Posted on January 27, 2010 by Fighter Country
During the past decade, world fighter production totaled only around 2,500 units, but over the next 10 years, annual deliveries are set to rise. Unlike the 1970s and 1980s, when large numbers of dedicated ground-attack aircraft were produced in addition to fighters, the modern market for combat aircraft is focused almost exclusively on multirole fighters that can handle both the air superiority and attack missions. The U.S. Air Force recently proposed building a new bomber, but this program is not expected to deliver an aircraft until the 2020s.
Posted on January 27, 2010 by Fighter Country
By Dave Perry, The Explorer Published: January-27-2010 The Marana Town Council has proclaimed its support of the efforts to bring the F-35 Lightning II to the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport. Tucson is on the “short list,” with Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix and others, to become a training site for pilots on the F-35. “We’re not in competition,” said Col. Gregory N. Stroud of the Air National Guard. “We believe the F-35 and Tucson are a perfect fit.” The F-35 is the successor fighter aircraft to the F-16, and is “critical to the future defense of…
Posted on January 26, 2010 by Fighter Country
Asian countries are likely to assess the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. As a possible solution to their fighter requirements, the f-35 JSF should result in the aircraft taking the spotlight next week. But expect a lot of questions from the media for the Lockheed executives next week, especially on the F-35′s delivery time-line after the latest news about possible delays to the program. Countries like Singapore, South Korea and Japan will also wonder when they would be able to get their hands on the F-35 – and that could have an impact on Boeing and its ability to…
Posted on January 25, 2010 by Fighter Country
The Joint Strike Fighter program has got a boost with Britain recently announcing to buy its third F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft for operational testing. The combat aircraft is being developed by the US defense major Lockheed Martin in partnership with eight other countries. Britain will acquire the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft for operational test and evaluation. Its decision comes at a time when other partner countries in the project, including Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy and the US, committing to procure the aircraft under production. Britain has invested the highest amount – $2 billion – for…
Posted on January 24, 2010 by Fighter Country
The development phase of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet must be extended by at least one year to 2015 because the jet flew only about 10% of its planned test flights, according to the Pentagon’s chief weapon tester. The jet was supposed to be flight tested 168 times in fiscal 2009 but flew only 16 times, said Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon’s director of weapons testing. The F-35 program requires 5,000 flights to prove flight worthiness, including the performance of its electronics and software, according to a Bloomberg article. On January 15, Gilmore sent Congress his assessment of the…
Posted on January 23, 2010 by Fighter Country
Times and addresses have been announced for five public meetings next month on the F-35 possibly coming to Luke Air Force Base. The meetings are hosted in communities near the Glendale base and its operations. Luke is one of five bases on a short list to train pilots on the Joint Strike Fighter, the next generation of fighter jets. The meetings are for governmental agencies and residents to help identify the scope of issues to be addressed during the environmental study of Luke. The study could take up to a year to complete. Attendees at the meetings also will get…
Posted on January 22, 2010 by Fighter Country
By Stephen Trimble A newly leaked document shows the Lockheed Martin F-35 test programme dropped even further behind schedule in fiscal year 2009, but the company insists it can still complete development in the “prescribed timeframe” in 2014. The report by the director of operational test and evaluation (DOTE) concludes that Lockheed is struggling to deliver and fly Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft on time. The delays could extend the development phase until mid-2016, it says. Lockheed delivered the first 10 of 13 system development and demonstration phase aircraft on time. The flying assets, meanwhile, seldom flew after delivery. The first…
Posted on January 21, 2010 by Fighter Country
By Andrea Shalal-Esa WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn on Thursday underscored the Pentagon’s commitment to Lockheed Martin Corp’s (LMT.N) $300 billion F-35 fighter jet, saying the U.S. government and its allies still planned to buy 3,000 of the new fighters over time. “We are heavily investing in the F-35. A successful Joint Strike Fighter is at the heart of our continued air superiority,” Lynn told industry and military officials at a conference hosted by Tufts University and the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis. Draft budget documents obtained by Reuters show the department will request $10.7…
