the F-35B designated BF-2 (the second STOVL flight test aircraft), began a series of tests in which fuel is uploaded into the aircraft at 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 feet, at speeds ranging from 200 to 250 knots. The pilot on the initial F-35B aerial refueling flight was U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joseph T. "O.D." Bachmann.

The refueling mission also marked the first time a Lockheed Martin KC-130J tanker has been used to refuel an F-35. Since deployment to Iraq in 2005 the KC-130J has offloaded more than 186 million pounds of fuel during combat operations. Previous refueling missions with the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant were accomplished with a KC-135 tanker. To date, the first F-35A has received approximately 110,000 pounds of fuel during aerial refuelings.

Probe-and-drogue refueling employs a flexible hose that trails from the tanker aircraft. The basketlike drogue at the end of the hose connects to the receiving aircraft’s probe, which, in the case of the F-35, resides on the right side of the forward fuselage and retracts when not in use. The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the air forces of many other countries use the probe/drogue system, while the U.S. Air Force refuels its aircraft via a rigid flying boom that inserts into a receptacle on the receiving airplane.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-22 are the world's only 5th generation fighters, uniquely characterized by a combination of advanced stealth with supersonic speed and high agility, sensor fusion, network-enabled capabilities and advanced sustainment. The three F-35 variants are derived from a common design, are being developed together and will use the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, bringing economies of commonality and scale.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.





Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[Metallic]

Significant F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Agreement
14 AUGUST 2009

On August 14, 2009 Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Terma A/S. According to the MoU Terma is a Major Strategic Supplier to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program.

In addition to the above-mentioned companies, the MoU has also been signed by Moog Incorporated, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Parker Hannifin Corporation and Marvin Engineering Company.

The MoU establishes a long term commitment to Danish Industry: “I see this Memorandum of Understanding as a very strong commitment from the involved companies in terms of a continued cooperation with Terma. Only very few companies have been announced Competitive Strategic Source and Preferred Supplier by all three prime contractors and by a total of nine companies. This fact underlines Terma’s unique position in the F-35 program,” said Jens Maaloe, President and CEO, Terma.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft is one of three candidates to become Denmark's new fighter aircraft. Although the Danish government has not yet (August 2009) announced which of the three candidates will be selected for further negotiations, Terma is at present on contract with all companies in the MoU signed today. To date, Terma has delivered development and products with a value of 135 million DKK from the company’s facilities in Aarhus and Grenaa.

“Although Terma has been involved in the F-35 program since 2001 in a wide range of projects and contracts, we must continue to live up to the best value principle. This is the program’s foundation, and it demands a lot from Terma. At the same time, it secures us the best conceivable opportunity to develop our production and competencies and benefit from the transfer of technology that follows from our participation,” says Jens Maaløe.

Terma is rapidly building up a unique international position within advanced lightweight composite technology. Not only Terma and the F-35 program can benefit from this but also other businesses and technical schools and universities in Denmark.

At present Terma supplies these products and services for the F-35:

Composite Conventional Edges for the Aircraft Horizontal Tails
Advanced Lightweight Composite Components for the Center Fuselage
STOVL Horizontal Tails
Missionized Gun Pods for STOVL and CV Variants
Data Acquisition Pods for Flight Test Instrumentation
Radar Electronics
Flight Control Components.


Source: Terma A/S

 

[Metallic]

Lockheed Martin Delivers First Production F-35 Electro-Optical Targeting System
UNITED STATES - 30 NOVEMBER 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lockheed Martin has marked successful entry into low rate initial production on the F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS). The first production units have been delivered to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, TX, for integration onto the aircraft.

Embedded into the F-35's fuselage with an innovative faceted sapphire window, the low-drag, stealthy EOTS is the world's first and only sensor combining forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track functionality. The F-35 EOTS will provide Lightning II pilots with significant air-to-air and air-to-ground situational awareness in a single compact and completely passive sensor.

"Our team looks forward to meeting its commitment to provide a superior targeting system to F-35 pilots around the world as we gear up to produce more than 3,000 units," said Rich Hinkle, program director of F-35 Lightning II EOTS at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This delivery marks a pivotal achievement for the EOTS as we transition from a system design and development program to a production program."

The F-35 EOTS production is ramping up to produce up to 200 units a year. "The outlook for the F-35 program is very strong," Hinkle said. "Our success in supporting the program is vital to the F-35's mission to provide dominant airpower across the full air-to-air, air-to-ground mission spectrum."

The latest generation infrared sensor technology, the F-35 EOTS builds upon the success of Lockheed Martin's Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod to provide high-resolution imagery, automatic target tracking, infrared-search-and-track, laser designation and range finding, as well as laser spot tracking--all at greatly increased standoff ranges. Modular components allow the F-35 EOTS to be maintained on the flight line for true two-level maintenance.


Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[BlackenTheSky]

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4584/f35bmarinestovl.jpg[/IMG]

Source: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

WHAT A LUCKY GUY

 

[DaRk WaVe]

 

[Metallic]

U.S. Navy Secretary Visits Lockheed Martin F-35 Facility
UNITED STATES - 21 DECEMBER 2009

U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus toured Lockheed Martin's [NYSE: LMT] F-35 facility Dec. 18 for a preview of the Department of the Navy's first-ever stealth strike fighter.

Secretary Mabus got a firsthand look at BF-2, the second short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B test aircraft, as it conducted its 15th flight in final preparation for its ferry flight to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. BF-2 will join the first F-35B STOVL variant, BF-1, at Patuxent River as the program prepares for the first hovers and vertical landings.

"The Navy and the Marine Corps are vital F-35 customers, and the F-35 is vital to the future of Naval Aviation," said Robert J. Stevens, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp. "We were honored to host Secretary Mabus and his staff and confirm our progress on F-35, which is the future of military aviation for the U.S. and its allies."

During the visit, Secretary Mabus also received an F-35 program update and toured the production line, where three F-35C carrier variants, among more than 30 F-35s, are currently being built at the Fort Worth facility.

The Department of the Navy is expected to purchase 680 F-35s for both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy. The STOVL variant will be flown by the U.S. Marine Corps. The carrier variant (CV) will be flown by the U.S. Navy.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully-fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.




Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[pak-yes]

I wished America wouldn't sanction Pakistan and Pakistan would have these aircraft.oh well my bad living in fantasies

 

[Metallic]

United Kingdom Announces Approval of Third F-35B Joint Strike Fighter Purchase
22 DECEMBER 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) program has announced that the United Kingdom has received financial approval to purchase its third Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35B Lightning II operational test aircraft, reinforcing the U.K.'s continued commitment to the Joint Strike Fighter program's upcoming Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E).

"The U.K. this week received financial approval to go ahead and purchase the third U.K. STOVL OT&E aircraft that is planned within LRIP 4. Given the extremely tight financial climate in the U.K. government and the consequent impact across public spending, especially defence, this is a significant achievement," said Air Commodore Graham Farnell, the U.K.'s Joint Combat Aircraft Team head. "I believe it reflects well upon the JSF program and it is a measure of the confidence that the U.K. has in both the F-35 Lightning II and the program to deliver this capability."

This approval follows recent F-35 down-select or procurement commitments by Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy and the United States. The strength of the F-35 business case has enabled program suppliers to obtain the capital financing needed to recapitalize the industrial base and produce the F-35 in high quantities over the next 30 years.


Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[Metallic]

Second Lockheed Martin F-35B Arrives at U.S. Navy Test Site
UNITED STATES - 29 DECEMBER 2009

The second Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighter arrived today at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joseph T. "O.D." Bachmann piloted the aircraft nonstop from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, plant to Patuxent River, successfully completing aerial refueling en route. Bachmann departed at 11:07 a.m. EST and arrived in Patuxent River at 2:26 p.m. EST.

"Pax River is ready to begin the extensive four-year flight test campaign to help field the future of Marine Corps and Navy Aviation," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "Over the next year, an integrated government/industry test team will ramp up the flight test at Pax River for the F-35B STOVL variant and F-35C carrier variant, and at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant."

Like the first F-35B that arrived at Patuxent River in November, this aircraft also is supported by the F-35 Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and monitored by the F-35 Autonomics Logistics Global Sustainment (ALGS) Operations Center in Fort Worth. F-35 sustainment is based upon the principles of Performance-Based Logistics (PBL), involving extensive partnering agreements between government and industry. The F-35 team has developed an advanced sustainment system capability with designed-in sustainability that will reduce overall life-cycle costs and ensure mission readiness.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment, and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.




Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

 

[Metallic]

Pratt & Whitney Delivers Final CTOL/CV Variant F135 System Development and Demonstration Engine
UNITED STATES - 5 JANUARY 2010

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. | Pratt & Whitney has delivered its final Conventional Take Off and Landing/Carrier Variant (CTOL/CV) F135 flight test engine to the F-35 Joint Program Office, marking another major milestone as the program transitions from System Development and Demonstration to production. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

"I am tremendously proud of the Pratt & Whitney F135 team who has worked so tirelessly over the last eight years, in partnership with the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin, to get to this significant point in the F135 program," said Warren Boley, Vice President of F135 Engine Programs. "This final CTOL/CV F135 engine delivery is another demonstration of the continued maturing of this engine program, which has logged more than 12,850 test hours and will begin production engine deliveries later this month."

Pratt & Whitney has delivered 17 flight test engines and expects to deliver the final Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) flight test engine early this year.

"What makes this milestone even more exciting is that it signifies a transition from development activity to production, as we are poised to deliver our first production CTOL/CV F135 engine within several days of delivering this final CTOL flight test engine," Boley said. "We are proud to continue successfully powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program, and our eyes are also trained on the day when our first production F135 CTOL engine will be installed in a production F-35 and delivered to our military men and women."

Pratt & Whitney has designed, developed and tested the F135 to deliver the most advanced fifth generation fighter engine for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as eight international partner countries. The F135 is derived from proven technology of the only operational fifth generation fighter engine, the Pratt & Whitney F119. It has been further enhanced with technologies developed in several Air Force and Navy technology programs.

The F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program. The F135 propulsion system has proven it can meet diverse aircraft requirements, and the ground and flight test experience demonstrates the maturity and the associated reliability of the F135 engine for armed forces around the world.




Source: Pratt & Whitney

 

[DesiGuy]

Now, that's why USA is called superpower.

no matter, how advance china or Russia, or even India and Pakistan be, America will always create technology that other countries haven't dream about it YET.

i heard they are also trying to develop laser weapons? not sure about that! if it's true, it will be deadly.

 

[azfar]

when will Turks have hands on it?