Ski wrote:
The JSF (F-35) is clearly a nice aircraft but can any of you tell me what the JSF offers that is not available now in the aircratf it intends to replace. When considering the present wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan, where we seem to need more Close Air Support (CAS) kind of machines that can both strafe and engage an enemy with small blast weapons (gun, rockets, Hellfire, etc) and the occassional PGM Bomb, what does the JSF offer over just producing more F-15 / F-16 / F-18 aircraft and if anything finding a follow-on for something more like an A-10 then a high performance fighter. I suspect the F-35 may have arrived on scene a decade or two sooner then desired.

Better technology at a lower(hopefully) price? F-15/16/18 tewcnology is
old, like it or not. A single seat, very manuverable, F/A-35, with
great avionics will be able to do better CAS than the Warthog.





"Mike" wrote in message ps.com...
F-35 Test Flight Deemed a Success

By ANGELA K. BROWN
The Associated Press
Saturday, December 16, 2006; 12:03 AM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The new stealth fighter jet that will replace an
aging fleet of military planes experienced a largely successful first
flight Friday, with only a minor glitch, Lockheed Martin Corp.
officials said. Jon S. Beesley, chief test pilot for the Joint Strike
Fighter, also known as the F-35, said the plane handled "marvelously,"
performed flawlessly and flew better than the simulator. He flew to
15,000 feet, escorted by three jets that provided safety and took
pictures. "It was a great adventure," he said. "Today really started
the opening for me for the rest of this greatest fighter program in
history where we're going to go forward and develop this great weapons
system that will protect everybody, and that's what it's all about."
Officials initially said the test flight would last an hour; Beesley
flew for 35 minutes. One of two air data sensors was not operating
properly, he said. Although it did not pose a danger, the procedure
called for ending the flight at that time, preventing completion of the
remaining few tests, including raising the landing gear, officials
said. "Certainly to fly this first flight with the duration of almost
40 minutes and to only have this single warning appear in the pilot's
display related to this sensor is remarkable, and we're really pleased
with the quality of this first jet," said Dan Crowley, executive vice
president and general manager of the Joint Strike Fighter program.
Runway tests that began last week were completed this week. Officials
had been waiting for good weather for the maiden flight, which almost
didn't happen Friday because of fog and wind. Security was tight Friday
at Lockheed's Fort Worth facility, where the flight took place. But
hundreds of cars parked on the side of the road outside the plant near
the runway, many people holding video cameras in hopes of catching a
glimpse of the supersonic jet, as word spread of the test flight. Many
cheered as the plane took off. Lockheed employees gathered near the
runway also applauded, and some were moved to tears as the gray jet
took off, said some officials, who reported receiving phone calls from
other countries as soon as news spread of the flight. "I would call
this the flight that was heard round the world," said Tom Burbage,
executive vice president for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. and
general manager for the Joint Strike Fighter program integration.
Beesley, who was greeted with roaring cheers as he stepped out of the
cockpit after landing, later said the plane will continue test flights
next week. Brig. Gen. Charles R. Davis, the program executive officer
for the F-35 Lightning II program office in Arlington, Va., said this
jet was the first of 20 planes to be built at Lockheed's Fort Worth
plant that will have test flights there over the next 18 months. After
10 years of development, Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin is moving
to the early stages of production for what could be thousands of
fighter jets for the American military and eight countries _ and
possibly the largest defense contract ever, $275 billion over the next
two decades. The U.S. plans to use the F-35 to replace aging planes
used by the Marines, Air Force and Navy, including jets like the F-16,
the F-18 and the Harrier jet. Lockheed and its subcontractors are
making three different versions that will be used by the different
branches. The Marine version will be able to make vertical takeoffs.

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DIVFONT face=Arial size=2FONT face="Arial Narrow"STRONGThe JSF
(F-35)/STRONG/FONT STRONGFONT face="Arial Narrow"is clearly a nice
aircraft but can any of you tell me what the JSF offers that is not available
now in the aircratf it intends to replace.  When considering the present
wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan, where we seem to need more Close Air Support
(CAS) kind of machines that can both strafe and engage an enemy with small blast
weapons (gun, rockets, Hellfire, etc) and the occassional PGM Bomb, what does
the JSF offer over just producing more F-15 / F-16 / F-18 aircraft and if
anything finding a follow-on for something more like an A-10 then a high
performance fighter. I suspect the F-35 may have arrived on scene a decade
or two sooner then desired.   /FONT/STRONG/FONT/DIV
DIVFONT face=Arial size=2/FONT /DIV
DIVFONT face=Arial size=2/FONT /DIV
DIVFONT face=Arial size=2/FONT /DIV
DIVFONT face=Arial size=2"Mike" </FONTA
"FONT face=Arial
/FONT/AFONT face=Arial size=2> wrote in
message /FONTA
legroups.com"FONT face=Arial
glegroups.com/FONT/AFONT
face=Arial size=2.../FONT/DIVFONT face=Arial size=2> F-35 Test Flight
Deemed a SuccessBR> BR> By ANGELA K. BROWNBR> The Associated
PressBR> Saturday, December 16, 2006; 12:03 AMBR> BR> FORT WORTH,
Texas -- The new stealth fighter jet that will replace anBR> aging fleet of
military planes experienced a largely successful firstBR> flight Friday,
with only a minor glitch, Lockheed Martin Corp.BR> officials said. Jon S.
Beesley, chief test pilot for the Joint StrikeBR> Fighter, also known as
the F-35, said the plane handled "marvelously,"BR> performed flawlessly and
flew better than the simulator. He flew toBR> 15,000 feet, escorted by
three jets that provided safety and tookBR> pictures. "It was a great
adventure," he said. "Today really startedBR> the opening for me for the
rest of this greatest fighter program inBR> history where we're going to go
forward and develop this great weaponsBR> system that will protect
everybody, and that's what it's all about."BR> Officials initially said the
test flight would last an hour; BeesleyBR> flew for 35 minutes. One of two
air data sensors was not operatingBR> properly, he said. Although it did
not pose a danger, the procedureBR> called for ending the flight at that
time, preventing completion of theBR> remaining few tests, including
raising the landing gear, officialsBR> said. "Certainly to fly this first
flight with the duration of almostBR> 40 minutes and to only have this
single warning appear in the pilot'sBR> display related to this sensor is
remarkable, and we're really pleasedBR> with the quality of this first
jet," said Dan Crowley, executive viceBR> president and general manager of
the Joint Strike Fighter program.BR> Runway tests that began last week were
completed this week. OfficialsBR> had been waiting for good weather for the
maiden flight, which almostBR> didn't happen Friday because of fog and
wind. Security was tight FridayBR> at Lockheed's Fort Worth facility, where
the flight took place. ButBR> hundreds of cars parked on the side of the
road outside the plant nearBR> the runway, many people holding video
cameras in hopes of catching aBR> glimpse of the supersonic jet, as word
spread of the test flight. ManyBR> cheered as the plane took off. Lockheed
employees gathered near theBR> runway also applauded, and some were moved
to tears as the gray jetBR> took off, said some officials, who reported
receiving phone calls fromBR> other countries as soon as news spread of the
flight. "I would callBR> this the flight that was heard round the world,"
said Tom Burbage,BR> executive vice president for Lockheed Martin
Aeronautics Co. andBR> general manager for the Joint Strike Fighter program
integration.BR> Beesley, who was greeted with roaring cheers as he stepped
out of theBR> cockpit after landing, later said the plane will continue
test flightsBR> next week. Brig. Gen. Charles R. Davis, the program
executive officerBR> for the F-35 Lightning II program office in Arlington,
Va., said thisBR> jet was the first of 20 planes to be built at Lockheed's
Fort WorthBR> plant that will have test flights there over the next 18
months. AfterBR> 10 years of development, Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed
Martin is movingBR> to the early stages of production for what could be
thousands ofBR> fighter jets for the American military and eight countries
_ andBR> possibly the largest defense contract ever, $275 billion over the
nextBR> two decades. The U.S. plans to use the F-35 to replace aging
planesBR> used by the Marines, Air Force and Navy, including jets like the
F-16,BR> the F-18 and the Harrier jet. Lockheed and its subcontractors
areBR> making three different versions that will be used by the
differentBR> branches. The Marine version will be able to make vertical
takeoffs.BR>/FONT/BODY/HTML

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