F-35 Lightning/JSF (Joint Strike Fighter)

[USMCAirWinger]

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123175214

Air Force officials announce candidate bases for joint strike fighter

Posted 10/29/2009 Updated 10/29/2009 Email story Print story

10/29/2009 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials here announced the list of candidate locations Oct. 29 for basing the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter.

The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force and identifies the first group of bases to be considered for joint strike fighter basing decisions. The selection of these bases signifies the determination of Air Force officials that these locations have the greatest potential to accommodate the F-35 training or operational mission.

Eleven bases have been selected as candidate bases and include for training: Boise Air Terminal Air Guard Station, Idaho; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Holloman AFB N.M.; Luke AFB, Ariz.; and Tucson International Airport Air Guard Station, Ariz. The six bases selected as candidate bases for operations are: Burlington International Airport Guard Station, Vt.; Hill AFB, Utah; Jacksonville International Airport Air Guard Station, Fla.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Shaw AFB, S.C.; and McEntire Air Guard Base, S.C.

Air Force officials will evaluate existing F-22 Raptor force structure at Holloman AFB as it considers F-35 basing.

"The selection of this candidate list is the result of a deliberate, repeatable, standardized and transparent process," said Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for installations. "We are excited about the future of the joint strike fighter and look forward to working with each of the communities surrounding these bases to ensure all of their concerns are addressed."

The list of candidate bases were selected using previously announced basing criteria such as airspace, flight training ranges, weather, support facilities, runways, taxi ramps and environmental concerns, and military judgment factors such as combatant commander requirements, aircraft retirements and delivery schedules, aircraft maintenance and logistics support and integration with the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

Now that the list of candidate bases has been released, the formal environmental impact analysis process and site assessments will begin, allowing communities around each candidate base to participate and provide input into the environmental impact analysis. Based on the results of these efforts, officials expect to announce the JSF preferred locations in late spring of 2010. Once the formal environmental impact statements are complete, Air Force officials will issue the Records of Decision and announce the final basing decisions. This is anticipated in early 2011.

[brabus]

allowing communities around each candidate base to participate and provide input into the environmental impact analysis

Or how bout you just STFU and stop bitching about the Air Force base that was there decades before your fucking house was. Here's a solution to "it's too loud"...MOVE.

[Stitch]

Or how bout you just STFU and stop bitching about the Air Force base that was there decades before your ######ing house was. Here's a solution to "it's too loud"...MOVE.

2

Big time. But then there's option 2, BRAC the damn base. It'll kill, period dot, someplace like Mtn. Home, population of 11,000 40+ miles from Boise and not a damn thing in between. Not so much as a freaking tree, Google Earth it non-belivers. Close the damn base and let's see how much the city changes their tune once all those GI dollars dry up, property values tank and the retired crowd can no longer make the Retiree TriFecta run (BX, Commissary, Pharmacy/Hospital). Those idots around places like Eglin are dipsticks.

I for one greatly miss the sound/sight of pointy nose fast jets flying over. As far as I'm concerned, make all the nose you want boys.

[Seriously]

2

Big time. But then there's option 2, BRAC the damn base. It'll kill, period dot, someplace like Mtn. Home, population of 11,000 40+ miles from Boise and not a damn thing in between. Not so much as a freaking tree, Google Earth it non-belivers. Close the damn base and let's see how much the city changes their tune once all those GI dollars dry up, property values tank and the retired crowd can no longer make the Retiree TriFecta run (BX, Commissary, Pharmacy/Hospital). Those idots around places like Eglin are dipsticks.

I for one greatly miss the sound/sight of pointy nose fast jets flying over. As far as I'm concerned, make all the nose you want boys.

I have a hard time believing Mountain Home the city could get much worse.

[Guest CA]

I for one greatly miss the sound/sight of pointy nose fast jets flying over. As far as I'm concerned, make all the noise you want boys.

2

I was born at Moody AFB where my mother took me to work in the ATC tower everyday before I was born. I was just as familiar with the sound of F-16's taking off as I was the sound of her voice. Nothing sweeter than the sounds of freedom rocketing through the sky, the F-35 just sings it louder!

[Stuck]

When I first started school in Arizona, I'd drive to Luke and watch Vipers from the EOR for HOURS... truly nothing sweeter sounding.

Cheers!

- Stuck

[EvilEagle]

I have a hard time believing Mountain Home the city could get much worse.

Have you even been there?

Mountain Home was hands down my favorite assignment in my 10 years in the AF. Don't believe the hype, it's not that bad.

[Stitch]

Have you even been there?

Mountain Home was hands down my favorite assignment in my 10 years in the AF. Don't believe the hype, it's not that bad.

2

Great assignment if you like outdoors stuff and small town life. But now all the yuppies from Boise are moving in and are going to ruin it i'll bet. Spent my last 7 of 24 years there, was also my favorite assignment with Eielson # 2.

Heard stories from the old duffers that there was a space of time (like almost a year or so) after the -111's left and before the "composite" wing stood up that with no jets, and the accompaning bodies to support them, the city was like a ghost town. Mtn Home's seen the future and they didn't like it, I'll bet they want the -35 real bad, especially after the Bones and -135s left town.

Evil, I was on the MX side but we had to of crossed paths at some point.

[Bullet]

Wide open air spaces. Few, if any, residents ready to call their congressman directly every time a plane flies within a 10 mile radius of their mobile home. Saylor Creek Bombing Range right next door, the UTTR not too far away either...

Makes perfect sense to station them there. But some blowhard Congressman with more political clout will probably get them stationed in some corner of Pennsylvania first. And he'll cost the US taxpayer only $250 million to get the extension to the runway named after him to do it...

Edited November 6, 2009 by Bullet

[Guest CA]

From the ebird:

Washington Post

December 4, 2009

Pg. 23

Lockheed Responds To F-35 Delay Concerns

Lockheed Martin, responding to Pentagon concerns about delays in the F-35 development program, said it would be willing to build an additional test plane to speed testing.

The Bethesda-based company has several hundred millions of dollars in unearned fees it could receive before the development phase is scheduled to end in 2014 and is willing to spend some on another plane, Chief Financial Officer Bruce L. Tanner said.

Ashton Carter, the Pentagon's top weapons buyer, said last week he wants Lockheed to share the financial burden of keeping the program on track.

Any profit Lockheed foregoes by giving up its fees during the development phase would be recouped by keeping the airplane on schedule and selling more than 2,400 of the fighters to the U.S. military, Tanner said.

--Bloomberg News

Good to see some financial accountability. I think they should have built that additional test plane long ago.

[Guest Krabs]

https://www.dodbuzz.com/2009/11/23/jsf-stovl-woes-strike-pax-river/

"A troublesome fuel shutoff valve. The engine inlet rake needs replacement.

Those are among the latest reported problems with the Joint Strike Fighter program, specifically with the STOVL version that just arrived at Patuxent River."

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/21plane.html?_r=2

"Company officials said that if the Pentagon bought another test plane, it would be the Navy version meant to fly from aircraft carriers, and it would be ready for the latter stages of the flight testing."

[BlackKnight]

While that statement is true, it isn't necessary to have a 30MM GAU-8A to be an effective CAS platform.

Better qualities are loiter time, slow speed characteristics, and survivability.

Better? Those are all great and necessary but what are you going to kill bad guys with when the JTAC comes on the horn screaming his vocal cords out to attack the bad guys 30 meters away, RIGHT FVCKIN NOW!!!? Actual scenario. So far, I haven't seen anything currently that brings firepower, lethality, and responsiveness that the gun does in close proximity to the good guys. Kickin' it old school still works best.

Barney

[StoleIt]

Better? Those are all great and necessary but what are you going to kill bad guys with when the JTAC comes on the horn screaming his vocal cords out to attack the bad guys 30 meters away, RIGHT FVCKIN NOW!!!? Actual scenario. So far, I haven't seen anything currently that brings firepower, lethality, and responsiveness that the gun does in close proximity to the good guys. Kickin' it old school still works best.

Barney

Is the 25mm GAU-12U/22A (note: Not a 20mm like the Viper, Eagle, or Raptor) in the F-35 any less effective against soft targets than the 30mm GAU-8A?

[Steve Davies]

Is the 25mm GAU-12U/22A (note: Not a 20mm like the Viper, Eagle, or Raptor) in the F-35 any less effective against soft targets than the 30mm GAU-8A?

Dispersal of 25mm is going to be greater than that of 30mm. I would imagine that would be a factor when supporting TIC as per Barney's experiences.

[StoleIt]

Dispersal of 25mm is going to be greater than that of 30mm. I would imagine that would be a factor when supporting TIC as per Barney's experiences.

True...but that doesn't stop F-16's or F-15E's from doing strafing runs, and they "only" have a 20mm.

[BlackKnight]

Dispersal of 25mm is going to be greater than that of 30mm. I would imagine that would be a factor when supporting TIC as per Barney's experiences.

First I would say basic physics= 30mm>25mm so the HEI rounds would be smaller, but I also don't know if the guys in the padded rooms have come up with new/more effective rounds that could make a 25mm either the same or better (better propellants, explosives, etc.). However, there are other issues with the F-35 and it's gun. I'll leave it at that. The F-35 is definitely not a CAS platform, I agree with previous posts. And yes, the Air Force still doesn't really care about CAS, IMO, and it pisses me off. No one has more balls or deserves our respect and help more than an 18yr. old scared shitless kid with a gun slinging through mud hoping to kill the bad guys and save his buddies while not getting wacked in the process. Ugh- don't get me started.

I don't know about dispersal- that depends on many factors but typically would be larger for smaller guns. Tennis courts and lawn darts get around that by decreasing slant range. That plus speed also increase impact velocity/overall effectiveness, but bigger is still and always will be better, no matter what she says to not bruise your ego.

Barney

[Vetter]

Vipers and Eagles strafing? Comical. That's why they have to call out their base altitude before rolling in...and that rule IS written in blood. I once saw a video of a Strike Eagle strafing a truck. The truck stopped for a few seconds after getting hit and then drove off. The only way that would happen with the GAU-8 is if all 300 rounds in the burst missed...then we'd just combat offset the second time on the same pass. God, I love the gun!

No offense to the Strike Eagle bubbas meant...but Vipers just plain suck at CAS.

[TreeA10]

Hard to beat the response time of "Wedge, guns, shoot where I shoot" briefing.

[Vetter]

AMF!

[Guest CA]

Here is a hopeful General. Combat-ready aircraft 2 years from now? I don't know. Maybe so.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

December 16, 2009

Pg. 2C

General: F-35 Squadron Will Be On Time

The U.S. Marine Corps’ top general said he’s giving F-35 jet contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. “the benefit of the doubt” that it can meet a major milestone in 2012 — the initial squadron of combat-ready aircraft. Commandant Gen. James Conway said he believes that Lockheed can keep on schedule the most technically complex of the three Fort Worth-built F-35 models, the short-takeoff and vertical landing version. Deliveries of test aircraft are running three to five months late in a much-revised schedule. The program’s cost, adjusted for inflation, grew from $233 billion in October 2001 to $298.8 billion in 2007. It may grow $16.5 billion more through 2015. Pentagon officials are reviewing the program this week, and the Senate Armed Services Committee has scheduled a closed briefing today with the military’s top weapons buyer, Ashton Carter. The Pentagon plans to buy at least 2,456 jets overall. The British and Italian military also plan purchases. -- Bloomberg News

[summe32c]

COUGH......

[JarheadBoom]

So they can fly 2 at once now... impressive.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Fighters Arrive Together at Edwards AFB

edit: [/sarcasm]

Edited May 18, 2010 by JarheadBoom

[DFRESH]

So they can fly 2 at once now... impressive.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Fighters Arrive Together at Edwards AFB

ALIS is the worldwide support system reporting and recording the prognostics and health of all F-35s around the globe to ensure mission readiness.

Skynet is online

[AZwildcat]

So here's a question...with the F-35 supposedly dropping out of UPT in the next 3ish years, what impact would that have on the 38 drops and class sizes? I would think at some point the wave has to go back up, it's not going to be a 1 for 1 trade of pilots out of vipers and hogs and such into the 35, guys are bound to retire, etc. In the past few years we've been dropping only a handful of guys to the pointy noses, is there any chance of that scaling back up or is this probably going to be the norm until skynet and the RPAs take over.

Edited May 19, 2010 by AZwildcat

[Guest Crew Report]

So they can fly 2 at once now... impressive.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Fighters Arrive Together at Edwards AFB

edit: [/sarcasm]

Saw a picture of them being refueled by a -135. Looked sweet.