The F-35C, an embarked variant of the JSF, needs long-term changes that will not be implemented before the 2019. In the variant of the Navy, which should reach the Initial Operational Capacity in August of the 2018, a problem was found in the aircraft's front landing gear.
Highlighted in a previous report of the Navy dated 2014, the problem concerns the phases of take-off assisted by the aircraft carrier which confuses the pilots. The Red Team, composed of experts from the Navy, Aeronautics and civil personnel, will work alongside Lockheed Martin to find solutions to current problems in the medium and long term. Specifically, in a report discovered by Inside Defense, the Pentagon has identified several design flaws and recommends several corrections. The latter will not be resolved until 2019 with implementation scheduled in 12 / 36 months. Carriers may also be required.
In a 2015 Pentagon report based on the experiences gathered by 105 pilots who flew on the F-35Cs from the aircraft carriers, they were asked to give an assessment on the level of assisted launch on a scale from 1 to 4. 74 of 105 pilots reported having suffered moderate pain at the time of launch, giving an 3 level assessment. 18 pilots claimed to have suffered severe 4 level pain. Finally, only one pilot reported having experienced severe persistent pain after being thrown by the carrier.
"The current front landing gear, during take-off, generates oscillations that shake the pilot's head sufficiently to compromise his ability to read all flight data correctly. This represents a security problem at a critical stage".
This pain, more than a simple inconvenience, threatens the ability of pilots to read essential flight data in real time during the take-off phase. In the Pentagon report, some pilots claim to have been forced to tighten their seat belts further to avoid excessive swinging, resulting in difficulty in case of expulsion.
Last December, General Christopher Bogdan, confirming the problems with the cart, reduced the problems by stating that they only occur when the F-35C is not fully loaded.
The US Navy, equipped with the F-35C, will reach the Initial Operational Capacity as soon as the first squadron of 10 aircraft will be formed, with personnel and pilots of the navy trained and able to carry out the assigned missions. The F-35C will reach the Initial Operational Capacity between August 2018 and February 2019.
(photo: US Navy)
