Carrier Variant Of F-35B Lightning II, STOVL

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/The_...ng_II_999.html

Work Starts On Carrier Variant Of F-35 Lightning II

BAE Systems has started manufacture of the F-35 Lightning II Carrier
Variant (CV). The CV aircraft is the final F-35 variant to start
production and means that all three variants of the world's most
advanced fighter aircraft are now being produced concurrently by BAE
Systems.
The initial manufacturing on the CV variant is of the first titanium
and aluminium frames that will form part of the aft fuselage for the
first CV aircraft, which is planned to take to the skies in 2009. The
aft fuselage and empennage (vertical and horizontal tails) for each
F-35 Lightning II variant are being designed, engineered and built by
BAE Systems, using the latest in advanced digital design and
manufacturing technology.

BAE Systems' F-35 Lightning II Managing Director, Tom Fillingham said:
"Developing three variants of the same aircraft, at the same time, is
a first for the military aircraft industry. We are breaking new ground
on the F-35 programme.

"Each variant has its own unique challenges that have required some
innovative solutions from the team. Now that we have all three
variants in manufacture it is great to see all the design and
engineering work coming together."

The F-35 Lightning II programme is the world's largest defence
programme and is currently in the System Development and Demonstration
(SDD) phase. The SDD phase will see the production of 21 test
aircraft. Fifteen F-35s will undergo flight test, and six will be used
for static testing. Another high-fidelity full-scale model F-35 will
validate the aircraft's radar signature. The aft fuselages for all
variants of the F-35 are produced at BAE Systems' Samlesbury facility
in Lancashire, UK. As production rates increase in the SDD phase, the
BAE Systems team is starting a new aircraft assembly every four weeks
- a significant achievement for this stage of a development programme.

The three variants of the F-35 Lightning II are being developed to
meet the different performance requirements of the US and UK armed
forces. The Carrier Variant (CV) is being designed for the US Navy and
must cope with the demands of the catapult launches and arrested
landings on the large US aircraft carriers. The Conventional Take Off
and Landing (CTOL) variant will meet the needs of the US Air Force.
Finally the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant is
being developed to meet the operational requirements of the US Marine
Corp and the UK.



http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/8361
The F-35B Lightning II, STOVL
Electrical power was applied to the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35B
Lightning II for the first time Thursday night, initiating a series of
ground tests that will lead to the inaugural flight of the short-
takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighter next spring.

The F-35 will be the most electronically advanced aircraft ever built,
with capabilities unavailable in current multi-role fighters. The
F-35B's power-on is an incremental process of testing the aircraft's
circuits, electronic components and wiring.

The aircraft incorporates parts and systems from all nine F-35
participant countries (United States, United Kingdom, Italy, the
Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway), including
the wiring harness, produced by Stork Fokker-Elmo of the Netherlands.
The wiring harness is a crucial component of the F-35's electrical
system, routing and apportioning electrical current throughout the
aircraft.

The U.S. Marine Corps and Navy together are planning to operate 680
F-35Bs and F-35Cs, and the United Kingdom plans to place 138 F-35Bs
into service with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The F-35B will
be the world's first stealth fighter with supersonic and STOVL
capability. The first F-35B fleet will go operational in 2012 with the
Marines.

The first F-35, a conventional takeoff and landing version, began its
flight test program on Dec. 15, 2006.

The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter
designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including AV-8B
Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets, and United Kingdom Harrier GR.
7s and Sea Harriers.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 Lightning II with its principal
industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate,
interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt &
Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.