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Stunning F-35 Shots
These stunning photos have been hand-picked as a little tribute to one of the most awesome fighter jets ever built – the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Initial fielding of this single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters is currently scheduled for 2016. (www.flightstory.net) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Your high school English teacher did pretty well by you, but would probably wish that you'd pointed out that in "Initial fielding of this . . . fighters is" there is no disagreement between subject (fielding) and verb (is), but rather between an adjective (this) and noun (fighters). Cheers!
This is a brief run down on the F-35 program with which I am somewhat familiar. Sorry for the length. The photos appear to be a mix of at least two of the 3 variants of the F-35, the Joint Strike Fighter development program awarded to Lockheed Martin (LM). For sure the F-35B STOVL variant primarily intended for the Marine Corps is shown operating (being tested) from the deck of the USS WASP, an LHA operated by the US Navy specifically for carrying and deploying a combined Marine Air Ground Force. The large door opened aft of the cockpit exposes the intake of the forward lift fan (driven by drive shaft linkage to the low pressure turbine) which in combination with vectored tail exhaust/thrust controls pitch while two wing posts provide lateral control all of which combine for either short takeoff performance (below wing borne flight) or vertical hover and landing thus the STOVL acronym for "short takeoff and vertical landing." The B variant is the most complex design of the 3 variants and the one that has become the most demanding in terms of DT&E. Initial production has been delayed by SecDef Gates for two years (almost one year ago now) to work out the problems with a threat to cancel the B variant though that may be a hollow threat since there isn't any competing design out there. The most recent program manager for the Corps, Major General Heinz, was fired. The B variant is the only one that can come closest to achieving a thrust to weight ratio equal to or in excess of 1 in a combat configuration. It was initially too heavy, at 2000 lbs over weight but LM was able to make the necessary modifications to get the weight down.
The F-35A is the least complex in terms of airframe/engine marriage and does not have the added weight nor the internal fuel sacrifice imposed by the B variant with its forward lift fan. It is designed for CTOL or conventional takeoff and landing for the USAF. It like the Navy's variant, the F-35C, does not have the lift fan so that area of the airframe is smoothed over as shown in the photos.
The F-35C is designed for U.S. Navy Carrier ops. The C model has 8 feet longer wingspan a section of which folds for carrier deck ops, carries more internal fuel, has longer range and the heaviest max gross weight at 70,000 lbs. On a side note, the Navy recently successfully tested what may in due course replace the age old and time tested steam catapult system with an EMALS or Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System which enables gradual acceleration buildup (less stress on the airframe and avionics), a wider range of launch weights, no requirement for desalinization of sea water for the steam catapult, fewer mechanical parts thus less weight and far more efficiency than the 5% efficiency of the steam catapult system.
All F-35 variants have an internal weapons bay and external hard points for weapons carriage and/or carriage of pods/tanks. All carry the AMRAAM and ASRAAM air defense missiles. None have conventional cockpit mounted HUDs which has been replaced by helmet mounted displays for flight/fire control. All variants are FBW with electro-hydraulic control, are of low observable (stealth) technology and have the most sophisticated avionics ever put into an airframe which includes voice recognition software for commanding the aircraft and its fire control systems. Software development has become so complex and demanding that it will likely be a work in progress for some time after initial fielding. All variants possess both air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities and all variants carry a 25mm internal GAU-12 cannon which was developed for the AV8 Harrier II. It is among the most expensive if not the most expensive military tactical aircraft development program ever. There's been lots of jawboning about cost and schedule overruns but there's nothing else out there on the drawing boards for the foreseeable future. The F-35 is it. While the U.S. market is for 2400 airplanes several other countries intend to buy it including the Israelies with their unique variant, the F35I, in terms of fire control systems and weapons carriage. The program has been around since 1996. By taking so long to complete development, test and evaluation of the F-35 the services are looking at having to extend the lives of the teen fighters, i.e. 15, 16, and 18 or accept some gaps.
The designation F-35 was a surprise to everyone not least of which was LM who had been referring to it as the F-24 in succession of the F-22. The "Lightning II" designation is in keeping with the revolutionary history of its WWII predecessor the P-38 Lightning. I'm personally partial to the "Pursuit" designation for Fighters.
The F-35A is the least complex in terms of airframe/engine marriage and does not have the added weight nor the internal fuel sacrifice imposed by the B variant with its forward lift fan. It is designed for CTOL or conventional takeoff and landing for the USAF. It like the Navy's variant, the F-35C, does not have the lift fan so that area of the airframe is smoothed over as shown in the photos.
The F-35C is designed for U.S. Navy Carrier ops. The C model has 8 feet longer wingspan a section of which folds for carrier deck ops, carries more internal fuel, has longer range and the heaviest max gross weight at 70,000 lbs. On a side note, the Navy recently successfully tested what may in due course replace the age old and time tested steam catapult system with an EMALS or Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System which enables gradual acceleration buildup (less stress on the airframe and avionics), a wider range of launch weights, no requirement for desalinization of sea water for the steam catapult, fewer mechanical parts thus less weight and far more efficiency than the 5% efficiency of the steam catapult system.
All F-35 variants have an internal weapons bay and external hard points for weapons carriage and/or carriage of pods/tanks. All carry the AMRAAM and ASRAAM air defense missiles. None have conventional cockpit mounted HUDs which has been replaced by helmet mounted displays for flight/fire control. All variants are FBW with electro-hydraulic control, are of low observable (stealth) technology and have the most sophisticated avionics ever put into an airframe which includes voice recognition software for commanding the aircraft and its fire control systems. Software development has become so complex and demanding that it will likely be a work in progress for some time after initial fielding. All variants possess both air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities and all variants carry a 25mm internal GAU-12 cannon which was developed for the AV8 Harrier II. It is among the most expensive if not the most expensive military tactical aircraft development program ever. There's been lots of jawboning about cost and schedule overruns but there's nothing else out there on the drawing boards for the foreseeable future. The F-35 is it. While the U.S. market is for 2400 airplanes several other countries intend to buy it including the Israelies with their unique variant, the F35I, in terms of fire control systems and weapons carriage. The program has been around since 1996. By taking so long to complete development, test and evaluation of the F-35 the services are looking at having to extend the lives of the teen fighters, i.e. 15, 16, and 18 or accept some gaps.
The designation F-35 was a surprise to everyone not least of which was LM who had been referring to it as the F-24 in succession of the F-22. The "Lightning II" designation is in keeping with the revolutionary history of its WWII predecessor the P-38 Lightning. I'm personally partial to the "Pursuit" designation for Fighters.
It might be able to devastate and enemy, it will most certainly devastate our budget.
Upfront costs are huge but long term it will be one of the best purchases by the military...when the F-16 was produced people went nuts about the costs... Looking back it was one of the best purchases ever.
I would love to fly a plane like this. Sadly it is only to be logged as SEL. :)
It would be nice if Canada would some day again develop their own fighter as was done with the Arrow. I need to read more about this bird before forming any opinion on whether or not it will be suitable for Canadian operations. It won't be the first single engine jet we have had though.