US Document Riles Critics of Proposed Canadian F-35 Buy
A leaked US document has raised new questions about Canada’s involvement in the F-35 program and given critics of the fighter jet as well as opposition members of Parliament new ammunition to accuse the Canadian government of misleading the public about the proposed acquisition. An Oct. 27 briefing by US Air Force Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, F-35 Program Executive Office director, outlined how Canada intends to initially purchase four F-35s. That flies in the face of continued Canadian government assurances that no decision had been made ab…
3-Star Rejects Trump F-35 Slam: 'This Program Is Not Out of Control'
The manager of the Pentagon 's Joint Strike Fighter program said Monday he'll welcome the opportunity to sit down with president-elect Donald Trump and members of his new administration to address his public critique of the F-35 . Speaking to reporters at the F-35's Joint Program Office headquarters near Washington, D.C, Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan addressed Trump's Dec. 12 tweet that "F-35 program and cost is out of control." At a rally in Pennsylvania Dec. 15, Trump expanded on the remark, say…
DefenseNews: Lockheed Martin Faces Financial Struggles Due to F-35 Upgrade Contract Delays
DefenseNews : Lockheed Martin's F-35 program is facing significant financial losses due to delays in contract agreements and software integration issues, impacting its 2024 earnings. These setbacks, primarily tied to the new TR-3 upgrade, are straining the company’s financials, but recovery plans are in motion. Contract delays and software problems with the F-35 are costing Lockheed Martin hundreds of millions of dollars, and the company is trying to get the program back on track and start recouping its costs. The F-35 program, one of the …
With J-31 Flight, China Makes a Statement
ZHUHAI, CHINA — When China’s stealthy, twin-engine J-31 took to the skies over Airshow China in Zhuhai last week, the skies were cloudy, but the message the country wanted to send was clear. Beijing not only plans to sell a new fighter — it also wants to sell itself on the world stage. “I think the public unveiling of J-31 certainly shows the Chinese military is now more confident and transparent,” said Wang Dong, director of the School of International Studies, Center for Northeast Asian Strategic Studies, Peking University. Beijing…
F-35 Joint Program Office Saved for Now and Under Discussion
WASHINGTON – The compromise version of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act protects the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) from elimination, but requires the Pentagon to report on alternatives for the management of the joint strike fighter by the end of March. The Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the NDAA , rolled out in May, included language that would disband the JPO after the F-35 reaches full-rate production in April 2019. At that time, control of the plane would devolve to the Air Force and Navy, …
F-35s for India: Is America About to Make a Big Stealth Sale
New Delhi still likes Russian technology, but Washington is trying to make a sale and enhance American-Indian ties. If a deal happens, it will further remove India from Russia’s influence. When the Times of India revealed that the Indian air force was revising its single-engine fighter competition to encompass twin-engine jet designs, a collective groan likely rang from New Delhi to Washington—and even Stockholm. This first appeared in 2018 and is being reposted due to reader interest. The competition was meant to acquire a new generatio…
F-35B jets out of Japan make debut at Australia’s Pitch Black exercise
DARWIN, Australia — The F-35 fighter jet is making its debut at the multinational Pitch Black exercise in Australia, with U.S. Marine Corps “B” variants participating in drills there in the lead-up to the main event. The 12 F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing aircraft were practicing the Corps’ concept known as “Expeditionary Advanced Basing Operations” at RAAF Base Curtin, according to Lt. Col. Richard Behrmann, an operations officer at Marine Aircraft Group 12 based in Iwakuni, Japan. The F-35Bs have been deployed to RAAF Base Tindal, 6…
US - Japan: US Ready to Sell 42 F-35 & 63 F-35A to Japan’s at Estimated $23B
WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday approved a planned purchase by Japan of 105 F-35 joint strike fighters , moving the country one step closer to becoming the biggest foreign customer of the Lockheed Martin-produced jet. The approved package includes 63 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft and 42 F-35 short takeoff and landing variants, essentially green-lighting the procurement plans spelled out by Japan in 2018. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale, which is worth about $23 billi…
After US & Russia, China On Verge Of Having A ‘Fully Indigenous’ 5th Generation Jet In J-20B
Chinese stealth fighter jet – J-20B has undergone an upgrade to finally classify itself as a full-fledged fifth-generation aircraft. In doing so, it now aims to directly challenge the US dominance led by F-35 and F-22 fighter jets. An upgraded version of the Chinese J-20B stealth fighter jet has formally entered mass production. The modification has earned it the title of being a fifth-generation fighter jet. Fifth-generation fighters are defined by their stealth technology, supersonic cruising speed, super manoeuvrability, and highly in…
DefenseNews: Is The F-15ex On The Brink Of Being Cancelled?
F-15EX – Cancelled? – The F-15 Eagle was designed in the 1970s, without “a pound for air-to-ground,” meaning the plane was built strictly for air superiority. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Accordingly, the original F-15 was excellent at engaging other airborne targets, or dogfighting – the jet was perhaps the preeminent fourth-generation air-to-air fighter – but lacked systems or capabilities to engage on the ground targets.
US needs new stealth fighter to combat China's J-31: expert
China recently demonstrated its second fifth-generation stealth fighter, the J-31, for the 10th Zhuhai Airshow held in Guangdong from Nov. 11-16. Dave Majumdar, an American defense expert, thus suggests in Washington's National Interest that the US must put the F-35 into service or develop new fighters to face this challenge. China has come to realize that fourth-generation fighters such as the J-10, J-11, Su-27 and Su-30 will be obsolete when facing American fifth-generation stealth fighters like the F-22 and F-35, an officia…
Israel to halve second order of F-35 fighters
In talks in Washington last month, Ya'alon agreed to a preliminary deal for 25 to 31 planes, but members of ministerial committee raise objections, pushing for a smaller purchase of 10 to 15 planes. Israel will place a second order for between 10 and 15 US-made F-35 fighter jets, around half the number previously mentioned by defense sources in both countries, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Monday. A reduced Israeli purchase may dent international confidence in the Lockheed Martin Corp plane and manufacturer eff…
U.S. Air Force teaming F-22s with F-35s to maximise their 5th Generation capabilities
U.S. Air Force is starting to integrate its F-35s and F-22s to improve fifth-generation tactics. Four F-22 Raptors belonging to the the 94th Fighter Squadron, from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, deployed to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to conduct joint training with the local-based F-35A Lightning IIs from the 58th Fighter Squadron. The joint training was aimed at improving integration between the two most advanced radar-evading planes in service with the U.S. Air Force: flying mixed formations, the F-22s and F-35s flew…
U.S. Navy says looking at possible further orders of Boeing jets
The U.S. Navy is looking at possible additional orders of Boeing Co's EA-18G electronic attack planes, or Growlers, as it shapes its fiscal 2016 budget request, the Navy's top uniformed officer said Saturday. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert told Reuters the Navy was reviewing its inventory of tactical aircraft, including Growlers and strike fighters, to ensure its electronic attack needs were met. Congress, responding to an "unfunded priority" list submitted by the Navy earlier this year, is pois…
US Air Force Awards Boeing $1.2 Billion for 8 F-15EX
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a contract to acquire its first fourth-plus-generation F-15EX fighter aircraft from Boeing Co. The service said Monday that the nearly $1.2 billion contract will cover eight jets, including initial design, development, test and certification, plus spare parts and support equipment, training and technical data, and delivery and sustainment costs. "The F-15EX is the most affordable and immediate way to refresh the capacity and update the capabilities provided by our aging F-15C/D fleets," Gen. Mike Holmes…
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Boeing wins contract for NGAD fighter jet, dubbed F-47
DefenseNews : The Pentagon has awarded the long-awaited contract for the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance future fighter jet, known as NGAD, to Boeing, President Donald Trump announced Friday. The sixth-generation fighter, which will replace the F-22 Raptor, will be designated the F-47, Trump said. It will have “state-of-the-art stealth technologies [making it] virtually unseeable,” and will fly alongside multiple autonomous drone wingmen, known as collaborative combat aircraft. “It’s something the likes of which nobody has ever seen …
US Navy: Bonhomme Richard fire deals a blow to the Navy’s designs in the Indo-Pacific
WASHINGTON – The amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard , which burned through the night while in port in San Diego, was at the tail end of two years of upgrades supporting the integration of the F-35B , according to Navy documents. That means the Navy will now have fewer options to deploy the next-generation fighter in the Pacific. The Navy awarded the $219 million modernization contract to General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. in 2018, which had options for up to $250 million. Bonhomme Richard is one of four large-deck amph…
Pentagon awards US$4.1 Bn for 43 F-35s
The Pentagon claimed the cost of the current lot reflects a reduction of 3.6 percent over LRIP VII. More reductions will come into effect in the next batch of production, eventually bringing the aircraft cost to the level of current 4-4.5 generation fighters. Lockheed Martin has been awarded additional a $4,123 million contract, as a modification to the F-35 program, for the production of 43 F-35s under the eighth Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP Lot VIII) lot of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The acquisition includes 29 F-35A model…
F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet can operate effectively from Indian Navy aircraft carriers
F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet can operate effectively from Indian Navy aircraft carriers. For the Rs 24,000-crore project, the US aerospace giant has pitched its twin seater F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet which can operate from a `ski-jump ramp and be an enabler for secure Indo-Pacific. India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC), is getting ready to go for sea trials soon and is expected to be commissioned into the Eastern Naval Command in 2022 as INS Vikrant. For the Rs 24,000-crore project, the US aerospace giant has pitched its twin s…
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These Are The Chinese Military Advancements That Are Shifting The Balance Of Power In Asia
As China continues its rise to superpower stature, Beijing is trying to rapidly increase its firepower. China’s attempts to seriously upgrade its military — with next-generation fighter jets, ballistic missiles, and advanced naval vessels — is partly aimed at keeping pace with the US. The two are in a veritable arms race in east Asia. The US engaged in a “pivot to Asia,” focusing military and diplomatic attention on an increasingly important part of the world. Meanwhile, China is trying to expand its territorial reach into the So…
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