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F-35 Delayed - Updated F-15's/16's may be needed

Langley AFB:

Yes, the F-35 has been given a "green light" although the JSF program has now been officially delayed.

According to Lt. Col. Gregory Johnson, Deputy Chief of the JSF system management organization, the costs attached to re-engineering the F-35 Joint Strke Fighter have delayed it's Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the US military by over 1 year, from 2011 to approximately 2013.

Re-engineering of the aircraft was due to the need to drastically reduce weight in all 3 versions, the Conventional Take Off & Landing (CTOL), the Carrier Variant (CV), and the Short Take-Off & Landing version (STOVL).

Earlier this fall, Lockheed Martin managed to trim 2,700 pounds from the STOVL design, and 1,500 pounds from both the CTOL and CV versions, that plus upping the output of the turbofan has achieved the power-to-weight ratio the design team had targetted.

Even though this redesign was successful it has delayed the aircraft's development schedule. Apparently undaunted, acting Pentagon acquisition chief Michael Wynne gave the "full steam ahead" approval on the design changes and weight reduction implementations.

ACC chief Gen. Hal Hornburg has said that if the “program is fundamentally delayed” ...“then we’re going to have to re-look at what the other programmatics would be to keep this same net capability on the books for our AEFs.”



If I remeber correctly the original IOC for the USMC was 2010.

I think the program would go a bit smoother if they cut the Navy and Marine Variants.

"The worst football halftime show is still better than a soccer game." - Ron "Tater Salad" White.

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Earlier this fall, Lockheed Martin managed to trim 2,700 pounds from the STOVL design, and 1,500 pounds from both the CTOL and CV versions, that plus upping the output of the turbofan has achieved the power-to-weight ratio the design team had targetted.

Even though this redesign was successful it has delayed the aircraft's development schedule.
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A clarification is in order here. It is a little premature to say that the redesign was successful. They have identified major changes that everyone agrees should work, but the details are now being finalized as the actual drawings are released. Don't start the celebrations yet. It can be stated, however, that they have successfully "kicked the can" further down the road.

THE RAMPTOR ENGINEERING TEAM <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
"Who cares if it works? Does it look good on the ramp?"

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