Instroom F-35/JSF bij de NL-KLu

Gestart door Ros, 08/04/2015 | 22:15 uur

Harald

https://www.hln.be/kapellen/na-de-f-16-scoort-nederland-nu-met-f-35-onderhoud-vs-ziet-hangar-woensdrecht-als-gouden-standaard~ad7cd4d3/

Na de F-16 scoort Nederland nu met F-35-onderhoud: 'VS ziet hangar Woensdrecht als gouden standaard'


Nederlandse F-35's hoeven geen retourtje Italië meer te vliegen voor groot onderhoud. Sinds kort kan dat op Vliegbasis Woensdrecht in de hangar waar drie decennia lang F-16's hun 'apk' kregen. 'We lopen voorop binnen Europa.'

Sparkplug

#3997
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

Citaat van: Benji87 op 09/02/2024 | 16:51 uurGaan ze die coating dan nu ook zelf doen?  deed scheen volgens die F16 spuit ploeg nogal een dingetje te zijn op de F35

Blijkbaar wel en dat is zoals beschreven gunstig. Noorwegen moet voor groot onderhoud e.d. nog steeds terug naar Cameri.
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Benji87

Gaan ze die coating dan nu ook zelf doen?  deed scheen volgens die F16 spuit ploeg nogal een dingetje te zijn op de F35

Sparkplug

Nederland gaat F-35 gevechtsvliegtuigen zelfstandig onderhouden in nieuw depot

Nieuwsbericht | 08-02-2024 | 15:00

Nederland gaat als één van de eerste Europese landen zelfstandig groot onderhoud uitvoeren aan F-35 gevechtsvliegtuigen. Dat gebeurt in het F-35 National Air Vehicle Depot. Deze vernieuwde onderhoudshangar is vandaag officieel geopend op Vliegbasis Woensdrecht.



Het onderhoud in eigen land heeft grote voordelen. Tot nu toe moesten F-35's hiervoor naar een regionaal depotonderhoudscentrum in Italië vliegen. Dat is nu niet in alle gevallen meer nodig. De luchtmacht bespaart daarmee geld en tijd.

Verder blijft specifieke kennis over de F-35 nu behouden voor Nederland. Een deel van de vliegtuigonderhoudsmonteurs van het Logistiek Centrum Woensdrecht is hiervoor inmiddels omgeschoold van F-16-deskundige naar F-35-specialist.

Verbouwde hangar

De afgelopen jaren is hard gewerkt aan het F-35 National Air Vehicle Depot. De hangar werd eerder gebruikt voor werkzaamheden aan de F-16. Na een grondige verbouwing voldoet de ruimte aan alle standaarden voor onderhoud, modificaties en reparaties aan de F-35.

De opening van het depot is bijzonder. Tot nu toe voerde in Europa alleen de Britse luchtmacht onderhoud aan de F-35 zelfstandig uit.

https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2024/02/08/nederland-gaat-f-35-gevechtsvliegtuigen-zelfstandig-onderhouden-in-nieuw-depot
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Huzaar1

Gezien de taak van CLSK is anti schip capaciteit voorwaardelijk denk ik.
"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion" US secmindef - Jed Babbin"

Sparkplug

Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 22/01/2024 | 00:18 uurDat zit er wel in hoor.

Top. Dan is het maar net waar de voorkeur aan wordt gegeven.

JSM:
+ kan intern en extern worden gedragen
- kleine warhead

LRASM
+ grote warhead
- kan alleen extern worden gedragen
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Huzaar1

Citaat van: Sparkplug op 21/01/2024 | 22:24 uurHet is tot nu toe onbekend of er wel een maritime strike taak met anti-ship missiles voor de F-35A squadrons komt.

Men mag al biij wezen dat de AGM-88G AARGM-ER en de AGM-158B JASSM-ER komen. Meer type missiles zijn natuurlijk welkom.

Dat zit er wel in hoor.
"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion" US secmindef - Jed Babbin"

Sparkplug

Citaat van: Parera op 21/01/2024 | 20:38 uurZijn er bij de KLU plannen voor de verwerving van de JSM? Aangezien dit toch een wapen is uit de familie van de NSM die door de KM gekocht word als vervanger van de Harpoon is er hier mogelijkheid tot het samen onderhouden van de wapens. Een alternatief voor de KLU is natuurlijk de LRASM, dat weer familie is van de recent gekochte JASSM-ER's.

Het is tot nu toe onbekend of er wel een maritime strike taak met anti-ship missiles voor de F-35A squadrons komt.

Men mag al biij wezen dat de AGM-88G AARGM-ER en de AGM-158B JASSM-ER komen. Meer type missiles zijn natuurlijk welkom.
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Parera

#3989
De USAF is begin dit jaar gestart met de integratie van de Joint Strike Missile in de F-35, hiervoor koopt men in 2024 48 JSM's. De F-35A kan in haar weaponsbay 2 JSM's dragen waardoor het de beschikking krijgt over lange afstands kruisraketten tegen zee en land doelen. In totaal wil men tegen 2028 268 JSM's in de voorraad hebben voor de USAF. Met een huidige prijs van 3,1 miljard USD per raket zijn het geen goedkope wapens.

Zijn er bij de KLU plannen voor de verwerving van de JSM? Aangezien dit toch een wapen is uit de familie van de NSM die door de KM gekocht word als vervanger van de Harpoon is er hier mogelijkheid tot het samen onderhouden van de wapens. Een alternatief voor de KLU is natuurlijk de LRASM, dat weer familie is van de recent gekochte JASSM-ER's.


Sparkplug

Contracts For Jan. 12, 2024

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a modification (P00004) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, not-to-exceed $97,357,812 undefinitized contract (N0001923C0009). This modification exercises options to provide for the early development of AGM-88G High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile integration on the F-35A/B/C aircraft, to include procuring associated incidental hardware for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Additionally, this modification provides for Lot 17 U.S. Reprograming Lab development; Lot 17 Australia, Canada, and United Kingdom Reprogramming Lab development; Lot 17 Norway and Italy Reprogramming Lab development; and Lot 17 mission data files updates for the governments of Denmark, the Netherlands and FMS customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60%); Nashua, New Hampshire (16%); Baltimore, Maryland (9%); Orlando, Florida (5.5%); Torrance, California (2%); San Diego, California (2%); El Segundo, California (2%); Northridge, California (1%); Clearwater, Florida (1%); Buffalo, New York (1%); and Tucson, Arizona (0.5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2026. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,336,306; fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $836,307; FMS customer funds in the amount of $772,892; and non-DOD participants funds in the amount of $11,822,289, will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

.../...

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3644849/
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

First 312 Squadron Lightning II

PUBLISHED: 12 JANUARY 2024   LAST UPDATED: 13 JANUARY 2024


Credit photo: Patrick Dirksen

On 11 January 2024, Leonardo Aircraft Divison at the Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) Cameri delivered the first F-35A Lightning II for 312 Squadron Audax Cum Consilio of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force).

The F-35A, serial F-039 (c/n AN-39), made a fly-by at its future air base Volkel and landed it Leeuwarden air base for the acceptance inspection procedure.

It has not been reported yet when the aircraft will be delivered to 312sq. Hopefully it will be painted in full unit markings by then. This delivery marks the phase-out of the F-16AM Fighting Falcon with 312sq. These agile fighters will remain active untill October this year.

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/first-312-squadron-lightning-ii
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Harald

First Picture Of B61-12 Nuclear Bomb Trainer On An F-16 In Europe Surfaces ( NL F-16 op Volkel)

The B61-12 nuclear bombs are set to replace all existing B61s in shared NATO stockpiles.



A picture has emerged showing an F-16 Viper fighter that appears to be sitting at Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands with an inert training version, or "shape," of the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb under its wing. This offers a rare glimpse into the ongoing work to field America's latest nuclear bomb in Europe as part of NATO's nuclear sharing agreements.

The image of the F-16 with the B61-12 shape under its wing was included in a video montage that the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories put out in 2022 highlighting achievements from the previous year. Hans Kristensen, the Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) think tank in Washington, D.C., spotted the picture, seen at the top of this story, and shared his thoughts about it in a blog post earlier today.

Kristensen assessed that the image was taken at Volkel based on the distinctive design of the hardened aircraft shelter seen to the left of the F-16 in the image from the Sandia video.

"Eleven of the [32] shelters at the Volkel [air base] are equipped with an underground vault that can hold up to four B61 bombs. But normally they only hold 1-2 bombs each for an estimated 10-15 bombs at the base," according to FAS.

Volkel is one of several bases in Europe where the U.S. military keeps B61s, which could be released to select NATO members for use on their aircraft as part of the alliance's nuclear weapon sharing agreements.

The B61-12 also has a distinctly different tail section from earlier B61 variants, which is clearly visible in the picture. The B61-12 has a distinct rear end because it is the first version of this nuclear bomb to feature a precision-guided tail kit. The B61-12 is an amalgam of components from a number of earlier B61 types combined with the new tail and other improvements. You can read more about the B61-12, which will replace multiple existing versions, and its predecessors in this past War Zone feature. The Pentagon is also now looking to start development of another B61 variant, the B61-13, as you can read more about here.

Whether the F-16 in the picture belongs to the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) or not is unclear. The RNLAF is now in the process of transitioning to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and is expecting to retire the last of its Vipers in the coming year. In November, the head of the Dutch Air Combat Command announced that the country's F-35A fleet had received an "initial certification for the deterrence mission."

As FAS' Kristensen notes in his blog post today, if this image was indeed taken in 2021, this would have been before the first production examples of the B61-12 were delivered and before they formally entered the U.S. stockpile. It is not surprising that preparations to deploy these weapons in Europe have already been going on for years now and other evidence of this has previously emerged. The War Zone previously obtained a U.S. military report via the Freedom of Information Act that was published in April 2019 and included a picture, seen earlier in this story, showing a fit check of B61-12 shapes in a secure vault at an undisclosed location.

Whether any operational B61-12s are in Europe now is unclear. In October 2022, Politico reported that the plan was for the first examples to arrive on the continent this month.

Based on official information released to date, only U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are currently approved to employ the B61-12 operationally. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, as well as the service's future B-21 Raider stealth bombers, are also set to become operational delivery platforms for these nuclear bombs.

In addition, B61-12 is expected to be integrated onto select NATO F-16s, as well as U.S. Air Force Vipers. Some Belgian Vipers, in addition to the ones in Dutch service, are currently cleared to employ older B61 variants under NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements. Some of the Panavia Tornado swing-wing combat jets in service in Germany and Italy are also capable of serving as nuclear weapon delivery platforms.

It is worth noting that U.S. and NATO F-16s, as well as NATO Tornados, will not be able to use the guidance functionality found on the B61-12. This issue may be increasingly moot. All of the current known NATO members that are party to the nuclear sharing agreements have or are in the process of acquiring F-35s to supplant their F-16s and/or Tornadoes.

As already noted, the RNALF is moving toward being able to employ U.S. B61s on its F-35As. Germany's decision to purchase Joint Strike Fighters was also explicitly driven in large part by requirements related to the nuclear mission.

Overall, NATO members that participate in the alliance's nuclear weapon sharing arrangements have historically been very guarded about that fact. There has been a noticeable shift in attitude since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has become even more pronounced since the Russian military forward-deployed nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus earlier this year.

Polish authorities have been particularly open about their interest in at least hosting U.S. nuclear weapons in the future. Poland shares a border with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad enclave, the latter of which at least has facilities to support the deployment of nuclear weapons, if they aren't actually in place there now.

The picture of the F-16 with the B61-12 shape under its wing, likely taken at Volkel Air Base, only further underscores that NATO very much remains a nuclear alliance and that its members are actively working toward being able to employ new capabilities in this regard.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/first-picture-of-b61-12-nuclear-bomb-trainer-on-f-16-in-europe

Sparkplug

#3984
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.