A Pentagon report is warning that the U.S. Marine Corps' oldest F-35B Joint Strike Fighters could remain airworthy for just over a quarter of their expected lifespan due to 'serious structural problems'.
According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, known as 'early block F' and bought by the Marine Corps, could fly for just 2,100 flight hours, which the report says is 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours.
The plane has been hit by a huge list of issues, and is over a decade late, with final cost estimates for the US military expected to reach $1.5 trillion.
It is being tested by military forces around the globe, with the Royal Air Force already having taken delivery of its test planes, known as the Lightning.
Although the structural issues are believed to affect only a small number of planes, the Pentagon test office 2018 annual report obtained by Bloomberg also found a huge host of flaws in all versions of the fighter, ranging from cybersecurity issues to 'unacceptable' problems with the accuracy of guns fitted to the Air Force's A version of the plane.
Scroll down for video
The F35-B. According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, bought by the Marine Corps, could fly for just 2,100 flight hours, which the report says is 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours.
The finding means some jets expected to start hitting service life limit in 2026.
Bloomberg claims the report also said maintenance personnel and pilots 'must deal w pervasive problems w data integrity, completeness on a daily basis.'
Test office director Robert Behler said in the new assessment improvements 'are still not translating into improved availability'.
He also warns there is no 'improving trend in' aircraft availability to fly training or combat missions as it's remained 'flat' over the past 3 years, according to Bloomberg.
The details come a day after Defense Sec. Pat Shanahan told reporters the F-35 'has a lot of opportunity for more performance.'
Lockheed Martin, who manufactures the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, hit back at the report, claiming 'The F-35s operating today are delivering exceptional capability, lethality and connectivity around the globe.
'Items identified in the Annual DOT&E report are well understood and have been resolved in partnership with the F-35 Joint Program Office or have an agreed path forward to resolution.'
It said the 'planned modifications and fleet management' of the early contract F-35B aircraft will ensure that they meet the 8,000 hour service life requirement, and promised 'aircraft delivering today incorporate design changes in the build process to ensure they'll meet 8,000 hours or more.'
F-35 FACT SHEET
An Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet
Role: Stealth multirole fighter
First flight: December 15, 2006
Unit cost (not including engine):
F-35A - $98million
F-35B - $104million
F-35C - $116million
Number built: 115 (as of November 2014)
Length: 15.67m
Wingspan: 10.7m
Height: 4.33m
Max speed (F-35A): 1,930kph
With a current development and acquisition price tag already at $379 billion for a total of 2,443 F-35 aircraft - most destined for the US Air Force - the F-35 is the most expensive plane in history.
Once servicing and maintenance costs for the F-35 are factored in over the aircraft's lifespan through 2070, overall program costs are expected to rise to $1.5 trillion for the US alone.
The Marine Corps plans to buy a total of 353 F-35Bs, and 67 F-35Cs, which have tail hooks that allow them to land on aircraft carriers, it has previously been revealed.
The unveiling of the first F-35 fighter plane to be delivered to the Netherlands, which is partnering with the United States in the fighter program
According to The Drive, 'The appalling low durability of early F-35Bs is also something that DOT&E reports have highlighted in the past, but this is the first time there has been any concrete information on how bad the problem actually is.
It says the flaws, which have not been revealed, could be related to a 2004 project where Lockheed Martin tasked a group of engineers, known as STOVL (Short Take Off/Vertical Landing) Weight Attack Team, or SWAT, with cutting 2,700 pounds off the weight of the B model.
Proponents tout the F-35's radar-dodging stealth technology, supersonic speeds, close air support capabilities, airborne agility and a massive array of sensors giving pilots unparalleled access to information.
FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, file photo, an F-35 jet arrives at its new operational base at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. Airbus and Boeing will again hog the spotlight at the Paris Air Show with their battle for ever-larger slices of the lucrative pie in the sky. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
But the program has faced numerous delays, cost overruns and setbacks, including an engine fire in 2014 that led commanders to temporarily ground the planes.
Other problems include software bugs, technical glitches and even a faulty eject system that risked killing pilots who weighed less than 136 pounds (62 kilograms).
THE INCREDIBLE F-35 PARIS SHOW
The flight demonstration starts with an afterburner takeoff, almost immediately pointing the nose to the sky and letting the aircraft climb away essentially vertically.
This impressive move is unique to the F-22 and the F-35, the pilot says.
Next, the F35 will reverse back in front of the crowd, and perform a 'square loop' to show the aircraft's instantaneous pitch capability and high angle-of-attack (AOA) maneuverability.
It then turns around, reverses back in front of the crowd, and perform a slow-speed pass.
Afterwards, it lights up the afterburner and fly straight up into the sky once again.
It then pulls up vertically in front of the crowd to execute a 'power loop,' where the aircraft flips on its back.
Next is a spiral at 50 degrees AOA, called a 'pedal turn.'
After reversing again in front of the crowd, the last move is a maximum-G, 360-deg. turn, which highlights the maximum-rate, minimum-radius-turn capability of the aircraft.
The plane was most recently hit with worries of pilot health.
Since May 2 2018, F-35 pilots on five occasions reported symptoms of hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation.
The Air Force says the F-35's backup oxygen system worked in each instance, and the pilot was able to land the plane safely.
'It could range to anything from headaches, to nausea, to color-blindness,' he told the AP.
After roaring off the Le Bourget airport tarmac into a vertical climb with its afterburner, the F-35 wows with a series of loops and gravity defying moves, showing maneuverability so catlike it can turn corners so sharp that it seems to carve squares in the sky.
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II flies during a flight demonstration on the opening day of the 52nd Paris Air Show held at Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, 19 June 2017. The 2017 International Paris Air Show runs from 23 to 25 June
Planes were subsequently grounded at Luke, and only began flying again a few days ago, even though the cause of the fault has not been found.
A team of engineers, test pilots, medics and others experts are 'digging into this problem 24 hours a day,' to try to identify the cause, Canterbury said.
'It could be lack of oxygen. It could be too much oxygen, too much carbon dioxide.'
There have been similar incidents 'across a number of bases, but not in clusters like we saw at Luke.'
The local commander at Luke will decide when the planes can fly again, he said. Canterbury said the pilots will 'start flying as soon as they can. They are ready.'
Luke is a training base for F-35 pilots. Operational units have not had such issues, he said.
'It's still too early to tell the root cause,' he said. 'An airplane in development, such as this, will have teething problems.'
Link hienalouca.com This is interesting We are looking for an investor for a project to grow dinosaurs from chicken eggs and relict plants. Necessary amount of investments from 400 000 to 900 000 dollars. For all interested parties, e-mail angocman@gmail.com. This will be very interesting.
https://hienalouca.com/2019/02/01/us-f35-fighter-jets-will-only-fly-for-a-quarter-of-expected-life-because-of-structural-issues/
Main photo article A Pentagon report is warning that the U.S. Marine Corps’ oldest F-35B Joint Strike Fighters could remain airworthy for just over a quarter of their expected lifespan due to ‘serious structural problems’.
According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, known as &...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/18/35CE1FBB00000578-0-image-a-17_1514830699952.jpg
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий