Senate Armed Services Committee report on F-35 (June 5, 2012)

DOD Actions Needed to Further Enhance Restructuring and Address Affordability Risks: GAO report on JSF, 14 June 2012 (pdf)

 

Contrast with ...

 

Pentagon's best kept secret: F-35 is progressing nicely (Forbes, 11 June 2012)

meanwhile ...

 

Norway places F-35A buy (Aviation Week, 15 June 2012)

Dutch legislature calls for country to withdraw from JSF

Lockheed dismisses $1 trillion estimate for F-35 JSF (AOL Defense)

First weapons separation tests in Pax River F-35B (from Defense Update, with video):

http://defense-update.com/20120809_pax-riv...ation-test.html

I hope the AIM-9 support is an interim pylon, the idea was to develop a stealth pylon for the Sidewinders, and I think that pylon is not so much stealthy ...

From http://defense.aol.com/2012/08/28/pentagons-testing-czar-questions-f-35-programs-ote-plan/

 

[excerpt]

 

Pentagon's Testing Czar Questions F-35 Program's OTE Plan

 

WASHINGTON: The head of Operational Test and Evaluation tells the Joint Strike Fighter program in a memo that he will not approve a comprehensive testing plan for the aircraft, raising significant questions about the F-35's progress. The memo may invite close congressional scrutiny as well.

From http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheed-awarded-207-million-contract-to-incorporate-israeli-specific-f-35-systems-375899/

 

[excerpt]

 

Lockheed awarded $207 million contract to incorporate Israeli-specific F-35 systems

By Dave Majumdar Washington DC

2 hours ago

 

The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Lockheed Martin a $207 million contract modification to incorporate unique Israeli equipment into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The text of the aforementioned OT&E memo can be found on the POGO website (in PDF):

 

http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/414422/memo-on-f-35-ote-plan.pdf

From http://www.defenceiq.com/air-forces-and-military-aircraft/articles/ex-defence-chief-stumbles-to-the-rescue-as-dutch-m/&mac=DFIQ_OI_Featured_2011&utm_source=defenceiq.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DFIQOptIn&utm_content=8/30/12

 

[excerpt]

 

Ex Dutch defence chief stumbles to the rescue as MPs contemplate ditching F-35

Contributor: Yousuf Malik

Posted: 08/29/2012 12:00:00 AM EDT

 

The former chief of defence of The Netherlands, Dick Berlijn, and Dutch defence expert, Peter Wijninga, recently backed the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme and their government’s bid to acquire the fifth generation fighter. This comes after the majority of Dutch MPs now back the idea of ditching the hugely expensive and much-delayed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is built by Lockheed Martin, the US defence contractor.

The link to the RAND report "Air Combat Past, Present and Future", referred to in the above article, is here:

 

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/42891479/Air-Combat-Past-Present-and-Future

From http://defense-update.com/20120910_f35_japan.html

 

[excerpt]

 

September 10, 2012 at 05:48

Japanese Project F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Will Cost 50 Percent More Than Previously Estimated

Posted by Richard_Dudley

 

Japan’s Kyodo News Service recently reported that Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) projects that the cost for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) will be 50 percent greater than in the current year. The fifth-generation stealth fighters Japan has agreed to buy during Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) may total as much as $196.9 million per aircraft instead of the current year cost of $128.6 million per plane.

From http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/138241/usaf-begins-f_35-operational-utility-evaluation.html

 

[excerpt]

 

Air Force Begins F-35A Operational Utility Evaluation at Eglin AFB

(Source: US Air Force; issued Sept. 7, 2012)

 

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Air Force officials begin their F-35A Lightning II Operational Utility Evaluation Sept. 10, an instrumental step in beginning joint strike fighter pilot and maintenance training for the service. Two 33rd Fighter Wing pilots here; along with two Air Force test pilots, will conduct the review expected to last approximately 65 days.

From http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/138230/kpmg-to-audit-canadian-f_35-purchase-costs.html

 

[excerpt]

 

National Fighter Procurement Secretariat Awards Contract to Review Costs for Next Generation Fighter Capability Project

(Source: Public Works and Government Services Canada; issued Sept. 7, 2012)

 

GATINEAU, Quebec --- The National Fighter Procurement Secretariat (NFPS) today announced the awarding of a $643,535 contract to KPMG LLP to review the National Defence (ND) figures for the Next Generation Fighter Capability project. This will inform the ND annual update to be tabled in Parliament, as called for in the Government’s seven-point action plan in response to the Auditor General of Canada’s report tabled in the spring.

From http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/11/us-lockheed-fighter-idUSBRE88A04A20120911

 

[excerpt]

 

More problems raised at Pentagon F-35 fighter review

By Andrea Shalal-Esa

WASHINGTON | Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:57pm EDT

 

(Reuters) - Senior Pentagon officials voiced frustration about the pace of Lockheed Martin Corp's development of the $396 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program at a high-level review on Friday, according to several sources familiar with the program. Officials did not approve a comprehensive plan for operational testing of the F-35 program as had been expected.