Internationale fighter ontwikkelingen

[Sparkplug]

F-15EX: Careful What You Don't Ask For

http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2019/April%202019/F-15EX-Careful-What-You-Dont-Ask-For.aspx

EDITORIAL: Fighter Math

http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2019/April%202019/EDITORIAL-Fighter-Math.aspx

[Sparkplug]

Update: BAE begins Meteor and SPEAR integration for F-35

https://www.janes.com/article/87365/update-bae-begins-meteor-and-spear-integration-for-f-35

[Harald]

Boeing in $4 billion deal for F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets

Boeing has secured a three-year contract for 78 F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets, with a total contract value of approximately $4 billion.

"Boeing will begin converting existing Block II Super Hornets to Block III early in the next decade," says a company statement. "The fighter's life also will be extended from 6,000 hours to 10,000 hours."

The company says that the multi-year contract will save a minimum of $395 million, as it allows for the scheduling of future production.

"This multiyear contract will provide significant savings for taxpayers and the U.S. Navy while providing the capacity it needs to help improve readiness," says Dan Gillian, vice president of F/A-18 and EA-18G programs.

"A multi-year contract helps the F/A-18 team seek out suppliers with a guaranteed three years of production, instead of negotiating year to year. It helps both sides with planning, and we applaud the US Navy on taking the appropriate steps needed to help solve its readiness challenges."

The Block III upgrade package includes a range of structural and sensor upgrades, but it crucially adds the ability to receive and transfer large amounts of sensor data with other Super Hornets and the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

It also adds a second-generation infrared search and track (IRST) sensor, allowing the Super Hornet to detect and track enemy aircraft without giving away its own position by using its radar. The IRST is able to detect even targets stealthy to radar at long ranges, but a single sensor on one aircraft does not provide enough clarity to provide targeting information to a guided missile.

The Block III package also adds the Rockwell Collins Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) radio and an advanced processor. Those upgrades allow two or more F/A-18E/Fs to share IRST sensor data, giving a single fighter enough information to use for a targeting solution.

The addition of conformal fuel tanks increase's the aircraft's range, and the Block III also has a reduced radar cross section (RCS).

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-in-4-billion-deal-for-fa-18ef-block-iii-s-456800/

[Umbert]

En dit is waarschijnlijk ook een van de redenen dat er in de toekomst vele malen meer onbemand spul zal komen, wel geleid door een bemand toestel (desnoods en bij voorkeur een 2 persoons) die op afstand de boel aanstuurt. En die kosten agv stijgende onderhoudskosten zijn daar ook deels op terug te voeren. Vakkundige mensen worden schaars.

[Harald]

Dan had Defense Aerospace beter Aftenposten als bron kunnen noemen. Weet niet wat de invloed van Sputnik News is, maar het wekt bij mij geen vertrouwen.

Logisch dat de Noorse media kritisch is. Of het komt uit zoals zij het verwachten of het wordt toch positiever.

Ik ben het helemaal met je eens dat Defense Aerospace hierin wat zorgvuldiger kan kunnen zijn en niet refereren/linken aan Sputnik News. 

[Sparkplug]

Ja, dat klopt, had ik ook wel gelezen, maar ... de newspaper Aftenposten had al eerder de bezorgdheid gemeld ..

Despite Norway's massive investment and ambitions of building up a formidable air force, it may end up largely grounded due to lack of experienced pilots and ballooning associated costs, the daily newspaper Aftenposten reported.

"In 2025, we will have one of the world's most modern air defences. My big concern is whether we have enough money to actually use it", Major General Tonje Skinnarland, the Chief of Norway's Air Force, told Aftenposten.

https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/G1oQ3l/Pilot--og-pengemangel-kan-fore-til-at-splitter-nye-kampfly-blir-staende-pa-bakken

Dan had Defense Aerospace beter Aftenposten als bron kunnen noemen. Weet niet wat de invloed van Sputnik News is, maar het wekt bij mij geen vertrouwen.

Logisch dat de Noorse media kritisch is. Of het komt uit zoals zij het verwachten of het wordt toch positiever.

[Harald]

De bron van het artikel over de Noorse F-35's is Sputnik News. Dat neem ik dan toch weer met een flinke hoeveelheid zout.

Ja, dat klopt, had ik ook wel gelezen, maar ... de newspaper Aftenposten had al eerder de bezorgdheid gemeld ..

Despite Norway's massive investment and ambitions of building up a formidable air force, it may end up largely grounded due to lack of experienced pilots and ballooning associated costs, the daily newspaper Aftenposten reported.

"In 2025, we will have one of the world's most modern air defences. My big concern is whether we have enough money to actually use it", Major General Tonje Skinnarland, the Chief of Norway's Air Force, told Aftenposten.

https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/G1oQ3l/Pilot--og-pengemangel-kan-fore-til-at-splitter-nye-kampfly-blir-staende-pa-bakken

[Sparkplug]

Vervolg op reactie #3369.



http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=55106&sid=9dde27e2b487621acb0387000cf99839&start=120

[Sparkplug]

De bron van het artikel over de Noorse F-35's is Sputnik News. Dat neem ik dan toch weer met een flinke hoeveelheid zout.

[Harald]

Lack of Pilots, Operating Costs May Keep Norway's F-35 Fleet Grounded

With 52 F-35 fighter jets as a replacement for its ageing F-16 fleet, Norway hopes to build one of the world's most modern air forces. However, there are fears it will be hamstrung by a dramatic lack of pilots and technicians.

Despite Norway's massive investment and ambitions of building up a formidable air force, it may end up largely grounded due to lack of experienced pilots and ballooning associated costs, the daily newspaper Aftenposten reported.

"In 2025, we will have one of the world's most modern air defences. My big concern is whether we have enough money to actually use it", Major General Tonje Skinnarland, the Chief of Norway's Air Force, told Aftenposten.

According to Skinnarland, there is a large gap between the recommended number of pilots and the actual number of trainees schooled annually. In addition to the lack of pilots, Skinnarland also highlighted the lack of aviation technicians. This is exacerbated by the fact that very many of today's pilots and technicians are approaching retirement age.

Brigadier Øyvind Strandman, who was previously responsible for education programmes in the Norwegian Air Force, shared Skinnarland's concern.

"The situation is that we acquire an expensive weapon system, but do not have the economy to be able to operate it fully due to lack of expertise", Strandman said.

Additionally, sky-high flight prices and costly education were also named as risk factors possibly resulting in the expensive aircraft being grounded indefinitely.

The operating costs for the F-35 is about NOK 110,000 ($13,000) per hour. Complete education for a pilot costs about NOK 60 million ($7 million). Combined, these factors may result in a serious financial burden even for Norway's oil-rich economy.

Norway's air defence has recently reduced the number of bases, but made huge investments in new aircraft. So far, Norway has received nine F-35 fighter aircraft with an average price tag of NOK 1.375 billion apiece (roughly $160 million), with another seven still in US for tests.

With 52 such aircraft in total, Norway will become one of Europe's foremost users of F-35, a long-running fighter jet project marred by well-documented flaws and skyrocketing costs.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/201049/norway-worries-operating-costs%2C-lack-of-pilots-may-ground-f_35-fleet.html

[Sparkplug]

USAF's Five-Year Plan Includes $7.86 Billion for 80 F-15EXs

.../...

The new aircraft will be based on the F-15QA, which Boeing built for the Qatar Emiri Air Force, though it will have USAF-specific capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System and the Suite 9.1 Operational Flight Program software. The jet will have two seats to be flown by one or two aircrew, and will be multi-role capable, according to the justification document, or J-Book.

.../...

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/March%202019/USAFs-Five-Year-Plan-Includes-786-Billion-for-80-F-15EXs.aspx

Dus dan dan heb je een hele geavanceerde versie van de F-15E Strike Eagle en die kun je met 1 vlieger operationeel inzetten 

[Sparkplug]

Budget FY2020

USAF
https://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/FM-Resources/Budget/

USN
https://www.secnav.navy.mil/fmc/fmb/Pages/Fiscal-Year-2020.aspx

-------Things found
F-15EX:
F-15EX "details" are just "airframe", no GFE, CFE, avionics, engines, etc. REC Flyway is $80mil but full Flyaway is $131 mil.

"The pre-decisional plan is for the first two aircraft ordered in FY20 to be taken from the existing production line and delivered approximately 2 years after contract award to support flight testing. The subsequent delivery of aircraft 3-8, also ordered in FY20, are expected approximately 3 to 3.5 years after contract award."

F-35A:
All F-35As will be Block 3F by the end of FY2020. There are only 13 left that needed Tech Refresh 2 (from Lots 2-5) and 60+ from Lots 6-9ish (3F cutover was mid Lot) that only need a software update by the end of FY2020.

All Concurrency updates due for completion by the end of FY2024.

F-35B:
All early Lot F-35Bs are at least Block 3i and all F-35Bs will be Block 3F by end of FY2020.

F-35C:
All F-35Cs will be Block 3F by end of FY2019

http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=55106&sid=7654a62db3456cf8389094ad5a303040&start=90

[Harald]

Lockheed F-35 Dinged as Boeing's F-15X Wins in Air Force's Plan ( 5 jaar plan.. aankoop 80 stuks F-15X en minder F-35 )

The U.S. Air Force outlined a five-year plan that showed the extent of the Pentagon's push to bring back Boeing Co.'s F-15 fighter in an upgraded version, a $7.8 billion investment that would jump from eight of the planes next year to 18 each year through 2024.

While Lockheed Martin Corp.'s newer F-35 would get $37.5 billion over the five years, the more advanced plane would still take a hit. The service now plans to buy 48 F-35s each year from fiscal 2021 through 2023 instead of the 54 previously planned.

A week after President Donald Trump presented his proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins in October, the Air Force spelled out a longer-range five-year plan on Monday that's sure to set off fierce congressional debate, including over the plan to buy 80 F-15X models and slow the trajectory of the F-35. That debate already has begun.

"As our nation's only fifth-generation stealth fighter being built today, an investment in additional production and support for the F-35 fighter fleet is critical to ensuring the U.S. maintains air superiority," five senators said in a letter last month.

The letter to Trump and Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan was signed by Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas, Lisa Murkowski or Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Marco Rubio of Florida. The F-35 is built in Texas, and some will be based in Alaska.

General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that Pentagon officials decided to buy the F-15X partly because it's "slightly less expensive for procurement than the F-35, but it's more than 50 percent cheaper to operate over time and it has twice as many hours in terms of how long it lasts."

Among other major elements of the Air Force's five-year plan sent to Congress:

- Northrop Grumman Corp.'s new B-21 stealth bomber would get $20 billion over the next five years, with funding jumping from $3 billion in 2020 to $5 billion in 2023. Of the $5 billion, $2.3 billion would be for the first year of major procurement.

- Boeing would get $19 billion through 2024 for purchase of 66 of its KC-46 tankers, fewer than the 75 previously planned through 2023. The new plan calls for 15 in 2021 but 12 each in 2022 and 2023, instead of the 15 previously planned each year.

- The service plans to spend $12.4 billion through 2024 procuring space systems.

- Research on the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared early-warning satellite would total $11.4 billion through 2024.

- Lockheed's F-22 fighter could see as much as $18 billion in spending for upgrades and support.

- Air Force spending on setting up and running the new Space Force is budgeted at $363 million through 2024, averaging about $72 million annually.

- Space investments for fiscal 2020 include $1.67 billion for space launch and ground service agreements pitting Elon Musk's SpaceX against the United Launch Alliance that's a joint venture between Lockheed and Boeing; $1.3 billion for Lockheed's GPS-III satellites and Raytheon Co.'s OCX ground control station program; and $1 billion for satellite communications programs such as the family of "Beyond-Line-of-Sight" terminals.

- The five-year plan calls for spending as much as $8.7 billion on precision-guided weapons made by Lockheed, Boeing and Raytheon. That includes $1.4 billion on the new Small Diameter Bomb-II that can attack both fixed and moving targets in bad weather, $2 billion for the GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition and $2.2 billion on the extended-range stealth Jassm missile used last year against Syrian military targets.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-18/lockheed-f-35-dinged-as-boeing-s-f-15x-wins-in-air-force-s-plan

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Air Force To Turn Navy Air Defense Busting Missile Into High-Speed Critical Strike Weapon

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27022/air-force-to-turn-navy-air-defense-busting-missile-into-high-speed-critical-strike-weapon

[Sparkplug]

BAE begins Meteor and SPEAR integration for F-35

https://www.janes.com/article/87285/bae-begins-meteor-and-spear-integration-for-f-35