FLUG REVUE December 2005: Lockheed Martin F-35 programme advances

December 2005

F-35: FIRST PROTOTYPE NEARS COMPLETION

By Karl Schwarz

In an interview with FLUG REVUE at the beginning of October in Fort Worth, Dan Crowley, JSF Programme Manager at Lockheed Martin, said confidently, “We are currently 30 days at the most behind schedule for the maiden flight next August.” “And the bonus payments for keeping the programme on track are currently looking good,” added his colleague Tom Burbage. The restructuring of the F-35 development and test programme (Systems Design and Development, SDD) has evidently been successful, although it has driven the projected costs to completion of the work, for which the target date is now October 2013, up by $6.529 billion to around $26 billion (Euro 21.8 billion).

Lockheed Martin F-35A

An extensive redesign effort was necessary to solve a problem of excessive weight, especially in the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the F-35. This means that prototype AA-1, which is currently approaching completion in the huge hangar of Air Force Plant 4, is no longer representative of the series model. It does have the correct external shape, however, so it can still make an important contribution to the flight test programme, which Test Programme Director Paul Metz has scoped at 6,800 flights. 15 aircraft will be required for this: six F-35A's, five F-35B's (STOVL) and four F-35C's (the aircraft carrier version).

Also earmarked to play an important role in the flight test programme is a modified Boeing 737-300, which will fly for the first time in June 2006 and will be used for trials with the mission systems commencing early in 2007. It has the F-35's nose, while special surfaces are mounted on its sides to accommodate the numerous sensors and antennae. The cabin will contain a complete JSF cockpit plus 20 consoles for flight test engineers. The conversion work is being carried out by BAE Systems Flight Systems in Mojave, California.

BAE Systems has meanwhile also delivered its rear fuselage and tail assembly parts to Fort Worth. “We have already tested the fit of the vertical fins. They make a good impression. After we saw the quality of the Eurofighter parts from BAE and were not satisfied with them, they improved their quality control,” said Ed G. Linhart, head of the Production department. His next goal is to attach the upper wing skin, which is a single carbon fibre part, by mid-October. 5,300 rivets have to be placed in a week. Meanwhile a dozen or so mechanics can work on the AA-1 prototype, which has scaffolding erected around it, in parallel, supported by engineers from all the partner companies, who have placed their desks directly around the aircraft. To make up the slight slippage, the plant is operating a three shift system that provides round-the-clock coverage.

While the preparations for the first flight are pushing ahead at full stretch, speculation is rife as regards the unit numbers to be purchased by the US armed forces, which will be considered as part of the Pentagon's forthcoming Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). “It looks as if the Air Force will cut back its requirement from the original 1,763 aircraft,” Tom Burbage concedes, “but it will still be a large number.” Some of these could take the form of the (more expensive) STOVL version, modified in line with USAF standards which include, for example, a boom receptacle on the upper side of the fuselage.

In Italy, too, there are indications that a mixed fleet of F-35B's and F-35A's will be procured. The United Kingdom in turn is examining the possibility of purchasing the F-35C as well as the F-35B, which would affect the dimensions of the aircraft carrier that would be needed. The decision is a difficult one, as the C version is currently the least well-defined. Only recently its wing surface was increased by ten percent to bring the landing speed down to 270km/h.

Italy and the UK may also want to set up their own “final assembly and checkout lines” so as to ensure that they have the capabilities required later on to support the Joint Strike Fighter largely from their own resources. “That they would have to pay for themselves,” Burbage points out. He is hoping that, despite such complications and the latent dissatisfaction in some of the partner countries over the extent of industrial participation, a global agreement on the production and support phases can be concluded at the end of next year.

From FLUG REVUE 12/2005

Last updated 10 November 2005

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