some F35 info

[FLYBOYJ]

And the Italians crossed the Atlantic with their first F-35.

F-35 arrival at NAS Patuxent River after first transatlantic crossing B-roll and pilot interview

 

[GrauGeist]

Here's a cool video with an F-16 pilot talking about his move into the F-35

 

[USAF SP VET 1972 1976]

Pretty up close.

 

[Torch]

Info from a Norwegian F-35 pilot...."Here's what I've learned so far dogfighting in the F-35": a JSF pilot's first-hand account

 

[buffnut453]

Aussie report into the status of the F-35 programme. Makes for interesting reading not least because of the balanced assessment of programme performance and remaining risks as they pertain to the RAAF:

http://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=13d32d90-5222-474b-a99d-9523fe223cff&subId=409757

 

[GrauGeist]

Info from a Norwegian F-35 pilot...."Here's what I've learned so far dogfighting in the F-35": a JSF pilot's first-hand account

A very informative and interesting review. This coming from an experienced F-16 driver, so he would know exactly how an F-16 would handle in a confrontation.

I also found his observations about the noise the F-35 makes during hard manouvers really interesting...something I hadn't thought about.

Thanks for sharing that link!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

So much for the Pierre Sprey school for fighter assessment.

 

[buffnut453]

In the Aussie report, Sqn Ldr Andrew Jackson RAAF is quoted as saying that the F-35 performs better than a comparably loaded/equipped F/A-18.

Of course the naysayers will claim that these military personnel are simply trotting out the party line...but I never experienced any pressure to make statements that were factually incorrect when I was in the Service. Indeed, when I worked on a major procurement effort, my analysis of flaws within the programme was very well received by my leadership chain. Ergo, I don't see Sqn Ldr Jackson putting his name to something that's factually incorrect.

Nice to see some of this stuff starting to emerge as the programme matures.

 

[GrauGeist]

lol...the detractors get so entrenched in their convictions, they will use any tactic available to save face.

They'll first state that these pilots are "compensated shills on the government dole" and when that fails to hold up, will then exclaim that they are not actual people, but rather "made up" to "promote an agenda of the military industrial complex".

Of course, when that fails to hold up to the truth, they'll start cherry-picking, looking for any possible excuse to vindicate their cause...like the same nosewheel size happens to be identical to one used on a jet that crashed 10 years ago, the bulb in the landing lights were made in China, the camoflage color is the same shade as used on Hitler's staff car.

And when these last-ditch efforts come up short and it becomes clear they have nothing, they'll start hurling insults

 

[buffnut453]

Or they hit the reset button. "But it's so expensive and we don't need it...blah, blah, blah".

 

[Catch22]

What I don't understand about a lot of the detractors within Canada is that they whine and complain about the money spent on the program (not the cost of the airframes themselves so much anymore since the cost has come way down), but we didn't spend all that money on the program. I can understand why a US taxpayer would be annoyed, but Canadians haven't been spending their money on it, so the cost of the program is irrelevant.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

What I don't understand about a lot of the detractors within Canada is that they whine and complain about the money spent on the program (not the cost of the airframes themselves so much anymore since the cost has come way down), but we didn't spend all that money on the program. I can understand why a US taxpayer would be annoyed, but Canadians haven't been spending their money on it, so the cost of the program is irrelevant.

All true - and what's missing is if Canada did buy the F-35, be rest assured that as a program partner, there would be offset in the form of placing subcontract work in Canada. It was done on the CF-18 and on the CP-140 program.

 

[Token]

Lots of interesting information in that Australian report, and very current, at 26 Feb, 2016.

I particularly like the bit on Page 18, Annex A, "The United Sates (US) F-35 Program has identified an increased risk of neck injury to light weight pilots during low speed ejection. In August 2015, the US Services restricted F-35 pilots weighing less than 136 pounds (6s kilograms) from operating the aircraft. Currently, no F-35 pilots, including Australian pilots, are impacted by this restriction".

From the noise being made about this issue in some media you would have thought at least some pilots ended up not being able to fly.

T!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Lots of interesting information in that Australian report, and very current, at 26 Feb, 2016.

I particularly like the bit on Page 18, Annex A, "The United Sates (US) F-35 Program has identified an increased risk of neck injury to light weight pilots during low speed ejection. In August 2015, the US Services restricted F-35 pilots weighing less than 136 pounds (6s kilograms) from operating the aircraft. Currently, no F-35 pilots, including Australian pilots, are impacted by this restriction".

From the noise being made about this issue in some media you would have thought at least some pilots ended up not being able to fly.

T!

As mentioned in earlier posts, the same seat (MB Mk 16) is in the T-6 Texan II, the T-38 (put in during upgrade PDM) and the Eurofighter, not a peep from the operators of those aircraft which in the case of the T-38 includes NASA and AETC.

 

[buffnut453]

Info from a Norwegian F-35 pilot...."Here's what I've learned so far dogfighting in the F-35": a JSF pilot's first-hand account

So...can we finally lay to rest this mistaken idea that the F-35 can't survive a close-in knife fight? People have demanded operator-driven comparisons to prove that the F-35 can/can't dogfight. Here we have an experienced F-16 driver saying he can be more aggressive and engage adversaries from a wider range of positions than is possible in the F-16. We also have the Australian report where an experienced F/A-18 pilot notes that, when comparably loaded and kitted out, the F-35 outperforms the F/A-18.

To me, these reports mark "EndEx" for the "F-35 can't dogfight" argument. As others have noted, no doubt the criticisms will continue but they increasingly ring hollow as the true capabilities of this platform emerge. Now if they'd just get rid of the B-variant and deploy F-35Cs on the RN carriers, I'd be ecstatic!

 

[Token]

As mentioned in earlier posts, the same seat (MB Mk 16) is in the T-6 Texan II, the T-38 (put in during upgrade PDM) and the Eurofighter, not a peep from the operators of those aircraft which in the case of the T-38 includes NASA and AETC.

The issue is not the seat alone, but the seat in combination with the Gen 2 helmet for the F-35. Those other platforms share the seat, but not the helmet and seat combination. Apparently this issue is partially addressed in Gen 3 helmets, and later Gens are not supposed to be an issue.

T!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The issue is not the seat alone, but the seat in combination with the Gen 2 helmet for the F-35. Those other platforms share the seat, but not the helmet and seat combination. Apparently this issue is partially addressed in Gen 3 helmets, and later Gens are not supposed to be an issue.

T!

But of course that's never mentioned by most of the media

 

[Torch]

What's Left on the Air Force Checklist To Make F-35s Operational?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

"We are more and more operationalizing the airplane, and getting the airplane into the hands of more and more airmen that are gaining a greater appreciation for how lethal the airplane is, how survivable it is and some of the different missions that we can execute with the airplane," Harrigian said. "I think it's healthy to have this discussion."

 

[CharlesBronson]

A thing that I d notice from some time now ...is very difficult to obtain balanced information about the F35, some sources say is a dollar eating disaster , other say is all great, i suppose the truth must be in the middle.