"The independent program review by the US Department of Defense Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT & E) is a regularly scheduled annual event and the process has been performed with free access to information and with the full cooperation of the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) The report did not hold any surprises, all the issues mentioned were well known to us and to the US military, our international partners and the industries involved.
Once again the DOT & E annual report highlights the progress made by the program, including the Marine Corps' declaration of Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in July 2015. US Marines declared the IOC with Block software 2B which provides an advanced initial combat capability. The Marines' F-35s have the weapon equipment necessary to conduct Close Air Support, air interdiction, and limited ability to conduct enemy suppression / destruction missions.
Currently, the Marines' F-35s are able to internally charge the following weapons in stealth mode: AIM-120, GBU-32 JDAM and GBU-12 Paveway II. When the development program is completed in 2017 all three variants of the F-35 will be capable of carrying more than 18,000 pounds of weapons internally and externally. 2015 ended with more than 150 operational aircraft and 18 development test aircraft operating in 10 bases in the United States and at the Italian FACO (Final Assembly and Checkout) in Cameri. The entire fleet has reached a total of flight hours exceeding 48.000. In 2015, 45 aircraft were delivered - the largest number of aircraft delivered in a year since the program began. Among the deliveries made is the first international delivery made by the Italian FACO. The number of aircraft delivered rises to 154. Together with Italy, Norway received the first aircraft in 2015. There are five partner nations - Australia, Italy, Holland, Norway and Great Britain - which, together with the US Air Force, to the Marines and the US Navy, currently flying the F-35. Israel and Japan will receive their first aircraft in 2016. Pilot and maintenance training activity increased considerably in 2015. More than 250 pilots, including the top two pilots from Australia, Italy and Norway, joined the training phase . More than 2.800 trained maintenance personnel on the aircraft, most of whom trained at the F-35 Aircraft Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Though careful in reporting the facts, the DOT & E report does not fully describe the efforts made by the program to solve known technical problems and timing risks. It is the responsibility of the F-35 Joint Program Office to identify development problems, resolve them and carry out the program according to the time frame and budget available.
The governmental and industrial team has demonstrated the ability to overcome the technical challenges that emerged during the development phase, in the operational tests and during the operations conducted by the fleet, and to respect the commitments of the program. Some examples of problems that have recently been solved are the F-35C hook, the F135 engine rubbing problems and the F-35B auxiliary air intake hatch. The F-35C has successfully completed more than 200 readings at sea, engine modifications are now incorporated into the production line and the engines already delivered are being modified and the F-35-B has performed more than 1.000 safe vertical landings.
To date, mission software and the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) are the main technical risks for the program. Strict engineering processes and systems adopted to manage the complexity of the process of writing, testing and integrating the mission systems and the ALIS system have improved the capacity, although some problems remain and other interventions are foreseen for the mission systems and for ALIS before the end of the development phase. To continue with the results achieved in 2015, the Block 3i software was delivered for flight testing in May 2015 in support of the IOC declaration for the US Air Force due in late 2016. Writing the development code final software (Block 3F) was completed in 2015 and the software was delivered for in-flight testing. Further updates are expected during the year until the completion of the 3F expected by the end of the System Development and Demonstration Program (SDD) phase in autumn 2017, in support of the IOC declaration for the US Navy scheduled for 2018. and the start of the IOT & E (Initial Operational Test and Evaluation) operational evaluation phase. Throughout the testing phase, “provisional” software is provided to the development and operational evaluation team to allow the software to be tested as soon as possible and to give feedback to the teams. As of December 31, the program had completed 80% of the expected test points in the development and demonstration phase (SDD) and was in line with the expected completion in the fourth quarter of 2017.
The goal to be achieved at the conclusion of the F-35 development and demonstration phase is the delivery of the full operational capabilities of Block 3F for the US Armed Forces and international customers. The F-35 program will continue to coordinate closely with the JSF Operational Test Team (JOTT) and DOT & E on key test planning and priority goals to be achieved in the SDD phase. The flight test program made significant progress in 2015. For example, the program has: - Completed the third sea test of the F-35B aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp and the second sea test for the F- 35C aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, for a total of 5 sea trials since 2013. - Six months of climate response testing completed at McKinley Climatic Lab at Eglin base in Florida. During these tests the aircraft operated in a temperature range of plus 120 to minus 40 degrees, at various humidity levels and in different climatic conditions. - Completed tests with the F-3A's 35F software to verify performance and high angle of attack and continued envelope expansion for the three variants with 3F software. - Obtained certifications for in-flight refueling with the Australian KC-30A and the Italian KC-767 tanker, including night operations. - Completed ground tests with the GAU-22 25mm guns and in flight with the F-35A. - 90 weapon drops completed to date - GBU-12, GBU-31, GBU-32, AIM-120, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, Paveway IV, and first F-35 AIM-9X. Including 18 releases of AMRAAM, JDAM, and GBU-12. -17 Weapon Delivery Accuracy events completed to date (GBU-12, GBU-31, GBU-32, and AIM-120) -A today the low radar signature of the F-35 has been positively verified 146 times both with test aircraft than with operational aircraft. These results demonstrate that the F-35's base facility is healthy and the test results reinforce our confidence in the ultimate performance that is of such great value to the United States, its partners and allies.
As a reminder, we remind you that the program is still in the development stage. A stage where problems can still be identified and solutions implemented to maximize the F-35's operational capabilities. We have completed approximately 80% of the testing program and recognize that there are challenges to overcome and that may still emerge. Our commitment to facing future challenges is total. The Joint Program Office will continue to work with the production side of the F-35 to make corrections and improvements as quickly as possible. The goal to be achieved at the conclusion of the F-35 development and demonstration phase is the delivery of the full operational capabilities of Block 3F for the US Armed Forces and international customers. We thank DOT & E for the support provided and remain focused on our goal, which is to develop, deliver and support the most advanced fleet of fifth generation aircraft. "
General Chris Bogdan, F-35 Program Executive Officer
(Photo: Air Force)
