Textron TAPV. The images.

Textron TAPV.

You have to wait for it toward the end of the video, but you'll see the Textron entrant into the TAPV contest.

More on the F-35C's carrier suitability testing.

Consider this a preemptive strike on the F-35C carrier suitability critics.

I think Sferrin states it best....

"With the F-14 there were two JBD issues:

1. Size. The JBD is much larger due to the launch position of the 14. The smaller JBD's didn't catch the full jet blast. The JBD for the 14 was wider and taller.

2. Heat. The JBD's designed for the F-14 had a greater water flow to them (1000 gpm versus 750) and, had their own dedicated firepump to provide that water rather than just using normal firemain. The retirement of the 14 solved this problem even though the modified JBD's remain in service on ships so fitted.

This was before they got the F110s.


For the F-35:

"One shipalt still in development concerns Flight Deck Jet Blast Deflectors (JBD). The Navy expects aircraft carrier JBDs will require some level of modification to accommodate F-35C heat plume concentration on the JBD. The Navy is currently collecting data from F-35 test aircraft to characterize the heat plume and signature of the JSF F-135 engine. The concentration of F-35C jet exhaust heat and plume differs from that of an FA-18E/F in physical location on the JBD, effects more JBD area, and may have a higher total integrated heat load. The goal of current analysis is to define the heat transfer to the Flight Deck and JBD components, determine the JBD system response, and develop a solution to mitigate the heat imparted by F-35C while retaining compatibility with the FA-18E/F. The solution must also ensure the mission of the JBD to protect the Flight Deck environment. These modifications will be incorporated aboard NIMITZ-class aircraft carriers during previously-scheduled availabilities. Modifications to CVN 78 will be accomplished during construction where possible, after finalization of a JBD system solution.
Several preliminary tests measuring the heat plume characteristics have been completed, funded by the F-35 Joint Program Office. Most recently, an angle plate test was conducted and the test results are being analyzed. Upon completion of this analysis, an F-35C will conduct high-power engine tests against a modified land-based CVN JBD. The cost and schedule to modify the test JBD will be dependent on the results of the ongoing analyses."

Long story short.

The testing is designed to find out issues, concerns and solutions to any problems when deploying a NEW airplane aboard a carrier deck.

I will not be surprised or discouraged if modifications and tweaks are needed to get the plane aboard ship (heck NAVAIR is even planning for it as we speak).

I will NOT be surprised when critics come out of the wood work to trumpet any findings as the end of the world.

Haters hate. 

Its all par for the course.

Congressional Medal Of Honor Society Art Gallery.

You really should check out the artwork at the Congressional Medal Of Honor Society's website.

Aviation Week tries to play nice. Amy (Wonder Woman) saves the day...again!

I once asked on the boards over at Aviation Week's blog Ares...how come you guys never report the good news on the F-35 program?

I was told (and I'm paraphrasing here) that we don't report the routine...only the important.

Well looks like the 'editorial' stance has changed.  Wonder Woman (also known as Amy Butler) has two stories out on it today...

Check the stories out here and here.

This is tooo sweet.  I would love to be a fly on the wall for those meetings!  Lockheed Martin still should MAN UP AND CANCEL THEIR ADVERTISING....Ares declared war.  Ares drew first blood.  Time for Lockheed Martin to strike back!


UPDATE.


Sweetman's not happy.  This is a comment that he left on Wonder Woman's story about staff changes..

Nothing confirms that the program is going tickety-boo like the second big management shake-up in seven months, bringing in a new deputy with no ties to Aeronautics, Fort Worth, Navair or USAF.

Oh and if you're like me and have no idea what "tickety-boo" means then have no fear.  The definition is here...

Told ya he wasn't happy! 

Hawaii plays hardball...US Army play nice.

This story from Hawaii perfectly illustrates the issues for the military when it comes to training and the power that environmentalist are using to deny training areas.  To sum it up, Hawaii plays hardball ..and the US Army plays nice even though the state is doing its best to screw them.

The Army is shifting at least some high-altitude helicopter training from Hawaii to Colorado — at a taxpayer cost of up to $11 million — following an additional environmental review imposed by the state.

The regulatory process has already delayed training by four months, creating a tight deadline for Wheeler Army Airfield pilots preparing for a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan in January.

Now Gov. Neil Abercrombie has informed the Army it must conduct a state environmental assessment in addition to a federal environmental assessment to use six existing landing zones high on the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Read the entire article but if this doesn't highlight the issues with liberal states and military training then nothing will.

MV-22 Osprey's in Afghanistan Helmand province

AgustaWestland AW159 Lynx Wildcat

The AgustaWestland AW159 Lynx Wildcat (previously called the Future Lynx) is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx military helicopter.
The AW159 will serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue and anti-surface warfare roles. The helicopter has been ordered for the British Army and Royal Navy. It is to enter service with the Army in 2014 and with the RN in 2015.

F-35C starts carrier suitability testing

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- Flown by test pilot Lt. Cmdr. Eric "Magic" Buus, F-35C test aircraft CF-2 lands at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey June 25. CF-2 and the F-35 integrated test team from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. are at the NAVAIR facility in Lakehurst for the first jet blast deflector (JBD) testing, in preparation for carrier shipboard testing in 2013. The team is at the JBD test facility to evaluate deck heating, JBD panel cooling, and vibro-acoustic, thermal, and hot-gas ingestion environments. The F-35C is the carrier variant of the three-service Joint Strike Fighter, and has larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear to perform in the demanding carrier environment. The F-35C and F-35B are undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to eventual delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

 

 

Wow.


The F-35 is moving right along.


You know that certain parties (Sweetman...Wall...APA....fellow travelers) are banging there heads saying please make it stop!


I love it!

F-35 arrives at Lakehurst

F-35 carrier variant CF-2 flies to NAVAIR at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., June 25 for Jet Blast Deflector testing.

Russia's Army can't be in this bad a shape can it?

English Russia has a pretty damning photo expose' on the Russian Army.  If things are this bad then the Russians are a threat only to themselves.

Gates still placing foot in European ass.

via AFP.

"The Libya air war has exposed serious shortcomings among NATO allies and European governments will have to agree on joint defense budget priorities to rectify the problem, Gates told AFP in an interview.
The Pentagon chief, who is due to retire this week after more than four years in the post, reiterated views he expressed in a blunt speech in Brussels earlier this month, in which he warned the alliance faced a potentially "dismal" future.
"The truth is, as I said in Brussels, there is a lot of military capability and a lot of money being spent in Europe," Gates said on Thursday."

Of course the designer and main cheerleader for this fiasco in Libya, the President of France had this to say...Translation by Google...

THE PRESIDENT - Mr. Gates was retiring, apparently it does him no pleasure. So do not blame someone who is retiring to be a little bitter. I think his retirement did not have to closely observe what was happening in Libya, because you can say whatever you want but I do not feel in Libya most of the work done by our American friends. You were speaking of Libya at the same time is to say that our American friends have two drones, a number of tanker aircraft, we are very sensitive but it would not come to the idea of ​​a man as responsible and intelligent than President Obama to say that it is America that is the main work in Libya.
This was especially moved by Mr. Gates saying that. And more completely wrong, given what is happening in Libya. There were certainly other moments in history when he could have said it, but not when the Europeans, bravely took the case of Libya, where mainly the French, the English and their allies are the work! I will not allow me to make this statement when, after 15 days the Americans have decided to reduce their aircraft. So it's a statement that is unfair for them falls ill and does not correspond to reality.

Awesome.

Gates brings up a legitimate shortcoming in the alliance and instead of being taken seriously, is accused of being a tired, retiring old man.

This outcome is predictable.  This 'war' will drone on for a while (unless someone gets lucky and kills Khadaffi) and both sides will sue for peace.

The alliance will be exposed for the sham that it is but everyone will continue to pretend that it isn't and will continue business as usual --- building bigger and more elaborate headquarters buildings...doing dog and pony exercises that serve no real purpose....and creating staff billets for generals and admirals.

NATO is useless.  When they go against a second tier military its lights out.  NATO will be routed unless the US participates in full.