Few, however, realize that the most expensive weapon system in the history of the Pentagon, is undergoing the same scrupulous checks that all military aircraft that today plow the skies have received in the past. Are there really people out there who believe that three presidents, our army and eight allies have paid a hundred billion dollars for a system that doesn't work?
Forbes, the authoritative US magazine of economics and finance, defends the JSF program with all its might against those who, sometimes even without a minimum of knowledge, shoot at zero against the F-35 for what has been called a 'fashion'.
After years of delays and multiple changes, the F-35 program is quickly becoming a success story. All the essential parameters for each of the three versions have been successfully demonstrated in the tests.
They continue from Forbes. All variants completed two-thirds of the scheduled flight tests. All key parameters have been successfully achieved. The thirteen thousand operational outcomes have demonstrated the stealth of the cell, hardly detectable by radar. This allows for unparalleled situational awareness among pilots.
The F-35 is probably the most complicated military project in history, with a series of innovations that have never been integrated into a combat aircraft. However, the developers have successfully solved every problem that arose with the new technology.
From Forbes they recall the redesigned 'Tailhook' (the first one didn't work properly) and the reinforced bulkhead for the B version of the F-35.
The Marines will declare the Initial Operating Capacity by the summer. The F-35B will replace the Marine Harriers, while the Air Force variant will become operational within the next year. Finally, the Navy will declare the Initial Operating Capacity in the 2018. This is not just a development program: the F-35 is now an operational force.
Excited comments from the American magazine for sea trials supported. Sea trials of the Navy version were the most successful ever. According to Navy officials, the aircraft demonstrated exceptional performance in all its initial sea trials. The new 'Tailhook', essential for slowing down aircraft on an aircraft carrier, has had a percentage of 100%, with 124 stopping on 124 appontaggi.
145 F-35 have been built and delivered. After the first seven batches, the main processes have been refined for large-scale serial production. To date, 88 is the F-35 currently under construction at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, while 110 is the aircraft produced worldwide. There was a reduction of 68% in the man-hours required to assemble each aircraft (from the first lot) and a decrease of 82% in repairs. The cost of an F-35 continues to fall. The most common variant, C, within the decade will cost the same as a last generation fighter. Finally, the Joint Program Office has estimated that the amounts necessary to support the 55 years of operational life of the F-35 are steadily decreasing, with savings of 58 billion dollars compared to what was initially expected.
The Pentagon, despite the announced revision of the future JSF screening, continues to support the 2547 F-35. Foreign partners, Australia, Great Britain and Italy in the first place, have contributed with 5 billions of dollars for the development of the platform. A collaboration that has reduced the outlay of US tax payers of 36 billions of dollars.
To date 200 are the pilots enabled with the F-35, while two thousand are the specialized technicians trained. Nine bases in the world operate with the 145 F-35 products. The program has exceeded the 35 thousand flight hours.
Franco Iacch
(photo: Lockheed Martin)
