F35 Actualité

Un ancien chef de projet surle F35 poursuit Lockheed pour gaspillage de ressources et ecriture de logiciel dangereux.

Davis' lawsuit recommends to the court that Lockheed should "immediately" stop developing software for the F-35 to "avoid further waste" of resources and the "serious risks" to F-35 pilots

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Un papier disant que le GE/RR F 136 serait sur la sellette (par comparaison au P&W F135)

Bon, le US avaient pour habitude d'avoir deux sources de motorisation sur quantité de programmes !

Sur AviationWeek :

The future of the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine program reaches a critical juncture this week when the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on whether to follow through on its earmarking for the General Electric Rolls-Royce F136 in the 2010 defense budget.
The second F135-powered F-35B flew for a second time on July 13. If it survives, the first F136-powered F-35 will not fly for at least two years.Credit: STEVE SHANK

It is a vote engine industry insiders say is too close to call, and which could finally make or break the long-running alternate F136 engine campaign. Although losing the full Senate vote would not directly end the program, both sides of the engine debate recognize that coming back from a "no vote" this time would not be easy.

Pratt & Whitney--stung by the loss of two F135 engines in the program cuts this year and facing a similar outcome in 2010 as a result of funding for the F136--is posturing to defend its corner more aggressively than ever before. The company, which also faces the simultaneous threat of losing funding for the final batch of F119-powered Lockheed Martin F-22s, is being bullish over its latest F135 program achievements to date and positive over its cost-cutting plans for the engine.

Pratt's position is strongly backed by the White House, which last week threatened to veto the defense bill if it includes spending on the F136 that Defense Secretary Robert Gates earlier identified as wasteful. A bluntly worded White House statement says "the administration strongly objects to the addition of $438.9 million for development of the alternative engine program. The administration also objects to provisions of the bill that mandate an alternative engine program for the JSF."

Facing its hardest fight for survival yet, the embattled General Electric/Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team was buoyed by figures presented by the House Armed Services Committee, which appears to support one of the F136 team's principal arguments that competition will help keep costs in check.

In a statement, the committee says "the F-35 program manager has reported an increase of approximately 38-43% in F135 engine procurement cost estimates between December 2005 and
December 2008, in the annual selected acquisition reports for the F-35C and F-35A variants. Between December 2005 and December 2008, engine procurement cost estimates for the F-35B have grown approximately 47%, but the F-35B engine procurement cost growth is attributable to both the F135 engine and the F-35B's lift fan."

But Warren Boley, Pratt & Whitney vice president for F135 programs, says "the numbers referenced represent future cost projections over the total program (30 years) if we do not achieve 'learned-out' cost. However, with the aggressive steps we are currently taking, and our experience in significantly reducing the cost of the F119 as it was learned out, we believe we have the same opportunities for cost reduction with the F135."

Cost savings on the F135, Boley says, will include lessons learned from the test program, lean production initiatives, production changes in the assembly shop and reductions in rework and scrap. "We know what the F-35 Joint Program Office needs, and we know we can get it because we did it on the F119."

The learned-out cost reduction on the F119 was 30%, and "we see those opportunities" for the F135, Boley notes. The projected costs are targeted for the 250th production engine scheduled for 2014, and will hold for the bulk of the
program. "That's a significant cost saving on 1,500-3,000 engines," he says. Pratt is currently assembling the initial production configuration units and will deliver the first seven to Lockheed Martin in the fourth quarter of this year.

Despite the House committee's main focus on F135 costs, the F136 team also received a significant boost from the panel for keeping its costs stable. Saying the F136 "has not experienced any cost growth since its inception," it notes the $411-million pre-EMD [equal to system development and demonstration, or SDD] contract cost remained steady, while the main $2.48-billion EMD deal signed in 2005 "has been stable since contract award." In a hard-hitting
summary, it adds that, "given the F135 development and procurement cost increases, the committee is perplexed by the department's decisions over the past three years to not include an F-35 competitive propulsion system program
in its budget requests."

However, Pratt proponents point out that cost and schedule are easier to maintain in a limited development effort such as the early pre-SDD phases of the F136, and cite indications of growing slippages in the alternate engine schedule. The F136 team acknowledged at the recent Paris air show that the date for the first flight-test engine has slid to early 2011 from 2010, but says this reflects schedule adjustments by Lockheed Martin rather than any engine development issues.

The F136 team does confirm, however, that funding shortages and shifting program schedules have forced it to reprioritize initial service release (ISR) targets. "We've moved it up for CTOL [conventional takeoff and landing] to March 2012, and Stovl [short takeoff and vertical landing] has gone out to the right to around March 2013," says the team. The change to the Stovl target reflects the fact that no F136-powered F-35s are earmarked for the earlier production Lot 4 batch around that time. "They didn't need it until 2013, and we didn't have the money anyway," it adds.

The GE-Rolls team also says budget shortfalls have forced it to push back the initial flight readiness (IFR) milestones for the CTOL engine by three months, and IFR for Stovl by four months. The F136 team first met for IFR reviews in May. The meetings coincided with the resumption of tests on F136 Engine 004 following modifications to the
bearing system.

Despite the hold-up, the F136 team insists that the schedule remains on track. Unlike the Pratt test schedule on the first SDD F135, which encompassed some 420 hr. of runs, it says the requirement for the GE-Rolls engine was smaller because the 700 hr. of runs during the pre-SDD phase included many aspects of the later configuration. Engine 004, the first SDD F136 to test, was never intended to exceed 100 hr. before the rebuild, it adds.

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Le JSF en STOVL dans la Royal Navy sur les nouveaux PA britaniques, mais avec des F 136 :

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L'

Alternate Engine Program
(AEP), soit le F 136 actuel, équipera combien de JSF export ?

Le senat américain décide de geler les dépenses destinées au développement du deuxième moteur du F35.

Senators today voted to freeze spending on the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136, the second engine under development for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme.

The Senate voted to reject an amendment that would have restored more than $600 million to continue development of the F136 and buy the first four production units. Senators also passed another amendment that would block any further spending on the F136 unless Secretary of Defense Robert Gates certifies that the alternate engine programme will both reduce costs and improve the readiness of the F-35 fleet.

Je connais quelq'un qui va ruer dans les brancards !

The F136 now faces a budget freeze as it nears the end of its development phase and transitions into low-rate production. The first F136 began ground testing in January, and it is scheduled to fly in 2011, which is slightly behind schedule..

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Bonsoir, chers tous, et merci, Jeannot.

Non ! Inutile de s'énerver ! C'est encore une preuve que les USA, en raison d'une certaine faune qui y vit et y vote, n'a pas de parole et n'honore pas la signature que son pays a donné librement dans le théâtre international.

Il ne faut pas juger tout un grand pays, tout un peuple (aux sens nobles du mot, ... "sens" au pluriel), selon une petite poignée de malhonnêtes minables sans principes ni scrupules. Et Barack OBAMA n'est pas dans ce lot ! Ce n'est surtout pas l'homme OBAMA qui est "dans ce coup-là" ! C'est la machinerie politique imputée au Président OBAMA !

Je pourrais prouver à n'importe quel moment, devant le Congrès et le Sénat , et le Président OBAMA, "that the alternate engine programme will both reduce costs and improve the readiness of the F-35 fleet".

Mais, .. il faut être pragmatique ! RR a de fait et de droit 40%, aussi, du programme de motorisation de P&W !

RR aura toujours 40% de l'assiette de calcul, quelle qu'elle soit !

Ce qui est regrettable, c'est que les responsables des moteurs militaires chez GE, aient été trompés sur leurs terres :
-- en tant qu'hommes, ... que de vrais hommes,
-- et en tant que des "gentlemen", et que de vrais partenaires admirables (rien à voir avec la faune des moteurs de la division civile de GE),...
-- & qu'ils aient eu en ces moments précis, à supporter et à être victimes de tels rats politiques ignares de basse facture !

Je ne plaisante pas ! Je vais m'occuper, dès demain, de cette affaire.

Mais, pour RR, ... pas de problème ! "RR will be laughing all the way to the bank" !

Ces petits esprits qui croient qu'ils ont remporté une victoire, n'ont fait que jouer "gagnant -perdant" ! Dans ce cas, ..... il n'y a "in fine", que des perdants !

Ceci n'a rien à voir avec les USA et les Américains, et leur grandeur !

Il s'agit d'une petite bande qui a réussi à tromper les autres ! Cela arrive de temps à autre ! Il ne faut pas attacher trop d'importance à l'événement, ... aujourd'hui ! ;)

Et puis, le Congrès a déjà voté les US$ 600 millions ! Il faut savoir où (dans quelle "chambre" ) se trouve la démocratie aux USA !

Je vous l'avais dit que quelqu'un ne serait pas très content.... Mais avouons qu'il n'a pas mélangé les genres et a gardé son amitié et sa confiance au peuple américian et je cite :

Ceci n'a rien à voir avec les USA et les Américains, et leur grandeur !

.

Fortes pressions sur Pratt Whitney pour réduire les coûts du F135 (réacteur qui équipe les F35).

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] has launched a multi-year effort to lower costs for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in response to pressure from the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] programme office.
The F135 programme has won recent praise for overcoming a blade fatigue problem that set back testing for the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant. But as the debate over funding for the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 alternate engine heats up, P&W executives acknowledge that production costs for the F135 have not declined at the rate desired by JSF programme officials.

In mid-June, a "blue-ribbon" committee met at P&W's headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut, to review the engine manufacturer's cost-reduction strategy, which was accepted, says Hugh Risseeuw, P&W's director for navy and marine corps programmes. The strategy includes higher upfront costs in some areas to make investments in the design of some engine components.

Despite the upfront investment, P&W's goal is to show improvement on the F135's costs in the next negotiated contract, says Risseeuw. The fourth lot of low-rate initial production is scheduled for contract award in the second quarter of 2010. This includes funding for at least 30 F135s, but Congress is debating whether to insert $600 million to also buy four F136s and continue development of the controversial rival.

Concerns about the F135's costs are driven by P&W's inability so far to achieve the expected "learning curve", or the rate of improving efficiency normally seen with steadily increasing production rates.

F-35 suppliers are required to achieve a rate of improving efficiency known as an 88% learning curve. This benchmark means costs are projected to decline by about 12% every time the production rate doubles. By contrast, a 100% learning curve means that costs never decline.

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Merci, Jeannot !

Le problème est que, P&W, qui, normalement, est reconnu pour son "cost leadership" en matière de "cost control", ne maîtrise pas la "mission" ici !

C'est RR qui fait la pièce sans laquelle le moteur P&W ne saurait fonctionner.

RR ne triche pas. Et il maîtrise tous les éléments qui entrent dans l'équation du "cost improvement programme" / 'programme d'amélioration des coûts' qui le concerne (et qui n'a rien à voir avec le programme de réduction des coûts ; il ne faut pas laisser la moindre marge de manoeuvre aux non-financiers et ignares politiques pour faire la confusion habituelle entre "réduction de coûts" et "amélioration de coûts") !

Un autre aspect du problème est que P&W,
-- n'ayant jamais pu maîtriser la partie de RR (l'argent ne fait pas tout ; il faut, aussi, le savoir-faire ! ), .....
-- ne sait pas tirer la quintessence de la partie de RR, pour atteindre le même niveau d'amélioration des coûts, soit le niveau nécessaire à la réalisation de ses objectifs en matière de "cost improvement" de sa partie !
----------------

Dans le partenariat entre RR et GE (militaire), le partenaire américain a "tout compris", et tout mis en oeuvre pour que les deux dépassent même la performance visée dans leur "mission" respective et collective !

Deux faits 'clé' sont : (i) Aucun retard sur le programme n'est imputable à l'équipe GE (60%)/ RR (40%) ; (ii) aussi, le tandem GE-RR a "battu le budget" / fait mieux que le budget, et obtenu des résultats meilleurs que ceux prévus !
Mais, les "lobbyistes" politiques s'en sont mêlés !

Cette façon de défaire le contrat GE/RR est absolument UNFAIR et je souhaite que personne ne l'oublie.

J'espère que des clients export du JSF pourront s'intéresser au F 136.

1/2 NIH = NIH

Je souhaite aussi que des recours soient possibles.

Je n'ai pas de parti pris pour quoi que ce soit hormis l'équité.

Bonsoir, LynxFleet, ... et merci !

LynxFleet a écrit:Cette façon de défaire le contrat GE/RR est absolument UNFAIR et je souhaite que personne ne l'oublie.

J'espère que des clients export du JSF pourront s'intéresser au F 136.

1/2 NIH = NIH

Je souhaite aussi que des recours soient possibles.

Je n'ai pas de parti pris pour quoi que ce soit hormis l'équité.

Oui ! Vous avez raison !
Ne pas oublier que RR et le RU ont "un levier" ! Un, sinon les 2 PA, mis en chantier par le gouvernement britannique est / sont conçu(s) pour la version F136 !
Le RU a encore largement le temps de dire "Non" au JSF ! Si le RU ne peut pas avoir l'avion qu'il souhaite, il aura tout loisir, par exemple, de chosir la version "navale " / "marine" du Rafale !

Dès que les politiciens américains entendront le RU évoquer cette question, et le choix possible du Rafale en question, ils sauront que les Pays Bas et d'autres pays pourront se rebiffer, aussi, et réduire les chances de cet avion à l'exportation !

Il y aura des "right-thinking Americans" qui feront comprendre aux Hommes / Femmes politiques la stupidité de leur appréciation à courte vue !

LynxFleet a écrit:Cette façon de défaire le contrat GE/RR est absolument UNFAIR et je souhaite que personne ne l'oublie.
J'espère que des clients export du JSF pourront s'intéresser au F 136.
Je souhaite aussi que des recours soient possibles.
Je n'ai pas de parti pris pour quoi que ce soit hormis l'équité.

Je suis d'accord avec cette réaction.

Bonjour, chers tous. Merci à Jeannot, et à LynxFleet, de nouveau.

Oui, encore. Avec le rappel que la notion d'équité est enracinée dans la culture anglo-saxonne, et dans les systèmes juridiques du Commonwealth et des USA (cela fait du monde ; et c'est pour cela que cette force d'équité s'établit dans les systèmes juridiques de l'UE).

Et, comme nous l'avons vu dans de nombreux cas, dans le Droit Commercial International, l'Equité est une des composantes fondamentales. Et cela va se renforcer. C'est une tendance qui ne va pas s'inverser ! Même si, dans ce cas de la motorisation en question, il y a un "loupé" au nom de la politique de circonstance !

La planète entière voit qu'il s'agit d'une approche arbitraire, qui, pour des raisons tordues & politiques, est devenue subitement et rapidement abusive, et, donc, inacceptable dans la durée !

Sortie d'usine de la variante -C, navale du JSF

Sur Flight :

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] today unveiled the first naval variant for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (JSF) programme in a roll-out
ceremony at the final assembly plant in Fort Worth, Texas.

'"It's an honor and aprivilege and it is a great day", said Adm Gary Roughhead, the US chief of naval operations. The Navy plans to operate 260 F-35C carrier variants among the 2,443 aircraft in the current US programme.

"This airplane will top anything that comes it's way," Roughead added.

The first prototype model to roll off the production line -- CF-1 -- follows the debut of a conventional variant for the US Air Force in December 2006 and short-takeoff-vertical landing (STOVL) in June 2008.

The naval variant uses the same propuslion system as the air force fighter, but adds other modifications,
including an expanded wing and beefed-up landing gear.

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The aircraft will be the first tactical aircraft to enter naval service in the US for several decades that is powere by a single engine. The F-35C will also introduce the first carrier-based jet fighter featuring all-aspect stealth.

The first F-35C unit is scheduled to enter service in Fiscal 2015, although one Pentagon estimate projects a two-year delay.

The CF-1 prototype model is now expected to start flight tests in late December, reflecting a three-month schedule slip. It is projected to be the fourth F-35 prototype to enter flight test, following the non-production configuration AA-1, and the STOVL BF-1 and BF-2.

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Le fiabilité du moteur F135 continue d'inquiéter les reponsables du programme F35 de l'armée américaine.

Brig Gen David Heinz's comments come one month after Pratt & Whitney acknowledged that it is struggling to meet cost-reduction goals for the F135 engine. Speaking after the roll-out ceremony for the US Navy's first F-35C in Fort Worth, Texas on 28 July, Heinz said P&W's production system for the F135 is delivering key components below required tolerances

The problems include too many individual blades that fail to meet specifications, as well as combined "stack-ups" of blades that fail early, he says, adding: "I'm not satisfied with the rates that I'm getting."

C'est d'autant plus gênant que le Sénat vient de bloquer le financement du développement de son concurrent le F136.

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Bonsoir, chers tous, et merci, Jeannot !
Je me permets de citer et de commenter d'autres extraits du même article sous le lien :
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]
DATE:30/07/09. SOURCE:Flight International
F135 engine continues to worry US military's top F-35 executive
By [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]

The US military's top executive for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] has revealed new concerns about technical and cost failures facing the programme's primary engine supplier.

Quand, avec seulement quelques jours de recul, je lis cette seule phrase, je trouve totalement justifiée ma / mes réaction(s) dans les posts ci-dessus ! Il doit y avoir de fortes doses d'illettrisme financier, qui se promènent dans le débat actuel aux USA sur le F-35, et des coups de pied qui se perdent quelque part !
........
The F135 has experienced problems with blade reliability

In June, Heinz said the F-35 programme has not realised expected benefits from its dual sourcing strategy because P&W has not felt compelled to compete on equal terms with the rival General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 programme.

Cet argument est tout a fait fondé ! Contrairement à ses habitudes, P&W traîne la savate en matière de "cost leadership & control" !

P&W officials have proposed a plan for lowering the cost of the F135 through investing up-front in new tools and techniques that could accelerate learning curves.
"When any new product is introduced, there are normal opportunities for process improvement with start-up," it says. "There is room for us to improve our production yield, and we have a plan in place to do that."

Oui, ...... mais les responsables de P&W font durer l'agonie, parce qu'ils sentent (et il y a de quoi ! ) que c'est le moteur P&W qui est favorisé !

The company also cites its experience with the F119 engine powering the US Air Force's Lockheed F-22, where cost declined by 30% after the 250th unit was delivered.

Oui, ... mais les responsables de P&W omettent de dire que ceci est dû, aussi, dans une grande mesure, à une modifciation substantielle apportée à une "base de comptabilisation" ('méthode comptable'), et non pas uniquement à des améliorations portant sur les processus de fabrication, ou à d'autres facteurs techniques dans la production.

Heinz has walked a fine line in the debate about supporting duelling engine programmes for the F-35. Although supportive of the Department of Defense's decision to reject continued funding for the F136, he has also pointed out the potential benefits of retaining a competitive sourcing strategy.

Oui, ... mais à force de se la jouer fine, ......où en est-il aujour'hui, et où se trouvent les vraies options stratégiques pour les motoristes ?

Lockheed remains "agnostic" about the engine battle, says Dan Crowley, its executive vice-president and general manager for the F-35, but the company does not want the issue to put funding for the primary engine at risk.

Compréhensible ! Mais cela n'apporte rien d'amélioré ou "d'améliorant" au programme !

Même le Sénat US peut changer d'avis.

Un nouveau vote permet de trouver le budget pour continuer le développement di F136. Tant mieux ! C'est une bonne décision !

The [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (FET) has won enough support in a new vote to maintain a competitive propulsion strategy for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], despite continued opposition from the Obama administration.
The US House of Representatives on 30 July backed continued funding for the GE/R-R F136 engine by 400 to 30 votes. Its action supports the release of $560 million in funds to advance development and production of the JSF's alternative powerplant during fiscal year 2010.
"This competition will benefit military customers in the USA and around the world," says Rolls-Royce North America chief executive James Guyette. R-R adds that the FET's rivalry with the JSF's primary Pratt & Whitney F135 "avoids handing a $100 billion engine monopoly to a sole-source provider without going through a competitive selection process".
The GE/R-R team has two F136 engines in test for the conventional take-off and landing F-35A, and a first example for the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B will join the programme early next year. The FET expects to conduct around 10,000h of tests "within the next couple of years", before delivering its first production engines in 2012. R-R says the F136's development is on budget and "roughly 70%" complete.

Sur le plan pragmatique je me demande comment il est possible d'avoir deux votes si contradictoires dans un laps de temps si court.

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On voit (comme nous l'avions dit ci-dessus) que :

il y aura des "right-thinking Americans" qui feront comprendre aux Hommes / Femmes politiques la stupidité de leur appréciation à courte vue !

Affaire à suivre !

Additif !

J'aime lire et relire cette petite phrase :

"This competition will benefit military customers in the USA and around the world," says Rolls-Royce North America chief executive James Guyette. R-R adds that the FET's rivalry with the JSF's primary Pratt & Whitney F135 "avoids handing a $100 billion engine monopoly to a sole-source provider without going through a competitive selection process".

Boeing aurait dû penser, avant le fait, à sa belle naïveté , en accordant à GE l'exclusivité-moteur ridicule au bénéfice de son GE90-115B & de son GE90-110B, respectivement, sur les B777-300ER & -200LR !
Bien sûr, les détails des chiffres ne sont pas les mêmes, ... mais le principe l'est ! :lol:

Bonjour à tous

Voici ce que j'ai trouvé sur Inside Indiana business; updated: 7/31/2009 8:33:25 AM :

Indianapolis, Ind. -- Rolls-Royce applauds the vote of the US House of Representatives today to continue support for the competitive engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
The House voted 400 to 30 to include $560 million in FY2010 funding to develop and produce the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team’s F136 engine.

Today’s vote reaffirms the benefits of competition for the JSF engine program, the world’s largest ever fighter program, and avoids handing a $100 billion engine monopoly to a sole source provider without going through a competitive selection process.

The F136 engine, being developed in a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and GE, supports hundreds of jobs at the Rolls-Royce manufacturing facility in Indianapolis. Nationwide, F136 jobs at Rolls-Royce, GE and their suppliers total more than 2,500. Now roughly 70 percent complete, the first production F136 engines are scheduled to be delivered in 2012.

The GE Rolls-Royce F136 engine is on budget, and has been consistently on budget for years. Furthermore, the F136 engine’s solid history of executing its contract on schedule and within budget has led to consistent top program reviews from the Joint Program Office managing the F-35 program.

“The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team should have the chance to demonstrate the benefits of competition,” said James M. Guyette, President & CEO, Rolls-Royce North America Inc. “This competition will benefit military customers in the US and around the world for decades to come.”

The first complete new-build F136 engine began testing earlier this year – a month ahead of schedule – under the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract with the US Government Joint Program Office for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

Today’s vote also maintains the House’s 14 year record of unwavering support for this program as well as recently enacted defense acquisition reform which encourages competitive contracts in US defense programs.

Source: Rolls-Royce

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Je suis en retard d'un metro, j'ai loupé quelquechose ?

Essai de ravitaillement "probe & drogue" réussi pour le F 35 STOVL

PRnewswire, 14 aout :

FORT WORTH, Texas A short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter has become the first F-35 to complete an aerial refueling test using the Navy- and Marine Corps-style probe-and-drogue refueling system. Thursday's successful mission is the first in a short series of tests that will clear the STOVL F-35B variant for extended-range flights, particularly to its primary test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

"The F-35 program is on the cusp of a tremendous expansion in flight test as a large number of new aircraft enter the test fleet this year and early next year," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "This milestone will help ensure that we fill the pipeline between Fort Worth and Pax River
with F-35s and maintain our flight-test tempo."

During Thursday's flight, the F-35B designated BF-2 (the second STOVL flight test aircraft), began a series of tests in which fuel is uploaded into the aircraft at 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 feet, at speeds ranging from 200 to 250 knots. The pilot on the initial F-35B aerial refueling flight was U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joseph T. "O.D." Bachmann.

The refueling mission also marked the first time a Lockheed Martin KC-130 tanker has been used to refuel an F-35. Previous refueling missions with the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant were accomplished with a KC-135 tanker. To date, the first F-35A has received approximately 110,000 pounds of fuel during aerial refuelings.

Probe-and-drogue refueling employs a flexible hose that trails from the tanker aircraft.The basketlike drogue at the end of the hose connects to the receiving aircraft's probe, which, in the case of the F-35, resides on the right side of the forward fuselage and retracts when not in use. The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the air forces of many other countries use the probe/drogue system, while the U.S. Air Force refuels its aircraft via a rigid flying boom that inserts into a receptacle on the receiving airplane.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-22 are the world's only 5th generation fighters, uniquely characterized by a combination of advanced stealth with supersonic speed and high agility, sensor fusion, network-enabled capabilities and advanced sustainment. The three F-35 variants are derived from a common design, are being developed together
and will use the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, bringing economies of commonality and scale.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.

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Bonjour à tous

Merci Zitek

Voici un extrait du communiqué de Lockheed Martin que nous avons reçus et qui est en permanence disponible sur le site lockheedmartin.com

During Thursday's flight, the F-35B designated BF-2 (the second STOVL flight test aircraft), began a series of tests in which fuel is uploaded into the aircraft at 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 feet, at speeds ranging from 200 to 250 knots. The pilot on the initial F-35B aerial refueling flight was U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joseph T. "O.D." Bachmann.

The refueling mission also marked the first time a Lockheed Martin KC-130J tanker has been used to refuel an F-35.

Since deployment to Iraq in 2005 the KC-130J has offloaded more than 186 million pounds of fuel during combat operations. Previous refueling missions with the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant were accomplished with a KC-135 tanker. To date, the first F-35A has received approximately 110,000 pounds of fuel during aerial refuelings.

Probe-and-drogue refueling employs a flexible hose that trails from the tanker aircraft.
The basketlike drogue at the end of the hose connects to the receiving aircraft’s probe, which, in the case of the F-35, resides on the right side of the forward fuselage and retracts when not in use.
The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the air forces of many other countries use the probe/drogue system, while the U.S. Air Force refuels its aircraft via a rigid flying boom that inserts into a receptacle on the receiving airplane.

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Le ravitaillement en vol s'est donc effectué avec un KC 130J :

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Crédit Lockheed Martin.

Le Royaume Uni abandonnerait le FSF à dolage vertical et dervait donc equiper ses futurs portes-avions de catapultes.

Le ministère britannique de la défense devrait prochainement annoncer plusieurs mesures d’économie. Il abandonnerait ainsi la version à décollage vertical du JSF — ainsi que le moteur spécialement conçu par Rolls Royce pour cette version — en faveur de la version "porte-avions". Ces mesures auraient pour conséquence de devoir équiper les 2 porte-avions britanniques de catapultes.

Cette décision, qui devrait être annoncée publiquement à l’automne, est bien accueillie par les experts et la Royal Navy. Il faut dire que le moteur destiné aux JSF à décollage vertical, conçu par Rolls Royce, est extrêmement complexe et couteux qu’un réacteur standard.

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Le Secrétaire d'Etat américain a fait une visite chez LM dans la FAL du F-35.
Il a bien voulu s'adresser aux techniciens sur place. Promotionnel, question d'image, tous les autres problèmes : motorisations, dépassements de coût, retards...

Belle présentation, avec surlignage des "gouvernements" alliés et non pas pays ( qui ne signifie pas ami ) ou partenaire.

Un voyage politique qui n'atténuera pas quelques dépits réels

FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ --
United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Lockheed Martin's final assembly operation for the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter today, conveying optimism for the program's future and emphasizing the F-35's importance to global security.

"We cannot afford as a nation not to have this airplane," Gates said at a news conference following a tour of the factory where the F-35 is assembled. "I was very impressed by what I saw this morning - by the investments that have been made in the production line, the robotics and automation. I'm heartened by what I've seen . . . but especially by the commitment of the people involved in putting this airplane together."

Gates walked along portions of the mile-long factory floor, where he stopped to converse with F-35 workers, and saw all three variants of the aircraft in various stages of assembly.

Robert J. Stevens, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp., said it was a "great honor" to host Secretary Gates.

"The purpose of the Secretary's visit was to make very clear to us his expectations and our need to perform to our plans. That means producing a superior technological product and making sure that we maintain our schedule, enable the government to start training pilots in 2011, and fully equipping the Marine Corps for initial operational capability in 2012. It also means we'll support our allied governments' interests in the program while maintaining affordability," Stevens said. "So, there's a full array of things that we have to do, but we have great confidence in the team that we've put together here."

The visit was Gates' first to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant, which also has served as the final assembly point for the B-24 Liberator, B-36 Peacemaker, B-58 Hustler, F-111 Aardvark and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 is a 5th generation fighter, uniquely characterized by a combination of advanced stealth with supersonic speed and high agility, sensor fusion, network-enabled capabilities and advanced sustainment. The three F-35 variants are derived from a common design, are being developed together and will use the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, bringing economies of commonality and scale.

The United States and eight international partners are planning to buy more than 3,000 F-35 aircraft.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people
worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

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Le Senate Appropriation Committe rejete la deuxième motorisation du F 35.

Politique et marionettes :

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today celebrated a significant victory for taxpayers;
the Senate Appropriations Committee has rejected funding for the alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter.

According to a September 9 article in The Hill, Committee Chairman Inouye (D-Hawaii) did not include any money for the engine because he was concerned that it could jeopardize the entire fiscal year 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
This contradicts with his position just two weeks earlier. In an August 23 Congressional Quarterly article, Chairman Inouye was quoted as telling CQ that 'it makes good sense' to include funds for the alternate engine in the appropriations bill.

'While this is not the end of the road for the alternate engine, it is a clear message to supporters of the alternate engine that they simply do not have the votes in the Senate to continue this wasteful and unnecessary project,' said CCAGW President Tom Schatz.

An amendment supported by CCAGW to eliminate $439 million in funds for the alternate engine in the Department of Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2010 was approved in the Senate by a vote of 58-40 on August 14.

However, the House has included $603 million in earmarked funds for the alternate engine in its version of the defense authorization bill, and $560 million in earmarked funds for the program in its version of the defense appropriations bill.

The next step on the road to eliminate the alternate engine will be the conference committee on the authorization bill.

To persuade House conferees to recede to the Senate position, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has asked her colleagues to co-sign a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) and Ranking Member Buck McKeon (R-Calif.). CCAGW wrote a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] today to all representatives urging them to add their names to Rep. DeLauro's letter.

President Obama has threatened to veto any defense bill that includes money for the alternate engine.
Defense Secretary Gates opposes the alternate engine, as do other top Pentagon officials.
In a telling and concise statement, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead told CQ Politics on June 30 that there is no room for two engines on an aircraft carrier because 'space is at a premium,' and he added that 'you can put me squarely in the one engine camp.'

'The effort to cut funding for the alternate engine is at a critical phase,' added Schatz. 'Congress has eliminated funds for additional F-22 fighters, which was a significant victory for taxpayers, and now it is time to ground another wasteful project. Americans should let their elected officials know they want their national defense dollars to be spent effectively and efficiently, and that the Senate is right to reject funds for the alternate engine.'

CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

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Le F-35 version STOVL, F 35B, motorisation P&W a repris ses vols après des mois d'immobilisation.

Des fissures dans le moteur, source unique, ont immobilisé l'avion depuis fin septembre...2008

Sur Flight :

A key test article for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] programme has returned to flight after a nearly year-long hiatus.

The BF-1 flight-test aircraft, which will demonstrate the F-35B's short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability, completed a 1h flight on 4 September at Fort Worth, Texas, Lockheed says.

The return-to-flight event for BF-1 had been expected for several months since the aircraft was grounded after 22 September 2008.

Lockheed installed a redesigned turbine blade after the original Pratt & Whitney design revealed concerns about early fatigue cracking.
Plans to resume flight-testing by December 2008 were delayed to June, and finally to early September. Lockheed blamed the latest delays on a series of frustrating technical issues.

BF-1 is one of two aircraft that is scheduled to ferry to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, by the end of the month.
The goal is to complete a series of flight tests leading to the first vertical landing in October, a major milestone in the
early phases of the STOVL aircraft's flight test programme.

However, BF-1 still has to complete another 11 flight tests at Fort Worth before it can be transferred to Patuxent River, Lockheed says.

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Lire ceci !

Lien :
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Alternate Engine Almost Grounded
CCAGW
Leslie K. Paige, 202-467-5334
[quote]The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today

celebrated a significant victory for taxpayers; the Senate Appropriations Committee has rejected funding for the alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter. According to a September 9 article in The Hill, Committee Chairman Inouye (D-Hawaii) did not include any money for the engine because he was concerned that it could jeopardize the entire fiscal year 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. This contradicts with his position just two weeks earlier. In an August 23 Congressional Quarterly article, Chairman Inouye was quoted as telling CQ that 'it makes good sense' to include funds for the alternate engine in the appropriations bill.
'While this is not the end of the road for the alternate engine, it is a clear message to supporters of the alternate engine that they simply do not have the votes in the Senate to continue this wasteful and unnecessary project,' said CCAGW President Tom Schatz.
An amendment supported by CCAGW to eliminate $439 million in funds for the alternate engine in the Department of Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2010 was approved in the Senate by a vote of 58-40 on August 14. However, the House has included $603 million in earmarked funds for the alternate engine in its version of the defense authorization bill, and $560 million in earmarked funds for the program in its version of the defense appropriations bill.
The next step on the road to eliminate the alternate engine will be the conference committee on the authorization bill. To persuade House conferees to recede to the Senate position, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has asked her colleagues to co-sign a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) and Ranking Member Buck McKeon (R-Calif.). CCAGW wrote a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] today to all representatives urging them to add their names to Rep. DeLauro's letter.
President Obama has threatened to veto any defense bill that includes money for the alternate engine. Defense Secretary Gates opposes the alternate engine, as do other top Pentagon officials. In a telling and concise statement, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead told CQ Politics on June 30 that there is no room for two engines on an aircraft carrier because 'space is at a premium,' and he added that 'you can put me squarely in the one engine camp.'
'The effort to cut funding for the alternate engine is at a critical phase,' added Schatz. 'Congress has eliminated funds for additional F-22 fighters, which was a significant victory for taxpayers, and now it is time to ground another wasteful project. Americans should let their elected officials know they want their national defense dollars to be spent effectively and efficiently, and that the Senate is right to reject funds for the alternate engine.'
CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

Qu'est-ce qu'ils nous cassent les pieds avec cette incapacité à prendre une décision & à s'en tenir à cette décision ! Ces lobbyists auront-ils un jour un peu de "Business Maturity" ?