F-22 / F-35 5th Generation jets | News & Discussions.

[Neptune]

Turkish Air Force Training and Education Command, Officer Cadet School in Bursa

F-35A mock up shown during the graduation ceremony of cadets

@cabatli_53 bizim ademler şanslı gene. Mezun olmak nasip olmadı olmadı ama törende TF-2000 maketi görsek fena mı olurdu

 

[Fenrir]

Here's A Rare Glimpse Of The F-35A's Internal 25mm Cannon Firing

This is not a view you get very often. It’s the F-35A’s GAU-22/A 25mm internal cannon opened up for the world to see its mechanical firing process, including the barrels hydraulically spinning up, the low-observable gun door and the vent door popping open. And of course lots of smoke and flames.

You can see a naked test of the F-35’s cannon below, along with all the bits and pieces that go with it, dated back to 2007. Based on the proven GAU-12/A 25mm cannon, used by the AV-8B Harrier, the LAV-AD amphibious vehicle and AC-130U Gunship, the F-35’s GAU-22/A has one less barrel than its predecessor. This saves weight and space so that the cannon could fit into the F-35A’s left shoulder and into a streamlined external gun pod destined for the F-35B and F-35C.

 

[500]

“Initial operating capability (IOC) for the Marine Corps F-35B is still on track to take place by the end of July,” Marine spokesman Maj. Paul Greenberg said in an email.

Marines Begin Final Checks For F-35B IOC; ‘On Track’ For End Of July « Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary

 

[Fenrir]

The crazy simulator where pilots learn how to fly the F-35

How do pilots learn how to fly a fighter jet that cost a trillion dollars to develop (or a $100 million a pop to make)? By hopping in a total bad a** simulator that mimics everything about the F-35 in basically the sickest video game ever. The pilots in the simulator look like they’re flying some space age ship, with helmets that make them look like they have alien eyes.

It’s really cool. The pilots train on these simulators at Luke Air Force Base and it’s a cross between a roller coaster ride and the most realistic flight sim video game there is. That is to say it looks like a helluva lot of fun.

 

[Oldman1]

The crazy simulator where pilots learn how to fly the F-35

How do pilots learn how to fly a fighter jet that cost a trillion dollars to develop (or a $100 million a pop to make)? By hopping in a total bad a** simulator that mimics everything about the F-35 in basically the sickest video game ever. The pilots in the simulator look like they’re flying some space age ship, with helmets that make them look like they have alien eyes.

It’s really cool. The pilots train on these simulators at Luke Air Force Base and it’s a cross between a roller coaster ride and the most realistic flight sim video game there is. That is to say it looks like a helluva lot of fun.

 

[Fenrir]

The following is a video of 181 rounds fired through the GAU-22/A of a Lockheed Martin F-35A Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) on Aug. 14, 2015, and released on Thursday.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

First F-35A for Norway Moves into Final Stages of Production | F-35 Lightning II

The first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II for Norway, known as AM-1, transferred out of the F-35 main production facility Aug. 19, marking a key milestone for the Norwegian F-35 program.

This move from the production facility is one of the final steps in the process leading to the jet’s eventual assignment to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, later this year. Once at Luke, it becomes part of the U.S. Air Force’s pilot training program for both the USAF and international countries.

AM-1 is currently in the Aircraft Final Finishes (AFF) facility where it receives low observable coatings. From there it undergoes a series of functional fuel system checks and then transports to the flight line for operational ground checks and its first flight.

AM-1 is the first of four Norwegian F-35s currently in production at the Fort Worth plant. Norway’s second F-35 known as AM-2 recently jointed its sister aircraft in the AFF while AM-3 and AM-4 are both in work at the wing systems and forward fuselage areas. Both of these aircraft will take shape for the first time in late September, when their major components are joined together.

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Somebody is napping...

 

[Fenrir]

Somebody is napping...

Literally - and again in a few minutes

Norway's F-35 AM-1:

 

[Kompromat]

Pakistan should buy Norwegian vipers if their delivery of F-35s is on track. @Technogaianist

 

[Fenrir]

Pakistan should buy Norwegian vipers if their delivery of F-35s is on track. @Technogaianist

Norway's currently operating 52 F-16AM/BM Block 15 MLU, these aircraft has some Block 50/52 technologies in them, but honestly, they aren't anything special.

Yes, they will likely be sold, and Pakistan is an option if it should ask for them - but, and this is the major sticking point; while our AM-1, AM-2, AM-3 and AM-4 are on track, those four F-35 are the only four that have so far been ordered. 52 are planned, to replace our F-16s on a 1-1 basis, but so far only four F-35s have been ordered.

16 have been cleared for purchase but no orders placed.

This already puts our F-16 replacement plans in doubt, but to make it worse, our F-16s to remain in service until at least 2024 as 6 f-35s will arrive every year, with the first two arriving in Norway in 2016, this of course relies on the assumption that all 52 planned are fully funded. At present they are not.

Pakistan can order them once they are replaced, or even begin negotiations to secure them before they hit the open market, but they wont be leaving Norway quite yet.

These are our (and maybe your) F-16s:

Personally, I think there are better options for Pakistan, especially given the time frame.

 

[Kompromat]

2024, damn that is too late. PAF will most likely opt for J-31s and we might see first units in the green and white PAF roundels around 2020. J-31 is also our F-16 replacement option, however PAF is likely to operate F-16s till 2030 in operational roles so the idea is to buy as many old units as we can and to put them through the MLU upgrades to bring them to the latest standards like we just did with our block-15s in Turkey. Ideally if we could buy the RNAF F-16s, it would have added good strength to PAF fleet, since its very easy for us to operate these jets considering that PAF was the second non NATO operator and has enormous experience with the platform including in combat. PAF is the largest Mirage operator in the world and we did the same thing with Mirage-III/V acquisition. With 2024 prospect, i am not that optimistic.

Pakistan did talk to Norway about this prospect.

Pakistan Keen To Purchase F-16 Fleet From Norway - ASIAN DEFENCE NEWS

Norway's currently operating 52 F-16AM/BM Block 15 MLU, these aircraft has some Block 50/52 technologies in them, but honestly, they aren't anything special.

Yes, they will likely be sold, and Pakistan is an option if it should ask for them - but, and this is the major sticking point; while our AM-1, AM-2, AM-3 and AM-4 are on track, those four F-35 are the only four that have so far been ordered. 52 are planned, to replace our F-16s on a 1-1 basis, but so far only four F-35s have been ordered.

16 have been cleared for purchase but no orders placed.

This already puts our F-16 replacement plans in doubt, but to make it worse, our F-16s to remain in service until at least 2024 as 6 f-35s will arrive every year, which the first two arrive in Norway in 2016, this of course relies on the assumption that all 52 planned are fully funded. At present they are not.

Pakistan can order them once they are replaced, or even begin negotiations to secure them before they hit the open market, but they wont be leaving Norway quite yet.

These are our (and maybe your) F-16s:

Personally, I think there are better options for Pakistan, especially given the time frame.

 

[500]

First flight with AGM-154 JSOW:

 

[Neptune]

Lockheed Martin fast facts on F-35 Lighting II

 

[AMDR]

Norway, Australia Team To Upgrade Missile for F-35
Norway, Australia Team To Upgrade Missile for F-35

FORT WORTH, Texas — Norway and Australia have minted a deal to develop a new seeker capability for the Joint Strike Missile, a core weapon planned for integration onto Norway's F-35.

Under the Sept. 15 agreement, Australia will finance the development of a new RF-seeking capability, which will enable the missile to locate targets based on electronic signature. BAE Australia will develop and integrate the capability, according to a Sept. 21 statement from Norway's Ministry of Defense.

If Australia later decides to procure the JSM, developed by Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence Systems, Norway and Australia will share the cost of integrating the JSM on the F-35.

The new seeker will provide JSM dual-seeker capability, which enables the missile to operate in all weather conditions, Executive Vice President of Kongsberg Group and President of KDS Harald Ånnestad told Defense News on Monday. Kongsberg expects the announcement to fuel increased interest in the JSM from other international partners, he said.

This marks the first time another nation has discussed the possibility of covering some of the costs related to the JSM, the Sept. 21 statement reads.

JSM is a long-range, precision-guided missile that will be carried internally in the F-35. The current seeker being developed for the missile is based on a technology known as "imaging infra red" that enables the missile to detect and identify targets based on heat signature, according to the statement.

JSM will be integrated on Norway's F-35 in the first phase of follow-on development in the 2022-2024 time frame.

"This agreement is a prime example of instances where two nations, each bringing their own specialties and skills to the table, are able to build a better system by working together compared to what they could have done on their own," Norwegian Minister of Defence Ine Eriksen Søreide said, according to the statement. "This, in a nutshell, is what the F-35 partnership is all about and it is an important example of the kind of positive ripple effects the program helps generate beyond the aircraft themselves."

 

[Neptune]

Rivalry between JSM and SOM-J?