F-35 Inauguration Ceremony

[Zguy28]

To anyone who's into aviation or defense, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is being inaugurated tomorrow at Lockheed-Martin by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

https://www.teamjsf.com/

http://images.teamjsf.com/main.php

http://www.jsf.mil/f35/

What a piece of engineering!

[Xameil]

that thing is sweet

[Air Force Cane]

I work for LMC :cool:

[NattyLight]

That thing is going to be an acquisition disaster -- the initial delivery lot is projected to be 30% less than contract. Don't get me wrong though -- it's a SICK aircraft.

[Air Force Cane]

there are supposed to be about 3,000 of them made- obviously there are going to be some issues with any program like the JSF..

[Zguy28]

That thing is going to be an acquisition disaster -- the initial delivery lot is projected to be 30% less than contract. Don't get me wrong though -- it's a SICK aircraft.

That's what I'm hearing as well. Some foot-dragging in the manufacturer field.

[Jody]

I was around for alot of the testing for the X-35 and the X-32 (which didn't make the cut) when I was at Pax River about 5 years ago. The X-35 remided me alot of the Raptor. And the X-32 was just plain ugly, but every pilot that I talked to said both were awesome to fly.

[No_Pressure]

Looks a lot like the Raptor. What are its advantages over it?

[Jody]

Looks a lot like the Raptor. What are its advantages over it?

It's supposed to be one single type of fighter/attack aircraft for all of the services.

i.e. the Airforce will have it's version, and the Navy will have it's and so on. The Marine version will have vertical take off, like the Harrier, but they will all be basically the same. I'm not sure, but I think the biggest reasons are parts and training expenses.

[WeownU]

Went to an airshow many years ago, where they had an F-16 flying overhead. They placed charges in a field a few hundred yards out, then the F-16 would fly over them and someone would set the charges off. Made it seam like the F-16 was dropping bombs overhead.

One of the coolest things still I have ever seen in my life.

[PCS]

Whoa. Looks like it has just a little giddyup to it.

[Bostic Hog]

Whoa. Looks like it has just a little giddyup to it.

That bird will come in 2nd in a race with Santana Moss. But a close second. Sweet bird !!

Looks alot like the 130 I used to troll around in.

[Air Force Cane]

the Raptor is an air superiority fighter- the Thunderbolt II is a bomber/ground support/interdiction aircraft.

there are only going to be 168 Raptors versus 2,400 Thunderbolt IIs..

[Jumbo]

Been watching that puppy...its a beautiful thing ...I'll also pray for some reverence for the taxpayers dollars on this baby in terms of cost over-runs

[Zguy28]

the Raptor is an air superiority fighter- the Thunderbolt II is a bomber/ground support/interdiction aircraft.

there are only going to be 168 Raptors versus 2,400 Thunderbolt IIs..

COrrection, its the F-35 Lightning II. Thunderbolt II is the A-10 warthog.:2cents:

[NattyLight]

there are supposed to be about 3,000 of them made- obviously there are going to be some issues with any program like the JSF..

I was referring to the initial lot. I think LM is under contract for ~144 and can only deliver 96.

That's HUGE.

It's supposed to be one single type of fighter/attack aircraft for all of the services.

i.e. the Airforce will have it's version, and the Navy will have it's and so on. The Marine version will have vertical take off, like the Harrier, but they will all be basically the same. I'm not sure, but I think the biggest reasons are parts and training expenses.

Correct, it also promotes common avionics and data links between forces and our allies (out of the box), as the Brits are in it as well.

Personally, I'm wary of this aircraft as seen by the lack of success of the F-22. I'm even more worried that the taxpayer has gauranteed LM at least 75billion dollars over the next couple of decades.

---now everyone think about that.

[Zguy28]

I was referring to the initial lot. I think LM is under contract for ~144 and can only deliver 96.

That's HUGE.

I'm sure part of it has to do with the fact that Grumman and BAE are splitting it with LM.

[NattyLight]

I'm sure part of it has to do with the fact that Grumman and BAE are splitting it with LM.

True, but in this day and age NG and BAE are always going to have their fingers in a pie of this magnitude. Well at least NG anyways.

[Prosperity]

I work for LMC :cool:

I thought you were in the military?

[mawapa]

Carrier version (CV)? The A-7 Corsair was the only single engine jet I saw in the navy, and that's out-dated. I think the navy likes twin engines. In the P.I. we had an F-18 suck in a bird and fodded out one of the engines... the other engine was good enough to get the pilot back home... if it wasn't for twin engines who knows. FOD (foriegn object damage) on a carrier is a big concern.

[Jody]

Carrier version (CV)? The A-7 Corsair was the only single engine jet I saw in the navy, and that's out-dated. I think the navy likes twin engines. In the P.I. we had an F-18 suck in a bird and fodded out one of the engines... the other engine was good enough to get the pilot back home... if it wasn't for twin engines who knows. FOD (foriegn object damage) on a carrier is a big concern.

That's a very good point.

[B.Lloyd]

Wow that aircraft is gonna be loud as #$%^

[JohnLockesGhost]

This is the original "Lightning." The P-38, a personal favorite of mine. It had the most kills in the Pacific Theater and was responsible for the assassination mission on Admiral Yamamoto.

Partially designed by Kelly Johnson of Lockheed fame, who also developed the U-2 and the SR-71.

Has anyone seen the X-35 the have at the Dulles Air and Space? Pretty ****in'.

[dreamingwolf]

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=15556&rsbci=15556&fti=0&ti=0&sc=400

you can see videos here