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Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 1/97 GIANTS FIGHT FOR JOINT SRIKE FIGHTER by Karl Schwarz The world's largest aircraft manufacturers are fighting for the potentially biggest fighter aircraft order of the next century. The Pentagon's decision about the next phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program was anxiously awaited by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and McDonnell Douglas - not because of some hundred million dollars for the development of two prototypes, but because the dominance in the fighter business for the next 50 years was at stake. On November 16, 1996, US Defence Minister, William Perry, announced that Boeing and Lockheed Martin had reached the next round of the competition. The two companies were allotted $ 661 802 071 and $ 718 800 000 respectively and each of them will build two prototypes of their fighter concepts and will also accomplish further work in optimizing the multi-role aircraft. Additional funds are directed to Pratt & Whitney to deliver versions of its F119 turbofan. With this decision, the Pentagon has made another important step to renew the fighter fleets of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Joint Strike Fighter is supposed to replace several existing aircraft beginning in 2008: The US Navy needs 300 fighter bombers to supplement its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The Navy requires 600 NM range and the internal weapons bay must be able to hold two 1000 kg guided weapons and two AIM-120 AMRAAMs. The US Air Force is looking for a replacement of its F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II. The 2036 aircraft are to be multi-role capable with the focus being on air-to-ground mission capabilities. Two 450 kg guided weapons, a gun, and two AMRAAMs are designated as internal armament. The US Marine Corps continues to pursue an STOVL capable (short take-off, vertical landing) aircraft to replace the AV-8B Harrier II and the F/A-18C/D. The specifications call for a range of 450 to 500 NM and the armament is similar to the Air Force version. Planned number of aircraft: 642. The British Royal Navy must replace its Sea Harriers sometime in the future. Due to the small aircraft carriers, a STOVL capable aircraft is a must. The Royal Navy needs approximately 60 aircraft. All forces are looking for significantly higher sortie rates, less maintenance and reduced logistics. This is added by stealth capabilities, probably similar to the F-22, as well as, a turning performance that is at least as good as the F-16's. The maximum speed is supposed to be Mach 1.5. In earlier times it was possible that several different aircraft programs would have been initiated in order to cope with these requirements. While the USAF and USN started their own programs at the beginning of the nineties, the Pentagon's procurement head, John M. Deutch, stopped these efforts in August of 1993 when ordering the JAST program (Joint Advanced Strike Technology) which was to jointly research advanced technologies for a future fighter. One main focus was on the reduction of development, production, and operating costs. According to 1994's prices, the USAF version will cost $ 28 million per aircraft, the USMC variant $ 30 to 35 million, and the carrier version is estimated at around 38 million dollars. The calculation of the operating costs is based on 360 flight hours per year. Some people doubt that it is technologically feasible to build such an ideal aircraft, pointing out the experiences with the F-111 in the sixties as a negative example. Still, the supporters of the JSF program claim to have reason for optimism since all parties involved were brought to one table from the beginning; saying also that the specifications were fixed in close cooperation with the military and the industry in conjunction. According to Keith Jackson, Lockheed Martin's JSF chief engineer, the technological basis for such a program is available. This includes today's fantastic possibilities of computer aided design, simulation, new production technologies, better materials, as well as, efficient avionics. Even the procurement process was optimized. A large part of the communication is accomplished via Internet, offers must be submitted in digital form, and their volume was strictly limited to 800 A4-sized pages. Several technology projects are being continued parallel to the development of the prototypes to minimize the risks in realizing JSF. For example: ALAFS (advanced light-weight aircraft fuselage) to develop large fuselage sections which are to weigh 20 percent less than today. This includes the utilization of automatically placed composites sheets. New subsystems, such as starter/generator units and combined cooler/power generators to replace the hydraulic system, APU, and air conditioning. The flight controls can be moved through compact electro-hydraulical servos. Helmet mounted displays for the pilots to replace HUDs, aided by large colour displays in the cockpit. Phased array radar which Hughes and Northrop Grumman are working on. The number of antennas is to be reduced. Optics for infrared-, laser-, and TV sensors are to be combined as much as possible. A flexible avionics suite, open for new systems, with central computers that are based on commercial processors. A significant reduction of cabling, concentrating on a few powerful data buses. Cost reduction of the stealth measures, especially their maintenance in day-to-day operation (for example through heavy-duty coating). Until 2001 these works are to build a solid basis for the transition of the concept and flying demonstration phase to the engineering and manufacturing development. If the funds are available and the Pentagon doesn't change its mind by then, the final winner will be chosen at that point, who will then develop its concept to serial production standard. Current plans call for a development which will take approximately seven years, with first test flights beginning in 2004.The first production aircraft could be delivered in 2007 and the first squadron could be operational in 2010. According to the bid, the deliveries will extend until 2030. JSF is not only important to the USA. Great Britain is participating with $ 200 million as a collaborative development partner in the pending test program. Further interested parties for JSF are welcome since the industry is very much interested in making the new fighter an export hit like the F-16. "Associate partners" with limited participation in the development or "informed customers" could sometime in the future procure at least 1000 JSF, thus supporting the American market dominance far into the next century. From page 14 of FLUG REVUE 1/97 Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 1/97 Copyright 1996 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated December 11, 1996