F35B Airwing

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Pelican
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Re: F35B Airwing

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The US Air Force is getting new tech that will make it easier for pilots to pee in flight

The US Air Force is getting new in-flight bladder-relief technology for its pilots.
Problems with the previous system led pilots, especially female pilots, to dehydrate themselves to avoid using it.
The new Skydrate system is one of several systems that the Air Force has been working on.

See - https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air- ... &r=US&IR=T
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Navy Lookout

MoD says the wreckage of the F-35 that crashed on take off from HMS QNLZ on 17th November has been successfully recovered from the seabed by a UK/US/Italian salvage effort.
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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F-35 fleet attrition rate estimate revealed


The estimate for the attrition rate of the British F-35 fleet is ‘on average 1 aircraft lost for every 30,000 flight hours’.

The information came to light in a response to Mark Francois MP who asked:

“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the future attrition rates of F-35 aircraft.”

Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, responded:

“A certain attrition of aircraft is built into the procurement profile. The fleet size assumes a risk of on average 1 aircraft loss every 30,000 hours.”

What is ‘attrition rate’?

See - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/f-35-fl ... gLIlDonGjg



Sailor arrested after F-35 aircraft carrier crash video leak


EXCLUSIVE – A credible source, wishing to remain unnamed, has confirmed that an arrest has been made in connection with the leaked footage of an F-35 crashing on take off from HMS Queen Elizabeth.

A male member of crew has been arrested and has now been flown back to the UK.

“I have had it confirmed that the arrested male is a member of HMS Queen Elizabeth ships company.”

I have contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment and will update this article if/when I get it.

Earlier in the month, footage emerged showing an F-35 jet crashing into the sea on takeoff from aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The video was, of course, recorded surreptitiously and disseminated outwith the ship without permission.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/sailor- ... Xt2yRoa8ok
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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"The UK F35B Lightning from 617 Sqn that was lost from R08 HMS Queen Elizabeth during November 2021 as a result of apparent power loss during a ramp take off in the mid Mediterranean:

The recovered airframe will now be returned to the UK as part of the full Air Accident Board of Inquiry (ABoI) initiated by the UK MoD's Defence Aviation Accident Investigation Board - part of the Military Aviation Authority. (MAA) within the UK Defence Safety Authority.
While we may get a public information release on the early accident assessment, it is more likely further public information will not be made available until the ABoI reports in full and a redacted unclassified summary is published online on the MoD's summary of military air accidents in due course. Such reports, given their rigour, detailed analysis and complexity can take up to one to two years to be completed and approved for publication, unless all information is readily available and the clear cause or causes for the accident are fully apparent."
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Britain planning to order second tranche of F-35 jets


The UK is currently undertaking “detailed analysis to evaluate the scale and timeline” for a purchase of a second tranche of F-35B Lightning aircraft.

Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, stated:
“The 2021 Integrated Review confirmed our ambition to continue the growth of the UK Lightning Force beyond 48 aircraft. We are currently undertaking period of detailed analysis to evaluate scale and timeline for procurement of our second tranche of F35B Lightning aircraft together with associated infrastructure and support requirements.”

The United Kingdom recently made it “absolutely clear” that it will be purchasing more than 48 F-35 jets (now 47), according to a senior defence minister.

At a recent session of the Defence Committee. focussing on the Royal Navy, it was stated by Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, that:

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain ... qgL-um0twU
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BAE awarded $493m to upgrade F-35 electronic warfare capability


BAE Systems has been awarded a $493m contract by Lockheed Martin to “significantly upgrade and modernise the electronic warfare system for the F-35”, enabling the fighter to “quickly detect and address evolving electromagnetic threats”.

Under the contract, BAE Systems say that it will deliver enhanced core hardware for the F-35s EW mission system, known as AN/ASQ-239, and will provide engineering support services and test infrastructure.

“The upgraded system will improve superior situational awareness and electromagnetic attack and countermeasure capabilities with new sensors and more powerful signal processing.”

Lisa Aucoin, vice president of F-35 Solutions at BAE Systems, was quoted as saying:
“The capabilities we will deliver in this contract are foundational and will be leveraged to other platforms to ensure all warfighters have the most advanced EW capability at the ready. The highly adaptable mission system will allow our warfighters to outpace evolving threats and defend democracy around the globe.”

According to a statement from BAE Systems:
“The enhanced electronic warfare system’s robust design will enable rapid future upgrades, aligning with the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategy for continuous capability development. The system’s modular architecture will also allow for efficient hardware upgrades that reduce lifecycle and retrofit costs, and support faster software updates across the global F-35 fleet.

The system also includes the Non-Intrusive Electronic Warfare Test Solution (NIEWTS) fault isolation and diagnostics capability, which enables precise troubleshooting that further reduces maintenance costs.”

Source UKDJ
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SD Victoria returns to Portsmouth today from operations in the Mediterranean.

Likley involved in the successful salvage of the F-35 jet lost from HMS QNLZ on 17th November.

Short video at - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 7069338636
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First F-35B undergoes airframe strengthening using lasers


The U.S. Fleet Readiness Center East marked a milestone when it successfully completed verification of the laser shock peening process and returned the first F-35B aircraft to undergo the procedure to the operational U.S. Marine Corps fleet.
Laser shock peening strengthens the aircraft’s frame without adding any additional material or weight, which would reduce its capability by limiting its fuel or weapons carrying capacity.

“The procedure helps extend the life expectancy of the fifth-generation F-35B fighter, which is the short takeoff-vertical landing (STOVL) variant flown by the U.S. Marine Corps. Verification of the process provides quality control by confirming it meets system-level requirements through a combination of inspection, analysis, demonstration and testing.”

FRCE Commanding Officer Col. Thomas A. Atkinson was quoted as saying:
“The laser shock peening modification is essential to extending the life of the F-35B STOVL variant, and the ability to complete this procedure successfully allows FRC East to support this critical workload. Standing up this strategic capability positions FRC East as a readiness multiplier for the future of Marine Corps aviation, and I’m proud of the hard work and dedication shown by the team in achieving verification of the process and returning the first laser shock peened F-35 aircraft to the fleet.”

FRCE completed construction on a $6 million, purpose-built laser shock peening facility in August 2019, and inducted the first F-35 to undergo the procedure in June 2020.

“The big picture here is that we set up a capability that has never been stood up before. We made STOVL history by completing verification of the laser shock peening procedure on the first Marine Corps aircraft inducted for the modification and returned to the fleet,” said Jeanie Holder, the F-35 Joint Program Office induction manager at FRCE.

“As our local enterprise, we accomplished a lot to get the building stood up, get the equipment set up, and then roll the first aircraft into something that has never been done before.”

You can read more on the NAVAIR website at - https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/FRCE-c ... 02021-1018
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750 F-35s in Service as 2022 Begins, Lockheed Martin Says


Lockheed Martin completed another successful year as the F-35 program continued to expand its global footprint and enhance operational capabilities, the company said Jan. 3.

In 2021, two new countries, Switzerland and Finland, selected the F-35 for their new fighter programs. Additionally, Denmark received its first F-35 and the Royal Netherlands Air Force became the eighth nation to declare their F-35 fleet ready for initial operational capability. The F-35’s operational capabilities continued to advance and further demonstrated its value as the most advanced node in the 21st century battlespace. Last year alone, the F-35 successfully participated in a series of flight tests and exercises, including Project Hydra, Northern Edge, Orange Flag, Talisman Sabre and Flight Test-6.

“The F-35 joint enterprise team continues to provide unmatched combat capability to the 21st century battlespace through the F-35,” said Bridget Lauderdale, vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. “Providing unparalleled support to the growing fleet, participating in numerous joint, all-domain exercises and meeting our delivery target during a global pandemic is no small feat while the F-35 was also chosen by Switzerland and Finland as their next fighter.”

The F-35’s operational performance remains strong. Some of the F-35A deployments and exercises demonstrated over 80% mission capable rates. As one of the most reliable aircraft in the U.S. fighter fleet, 93% of F-35 parts are performing better than predicted.

In the last year, F-35s were part of four base and ship activations and participated in more than 60 deployments and detachments, including the first U.S. Navy F-35C deployment aboard the USS Carl Vinson. During the first deployment of the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group 2021, F-35Bs from the U.S. Marine Corps and Royal Air Force flew nearly 1,300 sorties, more than 2,200 hours and conducted 44 combat missions.

These program achievements are enabled by employing digital technologies, which were vital to achieving 142 deliveries in 2021. Smart tools, connected machines and augmented realities all contribute to the delivery and sustainment of aircraft.

“Lockheed Martin is investing in digital technology that advances the F-35’s 5th Gen capabilities long after delivery,” Lauderdale added. “We’re embracing digital transformation to enable faster development and continuous deployment of software, using digital models and supercomputers to augment physical test data with simulation-based verification, and automating data processes to save time and glean insights that improve sustainment.”

With more than 750 aircraft operating from 30 bases and ships around the globe, the F-35 plays a critical role in the integrated deterrence of the U.S. and its allies. More than 1,585 pilots and 11,545 maintainers are trained and the F-35 fleet has flown nearly 470,000 cumulative flight hours. Nine nations have F-35s operating from a base on their home soil, 12 services have declared initial operational capability and six services have employed F-35s in combat.

Source - SeaPower.
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HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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