Internationale fighter ontwikkelingen

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

USAF wants on-time F-X, not more F-22s

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-wants-on-time-f-x-not-more-f-22s-422950/

[Sparkplug]

USAF studying future attack aircraft options

By James Drew, Washington DC | 09 March 2016

The US Air Force has begun studying future close air support (CAS) aircraft to succeed the Fairchild Republic A-10 as the Pentagon evaluates the weaponry it needs for "prolonged operations" of one year or more.

The flying branch is looking at tactical air support platform alternatives for low-intensity "permissive conflict" like counterterrorism and regional stability operations, similar to the types of missions being conducted Iraq and Afghanistan today, where air superiority has been achieved and coalition aircraft can roam relatively freely in support of ground troops.

USAF officials say a portion of a "combat air force study" is dedicated to considering alternative CAS aircraft: everything from the Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine, Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, and the Textron AirLand Scorpion on the "low end" of the capability spectrum to more sophisticated clean-sheet attack aircraft or AT-X derivatives of the planned T-X next-generation trainer.

The study comes as the air force "re-phases" its retirement of the hardy A-10 "Warthog" that currently serves in the role. It has pushed back the fleet's divestiture from this fiscal year to "between 2018 and 2022" at cost imposition of $3.4 billion.

Service officials admit that despite being an ideal close air support platform in high-end conflict with Russia, the long-delayed A-10 replacement, the Lockheed Martin F-35, will be too expensive to operate in the Warthog's day-to-day role.

"[F-35] will be particularly capable in contested environments, like Russian doctrine where you would bring your air defences with you, because there will be a limited number of airplanes that can operate in that role," USAF deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements Lt Gen James Holmes tells a Senate Armed Services subcommittee panel on 8 March. "It would certainly be an expensive way to go after a permissive environment mission and we hope to not have to do that, so we will look at other options."


US Air Force

In written testimony to the AirLand Subcommittee, the four testifying air force officials explain that the study will support a decision process sometime in the next five-year defence spending plan, which covers fiscal years 2018 to 2022. "This will serve to ensure that other current platforms and future systems meet future close air support requirements," the prepared statement says.

The A-10 was introduced in 1975 and upgraded to the more capable A-10C configuration in 2007. Its backers in Congress have consistently protected it from the air force's budget axe.

Holmes told reporters after the hearing that the air force needs to figure out if it needs an entirely new attack platform or a more basic "off-the-shelf" option like the AT-6, A-29 or Scorpion before pushing forward with a new acquisition programme.


Textron AirLand

"There are some very low-end airplanes out there, like the A-29 that we're partnering with for Afghanistan and training their crews in," Holmes says. "The question is, is it enough? We know that an F-35 is too much, but is an A-29 enough for the mission set we need to do or do we need something in-between? Is there a derivative of our T-X platform that could do some range of lower-cost missions?"

Holmes cautions that the T-X Advanced Pilot Trainer programme hasn't even entered development and still many years away from delivering the 350 training aircraft required to replace the Northrop T-38. An AT-X derivative would need to wait until the original trainer requirement is satisfied, and T-X initial operational capability isn't due until 2024.

"I don't want to add requirements to that, which would make it too expensive," Holmes says, noting that the air force will likely need a new attack aircraft sooner.

"One of the hardest things to do in the [US Defense Department] budget process is to spend $1 this year to save $10 later because you can't scrape up the $1 this year to do it because of other pressing needs," he says. "You make that trade of paying more to fly an F-16 vice a lower capability airplane."

The air force has been considering new ways to use F-15s and F-16s in the CAS role through upgrades and new tactics. DARPA has been experimenting with new tablet computer-based software that makes it easier for "JTAC" targeting specialists on the ground to call in air fire with greater accuracy and less collateral damage, under a Raytheon-led project called persistent close air support (PCAS). That programme demonstrated full functionality with an A-10C in May 2015.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-studying-future-attack-aircraft-options-422936/

[Sparkplug]

US general backs fighter sales to three Gulf states

By James Drew, Washington DC | 08 March 2016

The head of US Central Command Gen Lloyd Austin has declared his support for the sale of American fighter jets to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Qatar is seeking Boeing F-15 Strike Eagles while Kuwait wants Boeing F/A-18 Strike Eagles. Bahrain, meanwhile, is keen to boost its inventory of Lockheed Martin F-16s.

However, the White House has been slow to respond, putting potential deals in jeopardy as Middle East nations warm to European fighter types like the Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon.

A perceived threat to Israel and a nuclear agreement with Iran have further complicated matters.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on 8 March, Austin said he supports fighter sales to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. He was responding to a question by committee chairman Sen John McCain, who has advocated for those pending deals to move forward.

Israel falls within the US European Command area of responsibility.

McCain expressed concerns about Russia's export of advanced military armaments to Iran, worth upward of $8 billion, he says.

"Certainly, that will enable them to have greater capabilities, our adversaries," Austin responded. "I will say, at the same time, the [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries have spent some $10 billion on military hardware during the same time period."


Lockheed is promoting its latest Falcon variant, the F-16V
Lockheed Martin

Production of all three fourth-generation fighters — the F-15, F/A-18 and F-16 — has been winding down as the US military and 10 international customers move to the Lockheed F-35.

Boeing delivered 14 F-15s and 35 F/A-18s last year. Super Hornet assembly in St Louis, Missouri has dropped to two aircraft per month, with 24 deliveries expected in 2016.

Without more orders, Lockheed faces the end of F-16 production in Fort Worth, Texas, after more than four decades of continuous assembly and 4,500 aircraft built. Current orders keep that line going into late 2017.


Boeing rolled out the first Australian EA-18G Growler in St Louis last year

James Drew/Flight International

Despite difficulty securing foreign orders with anyone but Australia, Boeing's mixed Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler line has been continued by the US Navy, which faces a strike fighter shortage because of delays bringing the F-35C into service.

Congress added funds in this fiscal year's defence appropriations act for seven more Growlers and five more Super Hornets, and the navy has already begun the contracting process for those jets.

On 25 February, the service announced its intention to award Boeing a sole-source contract for those 12 aircraft, which will constitute the 40th F/A-18 production lot. Meanwhile, the navy funds two F/A-18s in its fiscal year 2017 budget submission and 14 in 2018.

In another positive sign, Super Hornets top seagoing service's "unfunded priorities list" for 2017. The list was submitted to Congress last week. The navy is seeking another $1.5 billion to buy 14 more jets that were not funded in its base budget request for 2017.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-general-backs-fighter-sales-to-three-gulf-states-422888/

[Sparkplug]

As T-X Competition Looms, Air Force Expects Requirements To Hold Steady

Lara Seligman, Defense News | March 7, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite speculation that parameters for the Air Force's T-X trainer are still up in the air, top officials say there will be no more changes to the program requirements.

.../...

Zie onderstaande link voor het complete artikel.
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2016/03/07/t-x-competition-looms-air-force-expects-requirements-hold-steady/81428410/

[Harald]

F-35 mission software stability poses greatest risk to USAF IOC

Key Points
•A software glitch that interferes with the F-35 radar's ability to remain working in flight poses the greatest threat to meeting the USAF's IOC schedule
•Training on a new increment of ALIS and a fuel pressure modification are the other two unresolved issues

A software glitch that interferes with the ability of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter's AN/APG-81 AESA radar working in flight poses the greatest threat to delaying US Air Force (USAF) plans to declare its jets operationally deployable, a top service official told IHS Jane's on 4 March.

Major General Jeffrey Harrigian, director of the air force's F-35 integration office at the Pentagon, described the problem as "radar stability - the radar's ability to stay up and running" using the 3i software that the air force intends to use when it declares initial operational capability (IOC) for its fleet sometime between 1 August and 31 December.

"What would happen is they'd get a signal that says either a radar degrade or a radar fail -something that would force us to restart the radar," Maj Gen Harrigian said in further describing the issue.

The issue arose in late 2015, according to the general. "We first started to see it in testing," he said.

"Lockheed Martin discovered the root cause, and now they're in the process of making sure they take that solution and run it through the [software testing] lab." He added that new software that corrects the error is to be delivered to the USAF at the end of March.

To correct the software quickly, some code writers were diverted from their work on increment 3F, Maj Gen Harrigian said. However, any solution to the problem in increment 3i will be transferable to 3F coding, so both increments will benefit from the work.

http://www.janes.com/article/58561/f-35-mission-software-stability-poses-greatest-risk-to-usaf-ioc

[Harald]

USAF seeks F-35 follow-on modernisation for 2020-25

Key Points
•The USAF is preparing a follow-on modernisation plan for the F-35A fleet
•New EW/EA capabilities and a more powerful engine are possible upgrades for the 2020-25 time frame

The US Air Force (USAF) is crafting its follow-on modernisation wish list for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, with new electronic warfare capabilities and a more powerful engine potentially being added in approximately 10 years, a top service official told IHS Jane's at the Pentagon on 4 March.

"There are capabilities that we're looking at ... that we're laying into follow-on modernisation in about the 2020 time frame and through about 2025," said Major General Jeffrey Harrigian, director of the air force's F-35 integration office at the Pentagon.

http://www.janes.com/article/58594/usaf-seeks-f-35-follow-on-modernisation-for-2020-25

[Sparkplug]

Lockheed prepping Advanced EOTS and Legion Pod for flight tests

By James Drew, Orlando | 07 March 2016

Lockheed Martin is assembling a prototype of its "advanced" electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) that is proposed to replace the baseline version on the F-35 fleet.

The company will complete design and construction of the next evolution of the air-to-air and air-to-ground targeting device this year for carriage on a surrogate Sabreliner test aircraft.

Separately, Lockheed will fly the Legion infrared search-and-track (IRST) pod on a Boeing F-15C in the coming months as the US Air Force looks to fill a long-standing "capability gap" related to passive infrared detection of airborne threats.

Using the same IRST21 infrared receiver that is currently in low-rate initial production for the US Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet, the Legion pod has already been carried on an F-16, and will go up against Northrop Grumman's OpenPod IRST system in a future competition.

Regarding "Advanced EOTS", Lockheed director of business development for missiles and fire control Don Bolling says the proposed multispectral sensor will allow Lightning II operators to detect air and ground targets with greater clarity and at longer ranges, via short-wave infrared, high-definition television, infrared marker and image detector resolution enhancements.


Lockheed Martin

Lockheed recently delivered the 200th EOTS sensor, which has been outpaced technologically by Lockheed's Sniper and Northrop Grumman/Rafael's Litening targeting pod systems because of delays in fielding, and consequently improving, the F-35. The baseline EOTS hasn't been used in combat yet and is already outdated.

Lockheed's fire control business has low-rate production contracts for 367 F-35 targeting systems, and is producing them at a rate of six per month, company officials say. Current F-35 plans call for more than 3,000 EOTS sensors through 2030 and production should scale up to one EOTS per business day by 2020.

Bolling told reporters following an EOTS factory tour in Orlando, Florida on 24 February that the next iteration will be cut into the same production line, if chosen by F-35 customers. Advanced EOTS promises better performance "than any pod currently [fielded] or currently envisioned", he claims.

"By the end of the year, we'll have a prototype system completed and then hopefully, in the new year, we'll have identified a path to fly it on a surrogate platform and be able to show that high-fidelity imagery," Bolling says.

Lockheed announced the new targeting sensor in 2015 and hopes the sensor upgrade will be included on a list of new capabilities being considered by the F-35 Joint Programme Office for the Block 4 project, which starts in 2019.

Advanced EOTS uses high operating temperature mid-wave infrared or "hot mid-wave" technology that has been matured under a US government-sponsored Vital Infrared Sensor Technology Acceleration (VISTA) programme. The technology boosts sensor performance and reliability by replacing expensive "cryocoolers" – according to Lockheed.

The government might compete any EOTS improvement, but Lockheed thinks any competitor "would have a significantly difficult time and would be risked-up".


Legion Pod
Lockheed Martin

On Legion Pod, Lockheed expects the air force to announce an acquisition strategy in the coming months, pending a report to Congress on its IRST requirements that was due on 1 March.

The air force still hasn't decided if it wants extra space, weight, power and cooling for radios in the 40cm (16in) pod for communication between various fighter types or to seek a dedicated IRST sensor pod.

"When the acquisition comes out, it will probably be just an IRST system but with volume in there for other payloads, whether that's radios or other sensors," says Bolling.

IRST is seen as complementary detection option to radar for finding and targeting airborne threats, since radar emissions can be detected and countered by electronic jamming. "This is out-of-band," Bolling says of IRST. "They don't see they're being detected and tracked."

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheed-prepping-advanced-eots-and-legion-pod-for-f-422810/

[Sparkplug]

Canadian Participation in F-35 Program Remains Murky

By David Pugliese | March 5, 2016

VICTORIA, British Columbia — The Canadian government will pay the next financial installment to continue its participation as a partner in the F-35 program, prompting more confusion over whether it intends to proceed with its previously stated plan to abandon the Joint Strike Fighter and buy a cheaper alternative.

.../...

Zie onderstaande link voor het complete artikel.
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2016/03/05/canadian-participation-f-35-program-remains-murky/81202784/

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Ik denk dat de nadruk bij de 6e of 7e generatie minder op stealth of motoren maar vooral op de optie bemand/onbemand zal liggen. Daarin gaan de ontwikkelingen snel en zie ik ook China en Rusland wel meegaan daarin. Daarnaast blijft de computertechnologie snel doorgaan...wat men nu in de F22 heeft en in F35 inbouwt is inmiddels al weer verouderd. Dus ook op dat vlak is een volgende stap al wel te maken. Mogelijk zitten beide landen met hetzelfde als de VS...dat de 5e generatie al welhaast weer achterhaald is nog voor hij operationeel is. Ook in de VS gaan discussies om bijvoorbeeld de F35 anders maar geheel over te slaan..net zoals de F22 halfbakken uit de verf is gekomen.

Het is afwachten, stealth lijkt zeker terrein te verliezen al zal LO wel een permanent gegeven blijven (in welke vorm dan ook), bemand en onbemand is een zeker een issue, vooralsnog hou ik het op een mix die uiteindelijk zal doorslaan in het grootste deel onbemand.

Het overslaan van de F35 zie ik niet gebeuren, wel een aanzienlijke reductie van het beoogde aantal en de programma duur zal, na mijn verwachting, aanzienlijk koter zijn dan nu (publiekelijk) gedacht wordt.

[Elzenga]

Het zal me benieuwen hoe lang ze hier over denken te gaan doen, immers ze hebben nog wel een "kleine" achterstand in motorentechniek en elektronica in te halen.

Gezien alle US publicaties om te komen tot een volgende generatie kist kunnen de Russen (en de Chinezen) in retoriek natuurlijk niet achterblijven...

Aangezien de VS nog wel de nodige bergen en beren op de weg zal tegenkomen zal dat voor de Oosterse competitie vermoedelijk niet veel anders zijn.

Ik denk dat de nadruk bij de 6e of 7e generatie minder op stealth of motoren maar vooral op de optie bemand/onbemand zal liggen. Daarin gaan de ontwikkelingen snel en zie ik ook China en Rusland wel meegaan daarin. Daarnaast blijft de computertechnologie snel doorgaan...wat men nu in de F22 heeft en in F35 inbouwt is inmiddels al weer verouderd. Dus ook op dat vlak is een volgende stap al wel te maken. Mogelijk zitten beide landen met hetzelfde als de VS...dat de 5e generatie al welhaast weer achterhaald is nog voor hij operationeel is. Ook in de VS gaan discussies om bijvoorbeeld de F35 anders maar geheel over te slaan..net zoals de F22 halfbakken uit de verf is gekomen. 

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Russia starts developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft

Het zal me benieuwen hoe lang ze hier over denken te gaan doen, immers ze hebben nog wel een "kleine" achterstand in motorentechniek en elektronica in te halen.

Gezien alle US publicaties om te komen tot een volgende generatie kist kunnen de Russen (en de Chinezen) in retoriek natuurlijk niet achterblijven...

Aangezien de VS nog wel de nodige bergen en beren op de weg zal tegenkomen zal dat voor de Oosterse competitie vermoedelijk niet veel anders zijn.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Russia starts developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft

02.03.2016 -

See more at: http://www.pravdareport.com/russia/kremlin/02-03-2016/133709-russia_sixth_generation_aircraft-0/#sthash.0e89nVVF.EHss5A0U.dpuf

[Sparkplug]

Kuwaiti parliament approves Typhoon procurement

Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly | 01 March 2016

Kuwait has approved the procurement of Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft that was announced in September 2015, the Reuters news agency reported on 1 March.


The Kuwaiti parliament has approved the procurement of 28 Typhoon combat aircraft, the first of which are due to be delivered in 2019. (Eurofighter)

The national parliament has passed a draft law enabling the advance payment of KWD150 million (USD499 million) for the Typhoons, with the remainder of the USD8.7 billion to be paid later.

Under the deal, 22 single-seat and six twin-seat aircraft will be delivered to Kuwait from Finmeccanica's assembly line at Caselle, Italy, from 2019. These Tranche 3 aircraft will be equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and Kuwait also has the option for the MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missile and MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.

To read the full article, Client Login

(112 of 552 words)

http://www.janes.com/article/58452/kuwaiti-parliament-approves-typhoon-procurement

[Harald]

Rheinmetall Wins Order to Arm Gripen NG with Mauser Cannon

Flying Firepower: Rheinmetall to Equip Gripen Fighter Aircraft for Brazil and Sweden with Automatic Cannon
(Source: Rheinmetall; issued Mar 01, 2016)

On behalf of Swedish defence contractor Saab AB, Rheinmetall will be equipping a total of 88 Gripen NG ('Next Generation') fighter aircraft with the BK27 automatic cannon with a newly developed linkless ammunition feeding system. The order is worth a mid eight-figure euro amount.

Brazil and Sweden – one new customer and one longstanding one – will soon have at their disposal Gripen NGs armed with the globally acclaimed Mauser 27mm revolver cannon from Rheinmetall Oberndorf.

Delivery will take place during the 2017-2025 timeframe, and includes service support and spare parts. Rheinmetall also offers the accompanying ammunition for the weapon system.

Just awarded, the contract highlights once again the longstanding and successful cooperation between Rheinmetall and Saab. With the Gripen NG order, the BK27 – developed and produced at the legendary Mauser plant in Oberndorf – will be used in another state-of-the-art warplane.

The linked ammunition-feeding version of the gas-operated revolver cannon serves as the standard weapon in the multi-role Tornado, while the Eurofighter features the linkless version. Some 3,500 systems have been manufactured to date.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/171731/rheinmetall-wins-order-to-arm-gripen-ng-with-mauser-cannon.html

Mauser BK-27
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_BK-27

[Sparkplug]

[UPDATE]: Norwegian pilot counters leaked F-35 dogfight report

By Stephen Trimble, Phoenix | 01 March 2016

A Norwegian fighter pilot has published a soft rebuttal to a damaging critique leaked last summer about the Lockheed Martin F-35A's dogfighting prowess, contradicting many of the critical points made in the scathing review written by another test pilot.

Royal Norwegian Air Force Maj Morten "Dolby" Hanche, a US Navy test pilot school graduate with 2,200 flight hours in Lockheed F-16s, has flown several mock dogfights from Luke AFB in Arizona since becoming the nation's first F-35 pilot last November. These have yet to advance to performing "dissimilar" training against other aircraft types.

In a blog post on Norway's Ministry of Defence website, Hanche never directly mentions the leaked report; entitled "F-35A High Angle of Attack Operational Maneuvers", dated 14 January 2015, and exposed last June by blogger David Axe on WarIsBoring.com.

But it is clear that Hanche's review seeks to shoot down the anonymous pilot's many complaints about the F-35, which have been cited by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has vowed on the campaign trail to cancel the Joint Strike Fighter programme.


Maj Morten "Dolby" Hanche after first F-35 flight last November. Photo: Norway MoD

That year-old leaked report described in detail a single flight on 15 January 2015 in which a test pilot – a veteran of Boeing F-15 and F-16 cockpits – ridicules the F-35A as dangerously lacking power after high angle of attack manoeuvres, putting the aircraft at a "distinct disadvantage" in mock dogfights with an F-16 Block 40 loaded with two external fuel tanks.

By contrast, Hanche writes on the MoD's official blog that he is "impressed by how quickly the F-35 accelerates when I reduce the [angle of attack]", suggesting the aircraft instead rapidly regains energy after "breaking" to a near stop with its nose pointed up to 40˚ high in mid-air.

Hanche also writes that the F-35 can tilt its nose upward under control beyond the ability of the F-16. Even at these extreme angles, the pilot can still "point" the nose easily by simply tapping the rudder pedals, Hanche says, adding that he is "impressed with the stability and predictability of the airplane".

That again puts Hanche's review at odds with the leaked test report. The previous test pilot complained that the controls of his particular F-35A – the AF-2 prototype – felt, by turns, sluggish, counter-intuitive and non-responsive in twisting maneouvres with the F-16 Block 40.

In one area, Hanche and the criticaltest report share similar concerns about the F-35's cockpit visibility, but come to different conclusions about the scale of the problem.

Both pilots agreed that the head rest makes it harder to look for targets behind the aircraft. But the Norwegian pilot suggests that the other test pilot over-stated the problem after a single flight experience. By learning to tilt forward in his seat before looking behind, Hanche makes the point that he found a way to mitigate the visibility problem through trial and error after a few flights.

Hanche also makes another point that may seem surprising nearly a decade after the first F-35A prototype completed first flight. Due to several programme delays, the US Air Force is still learning how to use the F-35A in combat. Initial operational capability for the variant is scheduled later this year.

"The final 'textbook' for how to best employ the F-35 in visual combat – basic fighter maneouvres – has not been written yet," Hanche says. "It is literally being written by my neighbour down here in Arizona!"

CORRECTION: The original story is updated to reflect that the author of the critical test report was not a Lockheed Martin pilot.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/norwergian-pilot-counters-leaked-f-35-dogfight-repor-422552/

Edit. Zie voor extra info ook onderstaande link (Noors en Engelstalig):

http://nettsteder.regjeringen.no/kampfly/2016/03/01/f-35-i-naerkamp-hva-har-jeg-laert-sa-langt-the-f-35-in-a-dogfight-what-have-i-learned-so-far/