F-35B/C Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter)

[81montedriver]

Depends on who you talk to. Not everyone brain dumps everything or felt like TBS was a waste of time.

And its Corps, with an "S." The Corp is where you grab that coveted cubicle job once you leave the military.

The only guys who braindumped everything after TBS were the FIGMACs. Unfortunately, not having really taken part in any ground and pound training the last several years has left me pretty rusty. In addition, lots of the stuff learned at TBS is out of date since tactics are always changing. Friends of mine who have been through IOC told me that the things they learned there were much more high speed.

 

[Reconjoe]

Last paragraph of the article. Guess B's on Carriers and C model purchase are a serious thought after all....

http://www.air-attack.com/news/arti...Beleaguered-Joint-Strike-Fighter-B-Model.html

 

[usmarinemike]

Last paragraph of the article. Guess B's on Carriers and C model purchase are a serious thought after all....

http://www.air-attack.com/news/arti...Beleaguered-Joint-Strike-Fighter-B-Model.html

So the Brits are chopping carrier aviation, but they are buying C's instead of B's. Anyone care to make sense of that for me?

And Gen Trautman himelf said the Marine Corps may get C's. Unless it's out of context, that's a pretty huge statement.

And on a different note, how long until the B model is in real, honest to God production? The Marine Corps stays on it's message of FY11 or 12 for IOC, but is that realistic? (Disclaimer: no I don't expect to fly it in the next 5 years, but it's nice to try to keep an eye on how things are working out.)

 

[Reconjoe]

So the Brits are chopping carrier aviation, but they are buying C's instead of B's. Anyone care to make sense of that for me?)

Last word was they are still building their second carrier which always had an option to be fitted with Catapult/Arresting system, so I'd say the C model just gives them flexibility to operate a land based fighter with the option to later use on their Carrier...or maybe a joint use opportunity on US or French Carriers in the future?

And on a different note, how long until the B model is in real, honest to God production? The Marine Corps stays on it's message of FY11 or 12 for IOC, but is that realistic? (Disclaimer: no I don't expect to fly it in the next 5 years, but it's nice to try to keep an eye on how things are working out.)

It looks like things are coming along at a decent pace (albeit much slower than originally envisioned). The F135 STOVL engine will have it's ISR by the end of the year (on track at least) and about all the manufacturing facilities on BAE on Lockheed's side of things are up and supposedly almost ready to start when the word and material supplies begin. I'd say yes it seems likely you will have the first 12 in the next year and a half/2 years.

 

[yodaears]

And on a different note, how long until the B model is in real, honest to God production? The Marine Corps stays on it's message of FY11 or 12 for IOC, but is that realistic? (Disclaimer: no I don't expect to fly it in the next 5 years, but it's nice to try to keep an eye on how things are working out.)

According to a brief we got at the FRS by a certain someone at the Pentagon close to the program the first production Bs are already on the line in Ft. Worth.

 

[Harrier Dude]

And Gen Trautman himelf said the Marine Corps may get C's. Unless it's out of context, that's a pretty huge statement.

The rest of that statement should read ".....if the the F-35B does not meet the Marine Corps requirement".

I need to amend my earlier posts about the future of the F-35B from before.

There ARE "people" talking about the F-35C variant in the Marine Corps. Just nothing productive. More like people talking about talking about it. If the F-35B meets the Marine Corps requirement, then we are likely to see all B's. If it does not, then the C may be an option for part of the force. There is almost no way that we will get ALL C's.

I'd call it a 50/50 shot that the Corps will get a few squadrons of F-35Cs.

 

[Clux4]

There ARE "people" talking about the F-35C variant in the Marine Corps. Just nothing productive. More like people talking about talking about it. If the F-35B meets the Marine Corps requirement, then we are likely to see all B's. If it does not, then the C may be an option for part of the force. There is almost no way that we will get ALL C's.

I'd call it 50/50.

Would this make Super Hornets a realistic alternative?

 

[Harrier Dude]

Would this make Super Hornets a realistic alternative?

No. The train left the station some years ago. Have I heard it mentioned? Yes. By anybody credible? No.

At this point the difference between C's and Superhornets actually hitting the flightline would be negligible, and the difference in capability is enormous. The Corps would wait for F-35s of whatever flavor before losing that much capability.

 

[Reconjoe]

This posted Nov 2nd. If this is true, guess we can all throw out that FY11 aviation plan......sigh

http://www.air-attack.com/news/arti...gher-F-35-Costs-Delays-Up-to-Three-Years.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/05/3057869.htm

Edit: Should note it's not an official announcement so take it or leave it but I think theres at least some truth to the leak....

 

[yodaears]

I'm beginning to wonder if we are about to have a repeat of the A-12.

 

[Flash]

I'm beginning to wonder if we are about to have a repeat of the A-12.

The A-12 didn't even make it out of the factory, at least the 'second' A-12 didn't, at least all three versions of the F-35 are actually flying.

 

[Fog]

No. The train left the station some years ago. Have I heard it mentioned? Yes. By anybody credible? No.

At this point the difference between C's and Superhornets actually hitting the flightline would be negligible, and the difference in capability is enormous. The Corps would wait for F-35s of whatever flavor before losing that much capability.

The F-35B is now 2 yrs late and several bn$$ over-budget. IMHO, there is no way the USMC can ever afford 375 (give or take a dozen) of these a/c - if they ever get it right. The only issue is how many F-35Cs (or F-18E/F/Gs) the Corps will take while waiting for the B model.

 

[phrogdriver]

At this rate, the Marine Corps is going to have to be prepared to go to the mat for V/STOL strike the same way it went to the mat for the Osprey. At least the V-22 had a more friendly budget environment working for it at the time it was in the crosshairs. The F-35 does not. People will start to question why the Marine Corps needs to be able to launch strikes off of LHDs, and we'd better have good answers. I believe it's a valid requirement, but people will ask. As the price balloons, the Royal Navy will be tempted to bail out of the B, and the unit price is going to escalate even higher.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I may be biased but the Charlie by far is the looker......that's a real man's nosegear in case anyone was wondering

 

[Fog]

At this rate, the Marine Corps is going to have to be prepared to go to the mat for V/STOL strike the same way it went to the mat for the Osprey. At least the V-22 had a more friendly budget environment working for it at the time it was in the crosshairs. The F-35 does not. People will start to question why the Marine Corps needs to be able to launch strikes off of LHDs, and we'd better have good answers. I believe it's a valid requirement, but people will ask. As the price balloons, the Royal Navy will be tempted to bail out of the B, and the unit price is going to escalate even higher.

I think the RN/RAF have already bailed on the B model. Any F-35s operated off the new CVs they're building will be cat launched & wire retrieved, per AW&ST.