F-35 news roundup

[MarkW]

Does anybody remember all of the haters who had pilot friends, who flew Sopwith Camels or Spads and insisted that this would be the worst plane ever? Isn't it funny how much they have become silent now that we have real operational pilots with no dog in the fight except for their own but on the line swearing up and down how much of a game changer the electronic warfare system and fusion system on this jet is going to be?

I miss those guys.

[TaiidanTomcat]

Does anybody remember all of the haters who had pilot friends, who flew Sopwith Camels or Spads and insisted that this would be the worst plane ever? Isn't it funny how much they have become silent now that we have real operational pilots with no dog in the fight except for their own but on the line swearing up and down how much of a game changer the electronic warfare system and fusion system on this jet is going to be?

I miss those guys.

They still exist belive me.

Don't forget the "bribed" and coerced test pilots

[MarkW]

True, but at least the retired RAAF/RAF whatever armchair quarterbacks can shut up. Operational pilots have to have this plane work or they die. Kind of hard to coerce that crowd.

[TaiidanTomcat]

True, but at least the retired RAAF/RAF whatever armchair quarterbacks can shut up

Thats a good point.

[Don]

As an aviation buff I just think its a cool looking aircraft. I don't follow it NEAR as close as most on this thread but it seems to be a very capable machine and should be what the doctor ordered for decades to come. Glad to see it progressing and doing well.

But it's no A-10......

DISCLAIMER: I am KIDDING...JOKING...written in JEST...... :lol:

[TaiidanTomcat]

Ensuring Singapore’s defensive edge

09-15 Feb 2016 GREG WALDRON Flight International Mag'n

"...FUTURE FIGHTER

[MAJ GEN HOO CHER MOU Chief, RSAF] is candid about the air force’s broader role, but his comments about specific acquisitions are carefully calibrated. One pointed question posed was about Singapore’s degree of interest in Lockheed’s short take-off and vertical landing F-35B. Its defence minister has seen demonstrations of the Joint Strike Fighter variant in the past, and industry observers feel the model is the ideal platform for land-scarce Singapore.

“The RSAF has identified the F-35 as a potential candidate to enhance our fighter fleet, and is in the advanced stages of evaluating the F-35,” says Hoo. “Each of the F-35 variants has its unique strengths that could enhance our

operational capability. We will make our final decision when we are satisfied that this state-of-the-art, multi-role fighter meets our long-term defence needs, is on track to be operationally capable, and most importantly, is a cost-effective platform.”..."

Source: 09-15 Feb 2016 Flight International Magazine

Responding to China

Southeast Asia’s leading air force continues to methodically improve its already impressive fixed-wing inventory

09-15 Feb 2016 GREG WALDRON Flight International Mag'n

"...LIGHTNING STRIKE

Singapore’s fighter fleet is rounded out by 26 well-maintained but ageing F-5S fighters, which date from the earliest days of its air force, in the 1970s. The type has been extensively upgraded, but its looming retirement is a foregone conclusion. It is all but certain the fleet will be replaced by the F-35. For years Lockheed has displayed a mock-up of the F-35 at the Singapore air show in RSAF markings. The city-state is a security co-operation participant in the programme, giving it access to programme data and allowing it to request special studies. In March 2013, defence minister Ng Eng Hen said an evaluation of the F-35 was almost complete.

“For the longer term, the Republic of Singapore Air Force has identified the F-35 as a suitable aircraft to further modernise our fighter fleet,” said Ng in 2013.

Local media reports last December quoted Ng as saying Singapore is in “no hurry” to make a decision to obtain the F-35, and is evaluating the type. Ng made the more recent comments on a visit to Luke AFB in Arizona.

“Two years ago when we were here, these hangars were not filled (with F-35s)... within 18 months they’ve clocked in more than 3,000 sorties, 5,000 hours – that’s a lot of flying,” said Ng. “And that gives us confidence the programme is on track. So the more mature the programme is, the more steady the production lines for [the F-35s], the more boxes are ticked when we evaluate it. But we are in no hurry to decide.”

Richard Bitzinger, senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, says Singapore is just being careful. “The F-35B makes sense to a country with only a few bases and few options for dispersed operations,” he says. “ Ostensibly, Singapore could set up austere basing sites for the B version, including islands off the mainland. Singapore is probably just being prudent, and waiting until the F-35B goes through its teething with the US military. They’ll probably announce any F-35B acquisitions the same time they place an order for the A version.”

LACK OF LAND

Bitzinger touches on one of the key questions surrounding Singapore’s plan to obtain the F-35: the mix of conventional take-off and landing F-35As and short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs. A major challenge facing Singapore’s air force – and the other arms of its military – is the chronic shortage of land in the densely populated nation....

...Although Singapore’s civilian runways can be given over to military use in a crisis – and several public roads are designed to serve as runways in an emergency – it is an inescapable fact the Singapore air force has limited basing options. As such, the flexible basing capability offered by the F-35B will have clear attractions for Singapore.

Forecast International’s Darling says Singapore’s caution about the F-35B probably stems more from cost than concerns about the jet itself.

“The long-term funding of such an expensive acquisition is no doubt a key factor in its hesitation to announce its commitment to the pricy F-35B as of yet,” he says. “Balancing costs within the defence budget with an ongoing government campaign to bolster the living standards of citizens is no doubt a consideration. The hope for Singapore is that, over time, unit prices per F-35B aircraft will decline, thus ensuring a more cost-effective purchase in the future.”....

...“With the purchase of up to 100 F-35s, it will continue to be so well into the middle of the century. The challenge is China. If China becomes more militarily present in the South China Sea, and more aggressive in using force to back up its claims, that could present a latent, long-term threat to Singapore that it would find hard to compete with. China can simply bring much more force – qualitatively as well as quantitatively – to bear against Singapore or any other Southeast Asian military. Hence the increasing need to hedge against China by inviting the US into a closer embrace, militarily speaking.”

Source: 09-15 Feb 2016 Flight International Magazine

[Trigger]

B-roll footage from the F-35's first trans-atlantic arrival at Pax River.

Cue the Rogoways of the world, complaining, "Whaddya mean it had to be dragged across the ocean by a tanker?!? Damn AF never shoulda retired the Tomcat!"

[Ken Cartwright]

I must admit to not knowing enough about Vladislav Shurygin to know whether he is knowledgeable in this subject, or if he has other motives in putting these views forward, but I thought it was interesting.

And another article about Israel's work on it:

http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-to-double-attack-range-of-f-35-stealth-fighter-1001068513

Edited February 7, 2016 by Ken Cartwright

[TaiidanTomcat]

I must admit to not knowing enough about Vladislav Shurygin to know whether he is knowledgeable in this subject, or if he has other motives in putting these views forward, but I thought it was interesting.

I think he is broadly correct. Never seen that or heard of him

And another article about Israel's work on it:

http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-to-double-attack-range-of-f-35-stealth-fighter-1001068513

Thats interesting to say the least.

More on the Transatlantic flight:

Ninja Discusses His F-35 Flight Across the Atlantic: The Right Stuff Italian Style

08 Feb 2016 SLDinfo

"2016-02-08 On Feb. 5, the Italian Air Force’s first F-35, AL-1 with code “32-01” and markings of the 32 Stormo Wing landed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, at the end of the JSF’s first ever transatlantic flight.

The aircraft was piloted by “Ninja,”an Italian Air Force test pilot, belonging to the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (Test Wing) from Pratica di Mare, and who had successfully completed his initial F-35 flight training at Luke AFB in November 2015.

To put this in perspective, the pilot had only 50 flight hours of F-35 flying experience.

And the Lightning II which Ninja flew across the North Atlantic in winter had only 15 flight hours on before he took off on his historic flight. 32-01was the first plane to came off of the Italian assembly line at Cameri Italy.

And this was done in the middle of winter, flying in and out of cloud layers over the turbulent North Atlantic against 120-knot headwinds....

...Question: You flew in formation and through heavy clouds, we understand?

Answer: We had four aircraft total; and kept tight formation; and refueled in the clouds as well. We had two C-130s just in the case; the tanker, a Typhoon headed to Red Flag and the F-35.

Question: So you were in a new aircraft, single engine, flying in the middle of winter across the North Atlantic in heavy headwinds?

Answer: That characterizes it.

Question: Did you hand fly the plane to stay in formation?

Answer: The plane is very reliable, and I hand flew some times, but auto pilot handled a great deal of the flight.

Question: What about the air refueling events?

Answer: We had 100% success even in the clouds; the big thing here is that the plane is very stable and reliable with no problems. We had no disconnections; the F-35 is a very stable airplane....

...Question: When you sit in the F-35 cockpit and flew across the Atlantic how did the various systems assist you in the flight?

Answer: The great thing about the F-35 is that the human-machine interface (HMI) is so good and so built around the pilot that you don’t have to learn how it works. You just use it. You can configure the screens to configure for the mission.

The aircraft is built to understand; you are building a strategy, not focusing on managing the sensors or really focused on the flying function. I was able to see the aircraft surrounding me through the clouds, such as keeping distance with my tankers, by using my helmet and the Distributed Aperture System and see the C-130s below me below the clouds.

Question: Did you have any problems with your helmet?

Answer: No. I used the Gen II helmet and the Gen III has improved the helmet, but my helmet worked flawlessly during the flight. I was able to fulfill the mission and I am here.

Question: How different is flying the Tornado compared to the F-35?

Answer: How can answer and be polite? There is no comparison. Recently, I flew the Tornado after learning to fly the F-35. It was a real shock to go back in time. I had to move my head and focus on the switches and sensors – you have to manage the aircraft to fly. The F-35 is totally different....

...Question: How was the airplane ergonomically?

Answer: I did not think about it until you asked the question. The seat is very comfortable. You can stretch your legs in front of you. The helmet was confortable, and the seat was very supportable and comfortable. With this helmet I do not have to turn my head, which makes it easier as well for the pilot....

http://www.sldinfo.com/ninja-discusses-his-f-35-flight-across-the-atlantic-the-right-stuff-italian-style/

And the USN:

We discussed a wide range of issues, which demonstrated the breadth of knowledge and experience of these two pilots, but the interview presented here focused on the demonstrated flying qualities of the F-35C and the perceived impact of those capabilities on carrier qualifications and operations.

We also touched on the significant gap between their experience and the broad perception that the Navy is reluctant to become an F-35 force, which is most definitely not true for these experienced combat pilots.

Question: Carrier landings are challenging.

They are dangerous and require a lot of training to get them right and to enhance the safety of the pilot, the crews, and the ship.

In fact, during the Vietnam War, there were tests done of carrier pilots’ heart rates which we actually higher when landing on a carrier than when being shot at over Hanoi.

How does the F-35 affect the landing challenges associated with trap and cat operations?

Answer: The plane flies very well.

The flying qualities are excellent and the machine systems built into the plane significantly enhance the ease of landing and taking off from the carrier.

Basically with the F-35 you get your mission cross-check time back.

Normally once you start the approach your scan is solely meatball, line up, and angle of attack. Your mission cross-check time behind the ship is zero because you’re just doing that scan.

With the F-35 and its enhanced flight controls and superb handling, the aircraft doesn’t deviate much from the desired flight path, which greatly eases the workload on the ball and frees up your scan.

It almost makes flying the ball a relaxing task.

Question: Ease of flying can clearly translate not just into safety but training time.

What do you see as the impact?

Answer: Before you go to the boat, everything stops in the squadron.

All training stops two to three weeks where all you’re doing is banging left-hand turns.

No one is doing any tactical training.

Everyone’s bandwidth is concerned with how they are landing at the ship.

Once you’ve been out on the ship for a few days and the landings are looking better, then finally you can start working on what we want to work on again tactically.

Where you’ve just taken a pause from all your tactical performance for the past nearly month, that’s going to go away with the F-35, which will allow you to be dedicated to your tactical performance.

Question: Clearly, the Super Hornet is an excellent airplane, but the F-35 is a very different aircraft with a different approach to air system operations.

How do you see the F-35 affecting tactical training?

Answer: With the current air wing (i.e, with the Super Hornet and Hornet as the tip of the spear), we are wringing out our tactics for a tactical advantage, which is also, at the same time, at the edge of the envelope for survival.

We are spending a lot of time making sure that we have the right tactics and the mastery of those tactics by pilots to survive and succeed.

It is about keeping a level of competence and capability where you’re not going to die.

There are points where you have a twenty second window.

You miss that window and you might be blown up.

When you’re traveling at those speeds, we are talking really only a couple of seconds that you have.

And, if you’re not performing tactics exactly as they’re prescribed, you put yourself in a kill zone.

With the F-35, we are jumping a generation in tactics and now looking at the expanded battlespace where we can expand our impact and effect.

You need to take a generational leap so we are the ones not playing catch up with our adversaries.

Question: Admiral Manazir talks about shaping greater reach for the carrier and your point is that with the coming of the F-35 your tactics will change?

Answer: That is correct and the air wings will rapidly recognize the impact as they get their squadrons of F-35s.

They will put in the rear view mirror all of the uninformed comments made by many people who do not know the aircraft and what it can do.

And what we see as testers will proliferate rapidly in the fleet as squadron pilots see the impact on their lethality and survivability.

http://www.sldinfo.com/the-emergence-of-the-f-35c-and-its-impact-the-view-from-pax-river/

Yay less landing practice!!

Edited February 9, 2016 by TaiidanTomcat

[Trigger]

[82Whitey51]

"The great thing about the F-35 is that the human-machine interface (HMI) is so good and so built around the pilot that you don’t have to learn how it works. You just use it. You can configure the screens to configure for the mission.

The aircraft is built to understand; you are building a strategy, not focusing on managing the sensors or really focused on the flying function..."

But...did he have to think in Italian or 'Murican?

[Trigger]

But...did he have to think in Italian or 'Murican?

Edited February 9, 2016 by Trigger

[TaiidanTomcat]

But it's no A-10.

Thank God LOL

First ASRAAMs delivered for UK F-35 testing

08 February, 2016

BY: Beth Stevenson

MBDA has delivered the first batch of advanced short range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAM) to the USA, ahead of planned flight trials on board the UK’s Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.

Delivered in January and supported by UK weapons-integration lead BAE Systems, the test examples of ASRAAM will be integrated to become the type's first British-built missile, and will be used during flight trials and air-launch tests this year.

These trials will include environmental data gathering, safe separation from the aircraft, weapon integration testing, and firing trials and target engagement, and will be carried out from NAS Patuxent River in Maryland and Edwards AFB in California. The Royal Air Force's 17 Sqn is based at the latter, where it is responsible for the test and evaluation of the UK's F-35B.

ASRAAM is a short-range, infrared-guided missile capable of flying at Mach 3, and is also carried by the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoons and Panavia Tornado GR4s.

"The upcoming work to integrate the missile onto the F-35 Lightning II will provide a state-of-the-art weapon for both our RAF and Royal Navy pilots,” says Philip Dunne, British defence procurement minister. “The integration of this missile also demonstrates the success of the UK defence industry's contribution to the wider F-35 programme,” he adds..

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/first-asraams-delivered-for-uk-f-35-testing-421685/

[Trigger]

British F-35 with ASRAAM

[TaiidanTomcat]

That was quick!^

The Pentagon has reduced aviation procurement by 7.2% to $45.3 billion in its fiscal year 2017 budget submission compared to the $48.8 billion requested last year.

This lower funding level buys eight fewer fixed-wing aircraft including five Lockheed Martin F-35As and three C-130Js for the US Air Force and 35 fewer rotorcraft for the Army and Navy than are afforded in the current budget, according to US Defense Department (DOD) officials.

The budget does protects other high-priority air force procurements including the Boeing KC-46A and Northrop Grumman Long-Range Strike Bomber.

..

The navy has cut two Bell-Boeing V-22 Ospreys from its 2017 procurement account but has sought two additional F-35s and two Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace combat losses.

Sent to Congress on 9 February, the total $582.7 billion spending proposal would fund the US military through 30 September 2017. The amount conforms with a bipartisan budget deal that passed late last year and is, therefore, $17 billion below projected spending levels in last year’s request.

Deputy secretary of defense Robert Work says in crafting the budget, the Pentagon focused on shape, not size and modernization versus readiness for today's conflicts.

The budget has been designed to offset perceived threats by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and global terrorist organizations that are running amok in Iraq, Syria and now Libya.

The deputy secretary foresees a return to “large power competition” over the next 25 years, similar to the conditions seen during the Cold War, but global terrorism remains a long-term threat.

Work expressed particular concern about Pyongyang’s pursuit of the KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile that would be capable of reaching the US mainland if successfully fielded. He notes that Russian and China are pursuing advanced military capabilities to counter America's strengths.

Work warned that the current plan requires significant new funding in fiscal year 2018 after the budget agreement reverts back to enacted sequestration levels, which passes many of the toughest budget tradeoffs and decisions to the next administration in 2017.

For the services, the navy has proposed deactivating its 10th Carrier Air Wing at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California and will spread its remaining aircraft among the other carrier air units to boost readiness.

The service is requesting $14.1 billion for the procurement of 94 aircraft in 2017, down from 153 in 2016, reflecting the end of Lockheed MH-60R procurement and other reductions. The navy requests 41 fixed-wing aircraft, 42 rotorcraft and 11 unmanned aircraft in 2017.

The air force’s aircraft procurement account took the biggest hit in the budget at $13.9 billion compared to $15.8 billion in fiscal 2016 — a 12% reduction. The service shifted 45 F-35 procurements out of its five-year funding profile, the equivalent of four fighter squadrons. Instead, it will spend $3.4 billion to keep the Fairchild Republic A-10 operational through 2021 ..

“The decision to delay modernization was taken in order to pay for capacity and readiness for today’s fights,” according to a statement from the air force. “These deferments are not program cuts; the air force program of record remains 1,763 aircraft for the F-35A.”

Like the Army’s Big Five, the Air Force’s unlovely but powerful A-10 Warthog is a child of the late Cold War, designed to annihilate down Soviet tanks. Now a resurgent Russia and an intransigent Congress have convinced the Pentagon to keep it, for now. Instead of phasing out the A-10s and replacing them with the stealthy F-35, the Air Force will keep the old warhorses in service until 2022.

Work dismissed the argument that the A-10 is irreplaceable — that its heavy armor, powerful cannon, and low-and-slow flight allow it to support ground troops the way thoroughbred fighters can’t. “Right now, given the demand around the world, a tactical fighter squadron is a tactical fighter squadron is a tactical fighter squadron,” he said. “You need to be able to deliver precision ordinance anywhere.” The critical difference, he added, is that the A-10 is much more likely to get shot down by advanced air defenses than a stealth fighter.

So the issue is simply numbers. War plans require 54 tactical fighter squadrons in the Air Force, Work said. “In 2015 what the Air Force said is… we would like to temporarily go down to 49 tactical fighter squadrons by retiring the A-10, and use that money to accelerate modernization, (specifically) to buy F-35s faster so they could get back up to 54 more capable squadrons.”

“In 2015, it was a totally righteous call,” Work said. “We were expecting to be down to 1,000 troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2016. Russia had not illegally annexed the Crimea.”

“Congress said no in 2015. We asked again in 2016; they said no,” Work said (referring to the budgets being voted on, not the year of the vote). “So now in 2017, we’re saying okay, we have new facts on the ground.”

In this budget plan, “we’re going to stay at 54 (squadrons) because that’s what the demand is saying that we need, folks, for the counter-ISIL fight and in Europe,” Work said. Instead of disbanding Warthog squadrons in the near term and then eventually creating new F-35 squadrons, he said, the Air Force will retain A-10s until F-35s can replace them. (We will) retire them by 2022,” he said, “but we will not retire them until an F-35 squadron can replace it one for one.”

[Trigger]

2/10/2016 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A much anticipated and important test mission for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program is underway with the "deployment" of six operational test and evaluation F-35s and more than 85 Airmen from the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, which took place Feb. 8 and 9.

This is the first simulated deployment test of the F-35A, specifically to execute three key initial operational capability mission sets: suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support and air interdiction.

The 31st TES will execute each of these in a limited scope from a "deployed" location for this test. The "deployed" location is Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The 31st TES at Edwards AFB falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida, which is leading the test design, management and execution of the F-35A deployment test.

The achievements of an F-35A squadron testing ability to deploy, employ and sustain operations will set the benchmark capability for the Air Force to declare F-35A Initial Operational Capability scheduled for this fall according to the 53rd Wing.

During the test at Mountain Home, the aircraft will be engaged in simulated combat scenarios to exercise representative mission processes such as tasking, execution, debrief and intelligence reporting. The test team will be working to capture a broad spectrum of capabilities and limitations of the F-35 system to include both operations and maintenance. The team will focus on areas such as mission planning, scheduling, weapons building/loading, sortie generation, life support, mission employment, debrief and aircraft turn.

Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, will serve as a simulated remote air operations center for the deployed environment. Mountain Home AFB is providing a secure location with ranges to employ fourth-generation aircraft as well. F-35As will integrate with F-15Es from the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home and A-10 Warthogs from the 124th Fighter Wing at Gowen Field, Idaho.

The entire test event is expected to last about a month.

[Don]

Something about the angle of this shot and the shimmering exhaust that just makes this photo look so cool to me .

Don.

[82Whitey51]

Whoaaa!!! General passes out during F-35 brief...lol

"That's what the F-35 will do to ya..."

http://undertheradar.military.com/2016/02/this-air-force-general-passing-out-during-an-f-35-brief-is-th

[TaiidanTomcat]

Joint Strike Fighter chief plays down F-35A deferrals

10 February, 2016

BY: James Drew

The head of the multinational F-35 program Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan is playing down the US Air Force’s decision to reduce its annual purchase of F-35A Lightning IIs from 60 to 48 per year until fiscal year 2021. He says the overall adjustment translates to just 20 fewer orders in the six years from 2016 to 2021 when accounting for other adjustments by the US Navy and Marine Corps and international orders...

The air force was planning to buy 48 jets in budget year 2017 and then 60 per year thereafter, but will now procure 43 units in 2017, 48 in 2018 and then 48 per year through 2020. It expects to order 60 jets in 2021.

As the program’s largest customer with a firm requirement for 1,763 fighters, that reduction of 45 aircraft through this decade has some concerned about delayed modernization in the face of new Russian and Chinese aircraft...

Gen Larry Spencer, who retired last October as air force vice chief of staff, says the F-35A might have been the only “checkbook” the air force could turn to for monetary savings, .....

“There’s no question for the air force about that 1,763 [aircraft requirement], but I just get nervous when we start slipping it....”

“In my view, to back off at all on the latest technology in the F-35 would be a real mistake because it’s not about just going out and buying any piece of equipment or airplane, it’s about buying the right airplane and buying the right equipment so that we can win.”

Bogdan said at a briefing in Washington DC today that the deferral by the air force would raise the overall unit cost by “less than 1%”.

“We have all kinds of puts and takes with our eight partners and three [foreign military sales] customers, both in 2017 and in the future,” he says. “The plan last year was to build 893 airplanes [from fiscal 2016 to 2021]. Now we’re going to build 873 airplanes.”

Of those 873 aircraft, 54% are being procured by the US government. “Relative to the cost of the airplane and FMS commitment, it’s a non-news event,” Bogdan claims.

Aerospace analyst and former air force pilot Wayne Plucker of Frost & Sullivan says the F-35 hasn’t quite “caught the maturity curve” yet with approximately 20% of developmental testing remaining, and the deferral of higher production rates to 2021 will save costly modifications later.

“There are enough individual problems out there that are interrelated and significant enough that a slowdown in procurement such that you don’t have to go back and fix a boat-load of aircraft is probably in the overall best interest [of the air force]. I think that’s a reflection of those issues because they’re not really solved issues. There’s some band-aids but they’re not long-term fixes.”

Bogdan says the number of technical problems that must be rectified stands at 419 deficiencies, which is “not that many” compared to two or three years ago.

[MarkW]

It's good to see my boys at the 31st getting into this. This is where Gilmore's panic mongering will start to fade and practicality will start to appear.

[TaiidanTomcat]

It's good to see my boys at the 31st getting into this. This is where Gilmore's panic mongering will start to fade and practicality will start to appear.

Indeed.

Reports are the Kuwait Super Hornet deal is not going to happen.

February 3/16: Last weekend’s expected signing of a deal for Kuwait to purchase twenty-eight Eurofighter jets has been put off. Italian Ministry of Defense officials cited “procedural” delays on Kuwait’s behalf, and that no clear date had been set. It had been expected that the deal would close quickly after some initial delays over pilot training had pushed an agreement into 2016. News of the deal came as Kuwait’s initial plan to purchase F-18 Super Hornets from Boeing was scrapped after their frustration over congressional delays in gaining approval for the sale. The loss of the sale to the Eurofighter has put into question the security of some jobs at Boeing’s St. Louis plant. The plant specializes in the manufacture of the Super Hornet, and were set to start production of the $3 billion deal before the change.

War is boring would like you to know that the JSF has flammable fuel.

And if the plane heats up too much, parts could fail or the plane might show up on an enemy’s infrared cameras. Any serious mechanic failure could be catastrophic as the coolant and the fuel are both flammable.

Next thing you know they will want to put flammable fuel in our cars and on airliners!!!

Edited February 11, 2016 by TaiidanTomcat

[nspreitler]

Delayed modernization is the least of our concerns. Not having a force able to respond is a much bigger concern.

In other news nearly 20% of Army Captains that commissioned in 2009 are being notified they will be out of the Army by November 1st.

Edited February 11, 2016 by nspreitler

[TaiidanTomcat]

Delayed modernization is the least of our concerns. Not having a force able to respond is a much bigger concern.

The two are linked. Modernization and readiness go hand and hand.

In other news nearly 20% of Army Captains that commissioned in 2009 are being notified they will be out of the Army by November 1st.

Doesn't the Army care about its ground troops?! Where is the A-10 to stop the Army?! You know the Army never liked Captains...

Edited February 11, 2016 by TaiidanTomcat

[82Whitey51]

In other news nearly 20% of Army Captains that commissioned in 2009 are being notified they will be out of the Army by November 1st.

That's a good idea...get rid of those inexperienced guys so the new guys have room to grow.*

* (SARCASM FONT)

[nspreitler]

The two are linked. Modernization and readiness go hand and hand.

Doesn't the Army care about its ground troops?! Where is the A-10 to stop the Army?! You know the Army never liked Captains...

Yes the Army cares, the former acting Secretary and now nominee to be the confirmed Secretary of the Army has stated it is his goal to reverse the cut to 450,000.

Modernization is fine, but not at the cost of combat power. The Air Force (with a lot of prompting) wisely decided to retain combat power due to ongoing war and emerging threats. The Army is getting dangerously thin, but much of the Army budget goes into personnel costs not back into the hands of defense contractors.