GOV/MIL So much for the F-35? U.S. Considers Up To 72 New F-15s Or F-16s.

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://aviationweek.com/defense/us-considers-72-new-f-15s-or-f-16s

U.S. Considers Up To 72 New F-15s Or F-16s

Bill Sweetman | Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 19, 2015
Comments 59

LONDON — The U.S. Air Force may solicit bids for 72 new Boeing F-15s, Lockheed Martin F-16s or even Boeing F/A-18E/Fs as budget issues put planned production rates for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter out of reach, according to senior service and industry officials at the Defense IQ International Fighter Conference ...
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://thediplomat.com/2015/11/f-35...e-might-buy-72-new-f-15-or-f-16-fighter-jets/

F-35 Too Expensive: US Air Force Might Buy 72 New F-15 or F-16 Fighter Jets

The U.S. Air Force is contemplating adding 72 F-15, F-16 or even F-18 fighter aircraft due to low F-35 production rates.

By Franz-Stefan Gady
November 21, 2015

443 Shares
5 Comments

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter might not be produced in sufficient numbers to maintain the U.S. Air Force’s current operational capabilities due to budgetary constraints, according to Aerospace Daily & Defense Report. As a result the service is considering filling the capabilities gap with 72 Boeing F-15s, Lockheed-Martin F-16’s, or even Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.

“F-15s and F-16s are now expected to serve until 2045, when an all-new aircraft will be ready, and plans to modernize F-16s with active electronically scanned array radars and other improvements are being revived,” the article states.

U.S. Air Force officials and industry officials revealed as much at the Defense IQ International Fighter Conference, which took place November 17-19 in London. The U.S. Air Force “is struggling to afford 48 F-35s a year” for the first years of full-rate production a senior Air Force officer told Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.

Full rate-production is slated to begin in 2019 and the U.S. Air Force wants to buy 60 planes in 2020, and 80 F-35 per year after that. This year, the Air Force is to receive 28 F-35s, whereas in 2016 the number is slated to increase to 44. By 2038, the service wants to have 1763 F-35 aircraft in service. However, this procurement schedule might not be financially feasible for the Air Force.

“Consequently, F-15s and F-16s will serve longer and will outnumber F-35s and F-22s through the late 2020s,” Aerospace Daily &Defense Report notes. The article furthermore explains:

The service is looking at a three-tier force, with 300 F-16s and some F-15s being modernized “to augment the F-35 and F-22 in a high-end fight” and others assigned to low-end operations, while the contemplated 72-aircraft buy (an Air Force wing) would sustain force numbers and provide additional modern aircraft.

Interestingly, a senior U.S. Air Force official revealed that “the last time we looked, this was more expensive than buying F-35s in bulk.” However, he confirmed that the option of purchasing 72 aircraft is nevertheless still on the table.

The U.S. Air Force has already asked for cost estimates on procuring new F-15s and life-extension/upgrade options. “Also under consideration is a plan to augment U.S. Air Force electronic attack capabilities by fitting some F-15Es with a version of the Raytheon Next Generation Jammer pod,” the article states.

Overall, the Pentagon is planning to procure 2,457 aircraft by 2038. Total acquisition costs are estimated at over $400 billion making it the U.S. military’s most expensive acquisition program. Operation and support costs throughout the aircraft’s lifetime are estimated at over a $1 trillion.

The supersonic fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter exists in three variants: The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant for the U.S. Air Force; the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variant for the U.S. Marine Corps, and the F-35C carrier-suitable variant for the U.S. Navy.
 

Nowski

Let's Go Brandon!
Anyone with half a brain realizes that the F-35 is a POS.

The Pentagon would save us and themselves an incredible amount
of money, by buying some stripped down SU-35 airframes from the
new Russia, or that new fighter from China.

The Pentagon could then install the latest avionics, and USA produced
vectoring engines. They would then have the absolute best fighter.

They could then complete the deal, by paying off the basterds from
the military industrial complex, who are responsible for the
POS F-35. Pay them off, and tell them to leave the American public alone.

Regards to all,
Nowski
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Anyone with half a brain realizes that the F-35 is a POS.

The Pentagon would save us and themselves an incredible amount
of money, by buying some stripped down SU-35 airframes from the
new Russia, or that new fighter from China.

The Pentagon could then install the latest avionics, and USA produced
vectoring engines. They would then have the absolute best fighter.

They could then complete the deal, by paying off the basterds from
the military industrial complex, who are responsible for the
POS F-35. Pay them off, and tell them to leave the American public alone.

Regards to all,
Nowski

You put thrust vectoring nozzles on the F-15 and F-16 and a fly by wire system on an F-15 and you've closed the performance gap.

(ETA: NASA did the work on this in the late 1980s and 1990s)
thrust-vector-631.jpg

http://media.airspacemag.com/images/thrust-vector-631.jpg

EC95-43338-8.jpg

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-15ACTIVE/Small/EC95-43338-8.jpg

Add extended range air to air missiles, upgraded radar, passive sensors and communications/networking systems and all you then need is the mass fielding of the stand off stealth cruise missiles and the refreshing of the AAR and AWACS fleet that are already in the pipeline.

If of course you really want to do it "right" you restart F-22 production or break out a clean sheet of velum (yeah I'm that old) and come up with a sane and upgradable mid-weight low RCS combat aircraft specific for the USAF mission and one from the ground up for the USN and USMC missions, not this same airframe crap that's always ended up with barely a jack of all trades (even the F-4 suffered from this though thankfully not as badly as the F/A-111 and the F-35 program). At the low end (big war high performance) light weight class you've got the drones or stuff in the weight class of the JAS-39.
 
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NoDandy

Has No Life - Lives on TB
They would have saved boat loads of money if they had done this to begin with, and we would have had better planes.
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
They would have saved boat loads of money if they had done this to begin with, and we would have had better planes.

Would have made too much sense with less opportunities for the Congress critters to "featherbed", particularly with the "peace dividend".
 

Starrkopf

Veteran Member
They will probably end up going with this considering the F35 is nothing but vaporware and by all accounts I've read can't even perform well enough to even be worth the cost at the moment.
 

GreenGecko

Inactive
License renewed? Air Force says it needs A-10 a bit longer, thanks
Deployments to help fight IS, slow delivery of F-35 put bigger demands on plane.

by Sean Gallagher - Nov 11, 2015 9:57am CST

Last week, the joint commander in charge of operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria reported that Syrian Arab Coalition fighters had beaten back the group, taking the town of Al-Hawl and 250 square kilometers of territory around it in an offensive supported from the air by US Air Force A-10s and AC-130s flying from a Turkish air base. Now, the Air Force is apparently reconsidering the timeline it has set for retiring the A-10, as the demand for the venerable assault plane's close air support capabilities rises yet again.

According to a Defense One report, US Air Combat Command chief General Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle said at a Defense Writer's Group breakfast this morning that the Air Force "would probably move the retirement slightly to the right" because of the greater demands being placed on the Air Force's operational capacity in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. "Eventually we will have to get there, we will have to retire airplanes," Carlisle added, "but I think moving it to the right and starting it a bit later and maybe keeping the airplane around a little bit longer is something that’s being considered based on things as they are today and that we see them in the future."

The Air Force has pushed Congress to retire the A-10 over the past two years as budget sequestration strained the service's ability to continue to pay for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Air Force leaders said they need to free maintenance crews to train on servicing and supporting the F-35 as well.

But Carlisle said that the Defense Department is buying the F-35 more slowly than the service had expected a few years ago. And the Air Force is finding itself in an operational bind as a result. While maintaining the A-10 is expensive—the Air Force has had to scavenge retired planes for parts to keep them flying, since the last A-10 rolled off the assembly line in 1984—the congressionally mandated slowdown has prompted the Air Force to change its mind about keeping the A-10.

A final call still needs to be made by DOD leadership on the A-10's retirement plans. But Carlisle said that the A-10 will get heavy rotation while it remains in the Air Force's fleet. "They’re a fantastic airplane and I’m going to take advantage of them," he said.
 

Weps

Veteran Member
I was listening to Christmas music today at work and Chuck Berries "Run, Run, Rudolph" came on. In one of the verses he says "and away went Rudolph wizzing like a Sabre jet".

Just because I'm such a procrastinator and love aviation, I started looking at photos of the Sabre. I went and checked, the F-86E had a per unit cost of $220,000 in 1952, accounting for inflation that's 1.80M in 2015 dollars.

Now granted, the F-86 is a far cry from what we're flying today, but with the delays, cost overruns, failure, ect.. the F-35 has had, that $120M per unit (often times twice as much for the operational test units) is way too insane even with the boasted modern systems on board. At least with the F-22 you get, for the most part, what you're paying for.

I think it would be best if the F-35 was scrapped and new F-15's, F-16's and F/A-18s were upgrade with those avionics and systems.
 

Last Resort

Veteran Member
I would suggest we use to exhaustion our current fleet of 15s and 16s, all of which are long in the tooth, commission Rutan ARES attack jets to replace the UTE A10s, and run F22s as hard as needed so Bones, BUFFs and Spirits can freedomize ISIS with JDAM and SDB from on high. The Pentagon is about to rediscover that attack aircraft of any size or cost are, ultimately, EXPENDABLE assets.
 

GreenGecko

Inactive
http://lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2015/october/f-16v-takes-flight.html
F-16V Takes Flight

The innovative F-16V configuration provides advanced combat capabilities in a scalable and affordable package. Lockheed Martin photo by Randy Crites.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 21, 2015 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) successfully completed the maiden flight of the F-16V, the latest and most advanced F-16 on the market today. The October 16 flight marks the first time an F-16 has flown with Northrop Grumman’s advanced APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), which will deliver a quantum leap in capability for the venerable F-16.
The F-16V “Viper” advanced avionics configuration also includes a new cockpit Center Pedestal Display, a modernized mission computer, a high-capacity Ethernet data bus, and several other missions systems enhancements that collectively add significant combat capabilities to address the dynamic threat environments emerging in the coming decades.
“This flight marks a historic milestone in the evolution of the F-16,” said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s F-16/F-22 Integrated Fighter Group. “The new F-16V configuration includes numerous enhancements designed to keep the F-16 at the forefront of international security, strengthening its position as the world’s foremost combat-proven 4th Generation fighter aircraft.”
The F-16V, an option for both new production F-16s and F-16 upgrades, is the next generation configuration that leverages a common worldwide sustainment infrastructure and provides significant capability improvements to the world’s most affordable, combat-proven multi-role fighter.
Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 SABR AESA fire control radar provides 5th Generation air-to-air and air-to-ground radar capability. Northrop Grumman also provides AESA radars for the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
With more than 4,550 F-16s delivered to date, the F-16V is a natural step in the evolution of the world’s most successful 4th Generation fighter.
For additional information, visit our website: lockheedmartin.com/f16
 

Satanta

Stone Cold Crazy
_______________
Dump a few trillion into the F-35 Blackhole then dump a few more trillion into the F-15/16's and you got a whole lot more debt that teeters us closer to collapsing as a nation.
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
I was just thinking they should throw down for a couple-three dozen A10's as well... lol

They may not have the jigs and fixtures any more, but they damn sure have the plans for them.

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...g-contract-query-be-a-good-sign-for-a-10-here

September 22, 2015 5:15 p.m.

Could new wing contract query be a good sign for A-10 here?

Chad Halcom
Staff Blog: Law and the defense industry

The U.S. Air Force seems to be tacitly acknowledging that its A-10 combat jets, based at Macomb County’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base and elsewhere around the world, might stay here a while.

The service late last week put out a request for information on feasibility and potential industry sources for manufacturing new wing assemblies for existing A-10s through 2021.

A production volume isn’t specified, but the Air Force is eyeing a possible goal of 10-25 sets per year, at a rate of one or two wing assemblies per month. A request for information is not a solicitation for contract bids from businesses, but is a query on what products or capabilities contractors have to meet a perceived military need.

Chicago-based Boeing Co. has had a re-winging contract since December 2007 for the Air Force and Air National Guard to supply replacement wing assemblies for at least 173 of the roughly 300 A-10s still in service by 2017.

Any new production contract would presumably supplement the current one, which already covers the Selfridge planes. Penelope Carroll, chief of public affairs at Selfridge in Harrison Township, said eight of the base’s 21 planes so far have gone to Hill Air Force Base for re-winging under the Boeing contract (one is still there), while the rest are still awaiting refits.

Timeframes for each of those upgrades will depend on individual plane condition and repair needs across the entire military fleet, Carroll said. About 350 airmen and 12 of the 18 actively flying A-10 Thunderbolt jets at Selfridge currently are deployed to southwest Asia in an operation targeting the Islamic State group, or ISIS, and will not return until later this fall.

Still, the refit query might signal a realization that the Air Force is unlikely to retire the A-10 fleet soon, as it has sought to do repeatedly.

Program executives in the Air Force have said congressional devotion to preserving the A-10 could hold up operational status for the new F-35 fighter under production for the Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps. That's because the new aircraft needs 1,100 "maintainers" and expects to find them largely by reallocating personnel from older planes like the A-10.

Lockheed Martin Corp., the prime contractor on the F-35, has said previously to Crain's that the F-35 supports at least 22 companies and more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs in Michigan. But Air Force proposals to retire the A-10 have consistently met with congressional resistance for several years, with markups to each annual defense authorization bill preserving the fleet.

Companies interested in the re-winging query must respond by Nov. 2. The Air Force expects to furnish more detailed information about the request later this week.
 

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Heh

We have issues building an M2 machine gun.

That design has only been around for a century.
 

JohnGaltfla

#NeverTrump
The F-35 has made a lot of defense contractors and subcontractors rich but that is about it.

And made the Ruskies and ChiComs laugh about our path. We bypass the F-22 for the F-35. The F-22 IS an air superiority fighter but the F-35 is a lemon.
 

GreenGecko

Inactive
They may not have the jigs and fixtures any more, but they damn sure have the plans for them.

I have seen some on the tour of the place, that is why I looked for this info. But, I don't know which aircraft tooling and jigs they store.

309TH AEROSPACE MAINTENANCE AND REGENERATION GROUP (309 AMARG) DMAFB

http://www.dm.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5297


Posted 8/11/2015

Old photo, but to give you an idea of this place:
1280px-thumbnail.jpg



309 AMARG
309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group


The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) is a modern, specialized facility, aligned under the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill AFB, Utah (Air Force Materiel Command) structure providing a broad range of aerospace maintenance and regeneration support services to the Department of Defense's Joint and Allied warfighters.

AMARG traces its heritage back to 1946 when the 4105th Army Air Base Unit was established to store and manage vast numbers of surplus World War II aircraft, but the Group has since evolved. Today, AMARG has five major mission elements in direct support of the warfighter--the highly skilled 620-member workforce regenerates aircraft (restoring aircraft to flight capability); performs limited depot-level maintenance, complementing the Air Logistics Complexes; and, accomplishes aircraft parts reclamation. These are in addition to its historic aircraft storage and disposal functions.

The Group, is a major industrial facility, occupying 2,600 acres (four square miles) within Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The Group manages an inventory of approximately 4,000 aircraft representing approximately 80 different weapon systems. The acquisition value of these aircraft is approximately $35 billion.

AMARG also stores more than 700,000 (latest post-inventory figures) line items of aircraft production tooling; these are jigs, dies, forms and other tooling used to build aircraft components prior to assembly.

AMARG does not "own" the aircraft and other assets stored here--they belong to the delivering military services and government agencies. Each weapon system has a program manager who oversees the disposition of the aircraft. Some of the aircraft stored at 309 AMARG belong to various aviation museums; i.e., the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the National Naval Aviation Museum, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, etc.

The primary reasons for selecting Davis-Monthan as the site for aircraft storage were Tucson's meager rainfall, low humidity, and alkaline soil. These conditions make it possible to store aircraft indefinitely with a minimum of deterioration and corrosion. In addition, the soil (called caliche) is hard, making it possible to park aircraft in the desert without constructing concrete or steel parking ramps.

Although the specifics change from year to year, and decade to decade, the following provides a more in-depth review of those activities that constitute AMARG's five mission areas.

In the aircraft regeneration arena, AMARG is currently reactivating F-16 Fighting Falcons for the Air Force's (Air Combat Command) and Navy's full-scale aerial target or drone program; C-27s for the U.S. Coast Guard; and, various other aircraft for both the U.S. military and our foreign allies.
In terms of limited depot-level maintenance, AMARG is a geographically desirable location for quick-paced aircraft modification, repair and inspection referred to as the Desert Speed Line or DSL.

Aircraft preservation is 309 AMARG's best known mission element, as the aircraft are highly visible from the surrounding Tucson, Ariz. streets and satellite images commonly available on the Internet. Aircraft are placed in one of four storage categories--Type 1000 (inviolate - no part removals - these are candidates for future return to flight); Type 2000 (parts reclamation in support of the asset owner); Type 3000 (quick turnaround or flyable hold); and, Type 4000 (determined to be excess to the program manager's needs, and available for reclamation by all services or government agencies. Normally only engines and cockpit transparencies are preserved).

In a typical year, 309 AMARG performs reclamation of systems and parts to support customer requirements that average $500M. Many of these systems are no longer in production, but are expected to remain in operational use until 2040 and beyond; thus, a ready supply of parts is constantly required. These reclaimed items represent a direct savings to the taxpayer through cost avoidance for procurement of new items.
Once 309 AMARG has removed everything of value from a specific aircraft, the military services generally declare it excess and direct the Group to dispose of it. AMARG environmentally cleans the aircraft (by removing hazardous and/or radiological materials), and transfers the aircraft to the Defense Logistics Agency or DLA for sale and/or final demilitarization
 

Doomer Doug

TB Fanatic
Okay, both the F-15 and F-16 are 1970s era fighters. We are talking about the 1972 to 1976 time frame. I assume they got some upgrades and mods in avionics etc since then. I also understand Israel got the F-15 and "did something to it," that made it very lethal and better than the ones we now use.
Still, we are looking at B-52 bombers that are over 60 years old. We are now looking at F-15 and F-16 airplanes that could have been made over 40 years ago. And yes, it is all about the actual number of flight hours, plus metal stress. Again, a well maintained plane can last for several decades if done right. I am concerned both China and Russia are now deploying fighter jets that are newer, better designed and built than either the F-15 and F-16. The Navy's F-18 also goes back to Reagan I think. In fact, a lot of our major weapon systems were designed in the 1970s, and built during the Reagan era. This includes the Trident Submarine, the M-1 Abrahms tank, the F-15, 16 and 18 fighter jets. I even think the A-10 Warthog is in the mix.

Face it, the F-35 is a loser, orphan program that now means we are reduced to upgrading older fighters while Russia and China deploy modern fighters, using the latest materials, technology and avionics system. They also outnumber us significantly in fighters. We will be facing more fighters, as well as better fighters. Then there are are the advancements made by Russia and China in missiles.
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Okay, both the F-15 and F-16 are 1970s era fighters. We are talking about the 1972 to 1976 time frame. I assume they got some upgrades and mods in avionics etc since then. I also understand Israel got the F-15 and "did something to it," that made it very lethal and better than the ones we now use.
Still, we are looking at B-52 bombers that are over 60 years old. We are now looking at F-15 and F-16 airplanes that could have been made over 40 years ago. And yes, it is all about the actual number of flight hours, plus metal stress. Again, a well maintained plane can last for several decades if done right. I am concerned both China and Russia are now deploying fighter jets that are newer, better designed and built than either the F-15 and F-16. The Navy's F-18 also goes back to Reagan I think. In fact, a lot of our major weapon systems were designed in the 1970s, and built during the Reagan era. This includes the Trident Submarine, the M-1 Abrahms tank, the F-15, 16 and 18 fighter jets. I even think the A-10 Warthog is in the mix.

Face it, the F-35 is a loser, orphan program that now means we are reduced to upgrading older fighters while Russia and China deploy modern fighters, using the latest materials, technology and avionics system. They also outnumber us significantly in fighters. We will be facing more fighters, as well as better fighters. Then there are are the advancements made by Russia and China in missiles.

First the F-18 is a direct descendant from the looser of the Light Weight Fighter competition, the F-17 and is therefor arguable a contemporary of the F-16. As to the F-18E "Super Hornet", the USN's designation is for this aircraft is a bit nefarious since it is in fact an F-18C that's been enlarged and given other system refinements to act as a stop-gap until the promised advanced aircraft (Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter and the F-35C showed up).

Yes the F-15 and F-16 are 1970s designs. That being said, in terms of aerodynamics alone you probably can't do too much more tweeking and get more out of an airframe with the compromises you have to make for a combat aircraft short of making it a UCAV. As it is both can perform to such a degree that they can kill their pilots with sustained Gs; taking the pilot out of it would allow for even more maneuverability. However, if you have to rely upon maneuverability in an engagement you've already given away a lot of the advantages of modern long range air to air missiles and are engaging in the equivalent of a knife fight in a small room.

The Su-27 "Flanker" series is also at its heart a 1970s aircraft. Unlike the F-15 and F-16, the Russians have been continually evolving the basic airframe with vectored thrust engines, avionics and mission specific (and export) variants. (Hence my prior comments about improvements that "could" be made to the F-15 and F-16.)

The "Silent Eagle" and the various proposed and build technology demonstrators from the F-15 and F-16, including the Agile Falcon that became the Japanese F-2, show that there is still room on both aircraft for similar evolutions if it is deemed prudent and necessary. Considering current circumstances as I see it, with both aircraft still "in production" they represent a easier/simpler and better performing "stop gap" option that continuing with the full F-35 buy then building the next generation of aircraft. That's effectively what the USN/USMC has already done with the F-18E/F/G.

About the only real benefit the F-35 program has been is the R&D involved and its applicability to future projects though that was probably the most expensive and inefficient manner in getting there.
 

Woolly

Veteran Member
Britain has just ordered 138 F35's,

Marthanoir, I suspect that all of those folks at MOD with their arms in slings is the result of having their arms twisted out of socket by the U.S. DOD to support the F-35 program. Of course, this view comes from someone that lacks any confidence to speak of, in the F-35 program.

Surely, the RAF has better options than the F-35, even if they intended to repopulate the Fleet Air Arm.

Speaking out of my ignorance, of course.

Woolly
 

GreenGecko

Inactive
Since we are talking Coldwar era aircraft, I took note of this: http://theaviationist.com/2015/11/20/iriaf-f-14s-escort-ruaf-tu-95/

Watch this video of Iranian F-14 Tomcats escorting a Russian Tu-95 bomber during air strike in Syria

By David Cenciotti
Persian Tomcat and Russian Bear fly together during a strike mission against ground targets in Syria.

Something really interesting details have been exposed by the material released by Russia’s MoD lately.

Indeed, as you can see in the video below, IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) F-14 Tomcat interceptors escorted Russian Air Force Tu-95 Bear bombers flying in Iranian airspace during their 9h 30mins missions (from Engels airbase and back, along the Iraq-Iran-Caspian Sea 6,500 km-long corridor) against terrorist targets in Syria.

With the U.S. Navy retiring the legendary F-14 in September 2006, nowadays the IRIAF is the only operator of the Tomcat, a type of aircraft that Tehran has kept airworthy throughout the years in spite of the embargo imposed after the 1979 Revolution.

Not only did the Iranians keep some F-14s in active service but they have also upgraded it with some domestic avionics upgrades and weapons that should extend the life of the last flying Tomcats until 2030.
 

Marthanoir

TB Fanatic
Marthanoir, I suspect that all of those folks at MOD with their arms in slings is the result of having their arms twisted out of socket by the U.S. DOD to support the F-35 program. Of course, this view comes from someone that lacks any confidence to speak of, in the F-35 program.

Surely, the RAF has better options than the F-35, even if they intended to repopulate the Fleet Air Arm.

Speaking out of my ignorance, of course.

Woolly

Yes its for the Royal Navy not the RAF, they've got to have something to put on the new carriers they're building otherwise they're just big canoes :lol:

eta : they've also ordered P8's to replace the Nimrod
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Hummm.......

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-denies-seeking-more-f-16-or-f-15-combat-jets-419473/

USAF denies seeking more F-16 or F-15 combat jets
¤—¤˜
25 November, 2015
| BY: James Drew
| Washington DC


The US Air Force has denied any plans to purchase another tranche of Lockheed Martin F-16 or Boeing F-15 combat jets following reports it could seek bids for up to 72 new aircraft.

According to comments attributed to a senior US Air Combat Command official at an international fighter conference in London last week, the current Lockheed F-35 procurement plan could prove unaffordable, and another fighter wing of F-15s, F-16s or perhaps even F/A-18s is being considered to supplement the current fleet ¨C which will serve into the 2040s as F-35s are delivered.

The air force is seeking 1,763 F-35As through 2038, and in the interim it intends to modernise and upgrade its F-16s and F-15s with new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and electronic warfare systems.

Asked to categorically confirm or deny any new fighter purchase, a spokesman for the service¡¯s acquisition office says: ¡°At this time the air force has no plans to acquire 72 new F-15s or F-16s, although the air force is always looking at options to be prepared for a dynamic global security environment.¡±

Asset Image

Boeing revealed its "2040C" upgrade plan for the F-15C Eagle at an Air Force Association Conference in September.

Boeing

In his final press engagement at the Pentagon on 24 November, outgoing air force acquisition chief Bill LaPlante was dismissive of suggestions that another F-15 or F-16 fighter wing is being sought, but he agrees that the F-35 is difficult to afford.

¡°That story was news to me,¡± he quipped. ¡°We¡¯re always struggling to get the production rate as high as we can get it on F-35. That¡¯s as true as saying it¡¯s cold outside. It¡¯s always true.¡±

The conventional take-off and landing A-model costs just shy of $100 million per aircraft, but LaPlante says the F-35 joint programme office and the Lockheed industry team are trying to reduce that to $85 million as the manufacturing process matures.

The service stopped acquiring fourth-generation F-16s and F-15s many years ago to instead focus on developing and procuring stealthy F-22s and F-35s, but both acquisitions were far more expensive and lengthy than originally planned.

The opportunity to purchase more legacy jets, which have been kept in production through foreign military sales, is closing fast, with the Lockheed F-16 and Boeing F-15 and F/A-18 assembly lines potentially closing before the turn of the decade if no more domestic or foreign orders materialise.

The air force has budgeted for 44 F-35s in fiscal year 2016 and 48 in 2017, and is building toward a production cadence of 60 jets per year by 2018 and then 80 beyond 2020.
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Hummm.......

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a...-buying-boeing-super-hornets-as-f-35c-418626/

USN to continue buying Boeing Super Hornets as F-35Cs arrive
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05 November, 2015
| BY: James Drew
| Washington DC


US Navy officials have reaffirmed plans to procure an additional 24 to 36 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets through fiscal year 2018 while also boosting F/A-18C life-extension rates, primarily due to delays in fielding the carrier-based Lockheed Martin F-35C.

Boeing has been trying desperately to shore up Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production in St Louis, Missouri, but the company�fs difficulty in securing international sales has raised doubts.

However, comments by navy officials at a congressional hearing this week suggest more F/A-18 orders in fiscal 2017 and 2018. That is in addition to the dozen aircraft that are likely to be funded in the current fiscal 2016 budget.

�gWe have a strike fighter inventory management challenge,�h says navy air warfare director Rear Adm Michael Manazir. �gIf you look at the demands in the strike fighters into 2030, we have a shortfall. The shortfall in the early part of the 2020s is about 138 airplanes.�h

The navy expects to overcome that shortfall by life-extending the F/A-18C from 6,000h to 10,000h and through the procurement of �gtwo to three squadrons�h of Super Hornets.

The service has had difficulty life-extending those aircraft because of depot throughput limitations and an unanticipated amount of internal corrosion. Unlike shore-based aircraft, naval airframes must withstand corrosive seawater and the stress of arrested landings, making the life-extension process much more uncertain.

The navy overhauled approximately 30 legacy jets last year, according to Manazir, and throughput rates have increased by 40% this year. In 2017, the navy hopes to life-extend 104 F/A-18Cs.

All this activity relates to the delayed introduction of the F-35, which has been in development since 2001. The navy has pushed out its F-35C procurement profile, contending that aircraft without the Block 3F software load do not meet the needs of the carrier air wings.

Block 3F includes the full complement of F-35 capabilities and weapons at the end of system development and demonstration (SDD), and is the configuration the navy intends to declare initial operational capability with in August 2018.

The navy eventually aims to field one F-35C squadron per carrier air wing initially, with those squadrons operating alongside Super Hornets and Growlers.

�gF-18Es and Fs are the majority of our force going to 2035,�h says Manazir. �gWe might even fly those airplanes close to 2040.�h
 
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