Difesanews.it ha scritto:
L'F-35 vola con il software Block 1
L'esemplare BF-4 di F-35 Lightning II, versione STOVL (short takeoff/vertical landing) del JSF, ha iniziato una nuova campagna di prove in volo per testare il nuovo software Block 1 installato a bordo, l'elemento fondamentale per tutti i successivi sviluppi del programma per la gestione dell'avionica dell'aereo. Il volo di controllo funzionale è partito dalla Naval Air Station Patuxent River ed è durato un'ora e mezza, permettendo lo svolgimento di tutti i punti di prova previsti, e aprendo così la strada alla estesa verifica nei prossimi mesi di tutti i sistemi di missione.
Attualmente sugli attuali F-35 è installata la versione Block 0.5, che include il 60 per cento delle funzionalità iniziali, comprese la ricerca e l'inseguimento aria-aria a lungo raggio, la modalità SAR, identificazione IFF, navigazione e allarme radar.
Il software Block 1 permetterà il funzionamento della maggior parte dei sensori primari dell'F-35, compresi radar, suite da guerra elettronica, DAS e EOTS, costituendo la base fondamentale di tutti gli aggiornamenti software successivi. Permetterà anche una iniziale capacità di rilascio delle armi a bordo, così come abiliterà una prima "sensor fusion", ovvero l'organizzazione coerente di tutte le informazioni provenienti dai sensori di bordo, per fornire al pilota una completa consapevolezza situazionale sul campo di battaglia.
Il Block 1 è entrato nella fase di test volo dal mese di maggio a bordo della piattaforma CATBird (Cooperative Avionics Test Bed), un 737 altamente modificato che incorpora l'intero pacchetto dei sistemi di missione dell'F-35. La validazione iniziale di tutti gli aggiornamenti avverrà su questo banco di prova prima di essere introdotti a bordo del JSF.
Difesanews.it ha scritto:
Vola il primo F-35 di produzione
Il primo modello di produzione dell'F-35 Lightning II ha fatto il suo volo inaugurale della durata di un'ora presso la Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, in vista della consegna alla US Air Force questa primavera, presso la Edwards Air Force Base, in California, per sostenere prove di sviluppo sul velivolo e sui sistemi di missione.
"L'aereo è stato solido come una roccia dal decollo all'atterraggio, e ha completato con successo tutti i test programmati durante il volo", ha detto il pilota collaudatore di Lockheed Martin Bill Gigliotti. "L'Air Force sta ricevendo un grande aereo che rappresenta un enorme balzo in termini di capacità , e non vediamo l'ora di consegnarlo nelle mani dei piloti in servizio fra poche settimane".
Durante il volo, la variante a decollo e atterraggio convenzionaele (CTOL) F-35A, esemplare AF-6, ha eseguito manovre di base e test sul motore. L'aereo continuerà le prove di volo a Fort Worth per circa un mese prima di venir accettato dalla US Air Force.
L'F-35A è la versione d'esportazione principale del Lightning II. Le forze aeree di Italia, Olanda, Turchia, Canada, Australia, Danimarca, Norvegia e Israele utilizzeranno questa variante.
Le consegne dell'F-35B, versione a decollo corto/atterraggio verticale per l'US Marine Corps e Aeronautica e Marina Militare Italiana, sono iniziate quest'anno, mentre quelle della variante per portaerei convenzionali F-35C sono attese per l'inizio del 2012. Diciassette F-35 sono entrati nella fase di test dal dicembre del 2006 e hanno registrato più di 650 voli e numerosi test a terra.
Gli esemplari AF-6, AF-7 e AF-8 sono i primi dei 31 aerei ordinati nelle fasi di produzione a basso ritmo LRIP 1-3. Altri 31 F-35 Lightning II sono stati ordinati per la fase LRIP IV.
L'F-35 Lightning II è un cacciabombardiere stealth supersonico multiruolo di 5a generazione che verrà prodotto in 3 versioni ad alta comunanza di componenti: F-35A, versione a decollo e atterraggio convenzionale (CTOL – conventional takeoff and landing), F-35B, versione a decollo corto ed atterragio verticale (STOVL – short takeoff/vertical landing) e F-35C, versione per portaerei convenzionali (CV – carrier variant). L'F-35, il maggiore programma aeronautico in essere, sostituirà almeno 13 tipi di aerei, inizialmente in 11 paesi, con una stima complessiva di velivoli prodotti di 3.000 esemplari nei prossimi 40 anni.
The U.S. Navy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) known as the F-35C is at serious risk of never being able to land aboard an aircraft carrier. This also poses a risk to the U.K. aircraft carrier program which is supposed to use the F-35C at the end of the decade.
Io Annullerei tutto.. Metterei i 346 operativi eliminando gli AMX e Magari imbarcati sulla Cavour.. O addirittura acquistare dalla Russia i Su35.. Ce senti!? Ma dai! F35 un bidò volante.. Peccato..
S!
Simulatori: IL2 series, DCS series. Staff Comando, Gestione e Controllo Comando Squadra Aerea Virtuale Comando Scuole Gruppo Storico
P.S.
Notare che l'Inghilterra ha radiato tutti i suoi Harrier (guarda caso gli USA li ha acquistati) mettendo in pensione anche le loro navi.. Guarda caso stanno modificando gli EF 2000 a op. Imbarcate..
Non sarebbe male..
S!
Simulatori: IL2 series, DCS series. Staff Comando, Gestione e Controllo Comando Squadra Aerea Virtuale Comando Scuole Gruppo Storico
Flightglobal.com ha scritto:
Pentagon lowers F-35 performance bar
The US Department of Defense is lowering the performance bar for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter according to a new report by the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E).
The specifications for all three variants pertaining to transonic acceleration and sustained turn rates have been reduced. Worst hit in terms of acceleration is the US Navy's F-35C carrier-based model.
"The program announced an intention to change performance specifications for the F-35C, reducing turn performance from 5.1 to 5.0 sustained g's and increasing the time for acceleration from 0.8 Mach to 1.2 Mach by at least 43 seconds," reads the report prepared by J Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's DOT&E. "These changes were due to the results of air vehicle performance and flying qualities evaluations."
The US Air Force F-35A's time has slipped by eight seconds while the US Marine Corps short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B's time has slipped by 16 seconds. However, turn rates for both the A and B models have been impacted more severely than the USN variant. Sustained turning performance for the F-35B is being reduced from 5G to 4.5G while the F-35A sinks from 5.3G to 4.6G according to the report.
All three variants are having problems with their horizontal tails. "Horizontal tail surfaces are experiencing higher than expected temperatures during sustained high‑speed / high‑altitude flight, resulting in delamination and scorching of the surface coatings and structure," the report reads. "All variants were restricted from operations outside of a reduced envelope until the test team added instrumentation to the tailbooms to monitor temperatures on the tail surfaces."
Meanwhile, the F-35B and C variants continue to have issues with transonic roll-off and buffeting. On the F-35B, the program introduced vehicle systems software to reduce rudder and flaperon hinge moment in the transonic/supersonic region. "The program expected to see improvements in transonic wing roll-off with these changes, but results were not available at the end of November 2012," the report reads.
Transonic buffet is more severe on the F-35C compared to the other variants due to its larger wing. "The program is making plans for investigating how to reduce the impact of transonic roll-off in the F-35C with the use of wing spoilers; however, detailed test plans are not complete," the report reads.
Meanwhile, the aircraft's crucial helmet-mounted display still has problems with jittery images and is not meeting specifications for night vision acuity. Additionally, a new problem called "green glow" has been discovered where light from the cockpit avionics displays leak into the helmet-mounted display and degrade visual acuity. However, the image latency is now within tolerances. "Latency of the projected imagery from the DAS [distributed aperture system] is currently down to 133 milliseconds, below the human factors derived maximum of 150 milliseconds, but still requires additional testing to verify adequacy," the report reads.
Perhaps in worst shape is the F-35's software. According to the report, even the initial Block 1 software package is not complete, some 20% remains to be delivered and flight tested. An initial version of the more advanced, but still not combat capable, Block 2A software was delivered four months late to flight test. "In eight subsequent versions released to flight test, only a limited portion of the full, planned Block 2A capability (less than 50 percent) became available and delivered to production," the report reads. "The program made virtually no progress in the development, integration, and laboratory testing of any software beyond 2B. Block 3i software, required for delivery of Lot 6 aircraft and hosted on an upgraded processor, has lagged in integration and laboratory testing."
Meanwhile, structural durability testing continues, but the F-35B has hit a snag. "The program halted testing in December 2012 after multiple cracks were found in a bulkhead flange on the underside of the fuselage during the 7,000-hour inspection," the report reads. "Root cause analysis, correlation to previous model predictions, and corrective action planning were ongoing at the time of this report."
Lockheed could not immediately offer a substantive comment. "Our experts are going through it so it will be a while before we have detailed questions like yours answered," the company says, but adds, "From an Operational Test and Evaluation perspective, we fully expect to deliver a qualified product to OT&E as scheduled."
Flightglobal.com ha scritto:
Lockheed addresses Pentagon F-35 DOT&E report
Lockheed Martin says it is not disputing the facts laid out in the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test Evaluation (DOT&E) report on the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), but says that many of the issues raised have already been addressed.
"The challenges that are identified in the report are known items, normal discoveries," says Steve O'Bryan, Lockheed's F-35 business development director. "When you look at it from a holistic sense, when you really talk about beginning OT [operational test] in 2017, these are known discoveries, known challenges, and the kind of normal discoveries you'd see in a flight test programme of this size and complexity." Despite the problems highlighted in the report, O'Bryan says 2012 went very well for the stealthy tri-service fighter. "In my humble opinion, it was our best year on the programme," he says.
There have been a number of significant achievements over the course of the year-more than 65% of the F-35's total of 5000 flight hours have been accumulated in 2012, O'Bryan says. "If you look at flight test overall, we remain about 5% ahead of plan," he says. The F-35 has had its first weapons release and the A-model has flown to its maximum speed, altitude and angle-of-attack. Also, both the A and B model jets have completed engine air-start tests. O'Bryan adds that at this point, the F-35 is more than one-third of its way through its flight test programme. "We are on track to finish development in 2016," he insists.
On the manufacturing side, in 2012 the company delivered 30 jets-twice the number delivered in 2011, O'Bryan says. He also says that concurrency costs-which are the cost of implementing modifications to the aircraft as a result of design changes-have started to decrease. "The concurrency cost trajectory is significantly decreasing from the 2011 SAR [selected acquisition report] report in LRIPs [low rate initial production lots] 1 through 4," O'Bryan says. "We expect those to be reflected in the next SAR report."
O'Bryan addresses some of the major problems highlighted in the DOT&E report. One problem, where F-35B short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) model's durability testing was suspended due to cracking found on a bulkhead flange on the underside of the fuselage during a 7,000-hour inspection, is well on its way to being fixed. Lockheed has found and implemented a solution with a minor "single digit weight impact" and expects to resume tests shortly. "Despite what was reported in some publications, this did not affect STOVL flight testing," O'Bryan says. "STOVL flight testing continued for the whole year."
The STOVL aircraft has had virtually no weight growth for the past 30 months, O'Bryan says. In fact, he says, the weight margin on that variant has increased by better than 100lbs to more than 400lbs, up from about 300lbs. O'Bryan says that if everything works out as the company hopes, that margin should continue to increase if there is no further weight growth.
On the issue of the F-35's software, O'Bryan says that the Block 1 software that has already been delivered is performing very well. A more advanced package called Block 2A has been delivered to Edwards AFB, California, for testing. Later this year, that software block will be delivered to Eglin AFB, Florida, for training. It will allow instructor pilots at the base to use the aircraft's radar, electronic warfare suite, and infrared sensors. It will also enable pilots to simulate weapons releases, O'Bryan says.
As for the DOT&E report, O'Bryan says the company has an agreed upon plan with the F-35 Joint Program Office on developing the software packages which it is implementing. "We have given to flight test much much greater percentages than were talked about there," he says.
The DOT&E report says that Lockheed had to defer some flight test points in favor of ones further along in the jet's development. O'Bryan says that is the mark of a flexible flight test programme where more advanced flight characteristics were tested ahead of time while problems in other parts of the flight envelope were addressed. Such adjustments will, by necessity, continue in order to get as much testing done as quickly as possible. "That's a success for the programme," he says.
One such problem was aerodynamic heating on the horizontal tail surfaces of the aircraft at high altitudes and high speeds. The tail coatings were being damaged by friction with the air and heat from the jet's afterburner, O'Bryan says. Flight testing and analysis are complete on the F-35A and new coatings are already being implemented on that model, which should solve the problem. The same testing is underway on the B and C models, O'Bryan says. But those modifications will not be retrofitted to the existing training aircraft until they go into their regular maintenance cycles. "It's not a structural problem, it's a coatings problem," he says.
Lockheed has also discovered the root cause of problems with the weapons bay doors that caused the flight test programme to defer some of the test points that were originally scheduled for 2012. The company is implementing a modification now which still needs to be tested, O'Bryan says.
O'Bryan says that Lockheed is working on fixing problems with transonic roll-off on the F-35. The problem, which manifests itself in the form of uncommanded rolls, occurs at high subsonic speeds at high angles of attack-basically when the aircraft is turning at high altitudes. On the F-35A and F-35B, the company has reduced that flight characteristic to "acceptable levels" by adjusting the flight control schedule software, O'Bryan says. Lockheed is working on implementing similar fixes on the F-35C, but there is a possibility that wing spoilers that were built into that model as a contingency might be needed. "There has been no indication that we need the spoilers yet, but if we do, they are there," he says.
For 2013, O'Bryan says the company's goals are to deliver more than 30 aircraft, complete a flight test plan of 1153 flights and 7689 test points, releasing Block 2B to flight test, and releasing Block 2A to the training fleet at Eglin AFB. Lockheed also hopes to complete the first lifetime of durability testing on the F-35B and C, and the company hopes to start delivering guided weapons from the aircraft. There will also be a second round of sea trials for the F-35B on the USS Wasp and operational testers at Nellis AFB, Nevada, should start to receive their first jets. Additionally, the Italian final assembly line should start delivering jets this year, O'Bryan says.
Additionally, the Italian final assembly line should start delivering jets this year, O'Bryan says.
Non ce la scampiamo quindi, con il rischio di beccarci dei velivoli avanzatissimi ma con diversi problemi di gioventù (credo di più al report che alle smentite della LM )
A-10C MM 11-040 "The A-10C adds the infamy to the scorn, it kills you with a loud fart noise"
Jay ha scritto:
Non ce la scampiamo quindi, con il rischio di beccarci dei velivoli avanzatissimi ma con diversi problemi di gioventù (credo di più al report che alle smentite della LM )
I cosiddetti problemi di gioventù sono fisiologici per macchine così complesse: non a caso i test (e conseguente report) sono fatti proprio per evidenziare tali lacune.
Additionally, the Italian final assembly line should start delivering jets this year...
Si parla della linea di assemblaggio italiana che dovrebbe partire quest'anno: in tutti i casi la produzione in serie sarà distribuita nell'arco di 10 e/o più anni.
Flightglobal.com ha scritto:
F-35B grounded after fueldraulic line failure
The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has temporarily grounded the Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the tri-service stealth fighter after the failure of a fueldraulic line in the aircraft's propulsion system. The fueldraulic line powers the actuator for the F-35B's STOVL exhaust vectoring system.
F-35B flight operations have been suspended at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, Eglin AFB, Florida, MCAS Yuma, Arizona, and at Lockheed Martin's production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Flight operations for the US Air Force's F-35A and the US Navy's F-35C model aircraft are unaffected.
"The F-35 Joint Program Office issued a precautionary suspension of flight operations today for development and test F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variants," the JPO says. "These actions were taken as a result of an incident involving an F-35B at Eglin AFB. The precautionary flight suspension preserves safety while providing time for the program to understand the origin of a failure of a propulsion fueldraulic line."
According to the JPO, the incident occurred on 16 January at about 10 am central time. "While initiating a conventional mode takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced a propulsion system fueldraulic failure prior to takeoff," the JPO says. "Following standard operating procedures, the pilot aborted takeoff without incident and cleared the active runway. There were no injuries to the pilot or ground crew. The jet was then safely towed to a maintenance hangar and secured."
Engineering teams are reviewing data from the incident in order to determine the root cause of the failure, the JPO says. Once Lockheed and the JPO understand what caused the problem, the JPO will make a decision on when it will lift the grounding and restart F-35B flight operations. "Determining the root cause and potential mitigating actions have the highest priority of the F-35B team," the JPO says. "Impact to SDD [system development and demonstration] execution and flight training operations is being assessed," the JPO says.
Static ground operations of F-35B STOVL aircraft will continue, the JPO says.
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(credo di più al report che alle smentite della LM 