From the US Navy they are radiant for what is judged as another fundamental piece that joins the mosaic that will lead to the full operational capacity of the JSF.
The data that will be collected during the tests will be used by the navy to make the necessary modifications so as to guarantee full compatibility with the carriers by 2018 and make the naval variant of the F-35 an even more effective weapons platform.
The Pentagon is expected to purchase 2400 Joint Strike Fighters for a total cost of $ 400 billion, 70 percent more than the original projections and for a greater number of aircraft. The Joint Strike Fighter production contract was awarded to Lockheed in 2001.
To date, around 100 fighters have been delivered while development and testing continues. About 100 F-35 pilots have been trained at Englin, including British and Dutch aviators. Much of the training was performed on the simulators because the aircraft's software is not yet ready. The pilots, then, have never carried out fire training missions because the planes do not yet have the necessary software, for example, for the bombing.
In fact, we are talking about an aircraft that has yet to reach its initial operational capacity: the current F-35 is not yet ready for use in combat.
The Air Force will reach the initial operational capacity of the F-35A as soon as the first squad consisting of 12-24 aircraft will be formed, with trained aviators and crews able to carry out close air support missions, interdiction and limited suppression and destruction of enemy anti-aircraft defenses.
The F-35A will reach full initial operational capability between August and December of the 2016.
The corps of marines equipped with the F-35B, will reach the initial operational capacity as soon as the first squad consisting of 10-16 aircraft will be formed, with infantry and crews trained to perform close air support missions, interdiction, armed reconnaissance and support with land forces. The F-35B will reach full initial operational capacity between July and December of the 2015.
Us Navy, finally equipped with the F-35C, will achieve full initial operational capability as soon as the first 10 airplane squadron has been formed with personnel trained and trained military personnel and pilots. The F-35C will achieve full initial operational capability between August 2018 and February 2019.
Franco Iacch
