Japan goes shopping for the troubled JSF

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress April 30 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan for a possible sale of an initial four F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft with an option to purchase an additional 38 F-35 CTOL aircraft.

The estimated cost is $10 billion.

All aircraft will be configured with the Pratt and Whitney F-135 engines, and 5 spare Pratt and Whitney F-135 engines.

Other Aircraft Equipment includes: Electronic Warfare Systems, Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence/Communication, Navigational and Identifications (C4I/CNI), Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS), Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), Flight Mission Trainer, Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities, F-35 unique infrared flares, reprogramming center, and F-35 Performance Based Logistics. Also included: software development/integration, flight test instrumentation, aircraft ferry and tanker support, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $10 billion.

Japan is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key ally of the United States in ensuring the peace and stability of this region. The U.S. Government shares bases and facilities in Japan. This proposed sale is consistent with these U.S. objectives and with the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

The proposed sale of aircraft and support will augment Japan’s operational aircraft inventory and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s F-4 aircraft will be decommissioned as F-35’s are added to the inventory. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these aircraft into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, Texas, and Pratt and Whitney Military Engines in East Hartford, Connecticut. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Japan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical reviews/support, programs management, and training over a period of 15 years.

U.S. contractor representatives will be required in Japan to conduct Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS) and Autonomic Logistics and Global Support (ALGS) for after-aircraft delivery.

There will be no adverse impact on the U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Takes On Thunderbirds Stripes

Though we’re likely a decade from seeing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in action, much less in the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds squad, that hasn’t stopped Lockheed Martin from releasing these images of the military’s new fighter jet in full Thunderbirds dress.

The multimedia team at Lockheed’s aeronautics division released the photos in a somewhat odd effort to virally market a $100 million fighter jet. The F-35, developed by Lockheed along with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, is still under development, though the Pentagon has ordered 2,400 of the all-purpose aircraft for delivery over the next two decades.

As for the Thunderbirds stripes, it looks like the F-35 may be the next fighter jet to don the colors, replacing the F-16C/D Block 52s currently in service. While the military has 187 formerly-next-gen F-22 Raptors built or on order, it looks like the F-35 is going to leapfrog its Cold War-era counterpart completely. The Senate voted today to drop funding for seven additional F-22s, and when a military program dies, it’s generally not easy to resurrect.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter For RAF UK

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with CFT's to improve range.

The Joint Strike Fighter, which is being built by Lockheed Martin as the F35 Lightning II, will be known in UK service as the Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) and will replace the RAF and RN’s Harriers from 2012. Although Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor, the UK is a Level 1 partner with the US and a number of British companies, including BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, will have extensive involvement in building and developing the aircraft.

The UK version will be a multirole fighter/attack aircraft designed to operate as a STOVL aircraft from land bases and from the next generation of aircraft carriers being built for the RN. This will give the UK a world-beating land-based and sea-based joint expeditionary air power capability well into the middle of the Century. When the JCA enters service, it will be able to operate in all weathers, by day and by night, for defence of the fleet and for the offensive air support of ground forces. This support will range from close air support to long-range interdiction, as well as anti-surface warfare and tactical reconnaissance. The aircraft will offer several advantages over the Harrier: supersonic flight, improved survivability, internal and external weapons carriage, an increased range and easier supply and maintenance.

External weapons carriage by F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The JCA design applies stealth technology techniques and, to minimise its radar signature, the airframe has identical sweep angles for the leading and trailing edges of the wing and tail, and incorporates sloping sides for the fuselage and the canopy. As a further signature reduction measure, the seam of the canopy and the weapon-bay doors are saw-toothed and the vertical tails are canted at an angle. To achieve the smallest signature possible the aircraft will have the ability to carry a range
of weapons internally, rather than carried underneath the aircraft as in current fighters.

The main radar system will be a newly developed, electronically scanned array multi-function radar with synthetic aperture capabilities. Targeting information will be supplied by an electro-optical system, which will provide long-range detection and precision targeting by employing thermal imaging, laser tracking and marking, and a forward-looking Infrared system. The aircraft’s systems will also provide navigation, missile warning and Infrared search and track capability.

JF17 Stealth - Work in Progress !

Assalaam o alaikum Baratheran , Kaifa Hal, Anta majnoo ?

So here's another stealth JF-17 I am working on. As u can see it is far from complete, But, I plan to add features freom F-35 JSF and T-50 Pak-Fa . Let's see how it goes. If u have any suggesstions on how to improve or what modifications i must do, plz dont be shy, share them . We are all bretheren after all, hehehehe

And how do u like my new logo ?

JF-35 or a JF-17 Stealthy

Pakistan and China will jointly develop stealth Aircraft. This aircraft wouldn’t be detected in enemy radars and weapons and will reach to destination. There will be necessary modifications in JF-17 to make it stealth. The memorandum has been signed in the mid of last year. JF-17 is already the part of PAF with SQD 26 replacing old Chinese Aircrafts. The second SQD is under development. PAF will initially equip with 150 JF-17. Stealth would be essential part of future wars. America was the only producer of stealth Aircrafts which are F-22 and F35 but now Russia and India joint project on stealth. Where China is not behind and showed Jxx few month ago. PAF already have done their Homework to develop or buy stealth airraft.

Jf17 here looks like a stealthier version,with all the ground personall around giving it a pre flight check. It seems to be developing more like an F-35 JSF . I will post HiRes versions of the photo later. Stay tuned.