"F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is finally cleared . " Topic

"The Air Force's F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is finally cleared to begin introductory flights at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida — four months late.
The belated "Military Flight Release" is a big step forward for the stealthy JSF, which is slated to replace almost all of the Pentagon's tactical jets over the next 30 years but has been plagued by design problems, safety concerns, delays and cost increases.
Initial flights by the first dozen planes will be "limited" and "scripted," the Air Force said. Marine and Navy versions of the new warplane could also take to the skies over Eglin before too long. The flying will slowly become more realistic as Lockheed Martin improves the jets and pilots and ground crews grow more comfortable using them.

That means six years of pilots training on a jet that isn't ready for combat. But even that is an improvement over the current situation. Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing has been borrowing old F-16s while awaiting clearance to fly its F-35s. "The most-frustrated pilot is one who isn't flying at all," Marine Col. Arthur Tomassetti told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch."

From
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Good news.

Amicalement
Armand

Not so good news,

Japan defence chief 'may cancel' F-35 deal
by Staff Writers
Tokyo (AFP) Feb 29, 2012

Japan's defence chief said Wednesday the country may cancel its $4.7 USD billion order for the US-built F-35 stealth jet if Washington fails to stick to the proposed price and deadlines.

Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka said a formal contract for the initial four units which Japan wants by March 2017, out of a total of 42 jets, was expected to be signed before this summer.

But, he told parliament: "If the situation comes to the point where (the US) cannot work out the proposal by that time, we will have concerns for Japan's defence capability.

"We would have to look at either cancelling the contract or opting for another model."

Japan in December chose Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth jet for its next-generation mainstay fighter over two other jets -- the Boeing-made F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Tokyo plumped for the jet to replace its ageing fleet of F-4 fighters, despite a series of technical setbacks and fears that the as-yet unproven F-35 might be badly delayed.

With a price tag of around $113 USD million per jet, the F-35 is the most expensive weapons programme in Pentagon history and has been plagued by cost overruns and technical delays.

Earlier this month, Japan's Defence Ministry sent a letter to the Pentagon asking it to keep the proposed price and deadlines for delivery.

Japan, which places its security alliance with the United States at the centre of its foreign policy, has long depended on US manufacturers for its military hardware.

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Well looks like the price we will pay in Australia has just gone up again then.

"With a price tag of around $113 USD USD million per jet, the F-35 is the most expensive weapons programme in Pentagon history and has been plagued by cost overruns and technical delays".

Good thing we opted for a "low-cost" model to complement the F-22, otherwise the unit cost would probably be $300 USD million a piece!

>Well looks like the price we will pay in Australia has just gone up again then.

Just scale down your requirements. If you are willing to settle on 1/600th scale I can sell you what you need for a lot less than $113.00 USD million. I will even do them painted :-)

IIRC Canada and Norway are balking at the cost too. Robert

I'm surprised this overpriced duck hasn't been killed already.

A shame we didn't purchase more F-22s.

Doesn't matter, we don't have anything to fly them from yet…

Should have canceled this thing and gone the various upgrade routes on older, but not necessarily outdated, airframe designs. Going all-new seems to confuse the aerospace industry into thinking it means "blank check." Man. Ever since the great coalesce of the aerospace industry, nothing has worked right. Neither Lockheed nor Boeing has been able to manage anything on time, on budget, on par, or as promised. They really need to get a handle on their boasting.

Not surprised by Japan's reaction. Their old proposals rejected for nefarious reasons and the general love of the F-15J means the F-35 has/had an uphill fight over there. Frankly, I think they'd rather have had a Silent Eagle. But with Boeing's continual SNAFUs and the screw-up of the South Korean Silent Eagle deal, backed off from that route.

I'm Canadian and was originally ok with the F-35 decisions, but am less of a fan as the cost has gone silly. I look at the Gripen, or the other off-the-shelf options, and go hmmmm.

On a wargaming note, I'm waiting for Raiden to finisht heir 1/600 Avro Arrow, so I can use some of them as "Arrow Mk. 4s" – won't need no stinking F-35 then!

Ditto, Ditto!

I dub the F-35, the "Coot". An ugly, ducklike flying bird.

The aircraft, from some reports, has been arsed up by having to take into account the requirements of the three US services expecting to use the plane.

Sounds like someone isn't a fan of jointness…..

I have a silly hope that the bad foreign sales will finally wake someone up to at least put a slowdown on the crazy money train, but that's just a dream.

One plane to rule them all, one plane to find them…

…one plane, because that's all we could afford.

We'll probably finish up just buying one ouirselves. But only if we can come to a timeshare agreement with the French.

The EU could buy one and share it around all members.

Its a POS heared it got waxed in Aussie wargames in the Pacific.
Just rerun another batch of F-15s we still haven't lost one of those you know.

Canada may back out of F35 purchase: minister
by Staff Writers
Ottawa (AFP) March 13, 2012

Canada's associate defense minister on Tuesday said one of the most ardent supporters of the F35 program could back out of a multi-billion purchase of the fighter jets.

"We have not as yet discounted the possibility of backing out of the program," Minister Julian Fantino, responsible for military procurement, was quoted as telling the House of Commons defense committee.

According to Canadian media, he said the government remains committed to buying the jet, but noted that no contract has been signed.

Fantino was not available to confirm the comments, which were widely interpreted as a step back from Ottawa's clarion defense of the costly F35 program.

The Joint Strike Fighter is supposed to form the backbone of the future US air fleet and 11 other allied countries have joined the program.

But defense officials have struggled to keep costs under control, with each plane's price tag doubling in real terms over the past decade.

Ottawa has budgeted Can$8.5 billion to buy 65 F35 fighter jets plus another Can$7.5 billion for lifetime maintenance.

Last month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government would not spend more than this amount for new fighter jets, leaving open the possibility of scaling back the number of jets it buys to stay within budget."

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Cancel the program and sue Lockheed and Boeing for screwing around with taxpayer dollars

Its a POS heared it got waxed in Aussie wargames in the Pacific.

That ought to be an achievement, since only prototypes are flying right now.