2019 F-35 News and Discussion

And then, the king of everything (including dogfight) as considered as a sitting duck (during dogfight)…

#Luftwaffe Eurofighters recently went up against USAF F-35s in a visual dogfight. “They flew loads of funky manoeuvres, but I gunned them anyway.” – chief JG74 at Neuberg AB. #AirbusTMB

https://twitter.com/GarethJennings3/status/1191728333324718086

The link just brings me back here.

$34 billion contract for 478 F-35s has been awarded.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/lockheed-to-get-dollar34-billion-for-f-35-as-pentagon-announces-award/ar-AAJuaZH

ETA: Fixed link

This is the video of the first British F-35B deck landing on the Queen Elizabeth 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNYkbqFseYw

F-35 sea trials aboard the QE
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7568983/F-35-Lightning-jets-HMS-Queen-Elizabeth-operational-trials.html

Impressive and funny (notice how both seating chairs on the balconies are gone in the 2nd image).

The two different images may not have been taken at the same time or even on the same day.

Impressive and funny (notice how both seating chairs on the balconies are gone in the 2nd image).

F-35 Advanced EOTS comparison.

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Advanced EOTS is Multi-Spectral and due to it’s “plug-n-Play design (with current F-35s), any image processing would be done in the unit itself.

https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019-09-17-Lockheed-Martin-Continues-Advanced-EOTS-Development

Maybe it’s a QWIP sensor?

Wow, it seems a tv image. Really impresive performance.

F-35 Advanced EOTS comparison.

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Advanced EOTS is Multi-Spectral and due to it’s “plug-n-Play design (with current F-35s), any image processing would be done in the unit itself.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has continued development of its Advanced Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), which offers crystal clear resolution, unmatched multi-spectral range and significant cost savings for the F-35 Lightning II.

Advanced EOTS includes a larger aperture and provides pilots with multi-spectral sensing options such as high-resolution Mid-Wave IR, Short-Wave IR and Near IR. Utilizing the same volume and weight, Advanced EOTS is effortless to integrate into the F-35 Lightning II with the “plug and play” feature.

https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019-09-17-Lockheed-Martin-Continues-Advanced-EOTS-Development

Maybe it’s a QWIP sensor?

First Two Vermont Air Guard F-35s Arrive at Burlington Airport

https://www.slideshare.net/PraveenPratapSingh2/variable-cycle-engine-ppt-65048391
See 9/34 about that.

Great read, thanks! This is going to become a crucial matter over the next years, for sure :eagerness:

https://www.slideshare.net/PraveenPratapSingh2/variable-cycle-engine-ppt-65048391
See 9/34 about that.

Another genuine question : won’t a triple flow enhance too much the engine weight? Apparently weight tolerances are quite low on F-35

what is the tolerances?

What are we looking at for 3rd stream, 250kg?
It’s marginal. Think also that the reduced core section will generate more weight savings than the increase brings in. We might end with an even result 😉

That definitely could happen. The third stream is relatively low temp. You could build the necessary structure out of CFRP. The core section is where your dense nickel based alloys are. Even small reductions there counts for a lot with regards to weight.

What are we looking at for 3rd stream, 250kg?
It’s marginal. Think also that the reduced core section will generate more weight savings than the increase brings in. We might end with an even result 😉

Another genuine question : won’t a triple flow enhance too much the engine weight? Apparently weight tolerances are quite low on F-35

There are several parameters which are key contributors of an airplane’s predefined performance baseline (aerodynamics, propulsion and mission profile are the contributors with greatest impact). Weight affects aerodynamics by requiring more angle of attack to provide lift as weight increases. And increased angle of attack drives induced drag which negatively impacts range, speed and acceleration (typical performance baseline requirements). Designers use the weight growth curve to assure weight stays under control and the performance baseline is achieved, all other key contributors remaining constant. “All other key contributors remaining constant” is the catch. Adding 3rd stream propulsion performance is not constant with respect to current F135 performance. This allows the design team to re-balance the design to achieve the airplane’s predefined performance. Improved propulsion performance may offset the weight increase. If a great benefit to airplane’s performance can be achieved, the predefined performance goals will likely be altered, e.g. combat radius increase.

We are looking at a safe margin of +- 9t of ordinance to implement any modification…

Also, third stream will generate power that could be used on cooling (beyond their inherent participation to insuling the hot section) leaving the extra amount of fuel that has to be kept for that to a bare minimum. This will open op birds to some weight savings, opening room for the new propulsion system.

Another genuine question : won’t a triple flow enhance too much the engine weight? Apparently weight tolerances are quite low on F-35

[USER=”41059″]halloweene[/USER] – The airflow in the intakes doesn’t appreciably change. You could change it, if there is opportunities for further enhancement and internal tolerances within the structure of the plane and such support it. But it doesn’t have to. Having the third stream just changes bypass airflow.

[USER=”39911″]TomcatViP[/USER] – That doesn’t get you a reduction of a factor of two but I’ll take that as a good initial approx.. They will probably reduce the internal volume of the engine core (to get their high pressure ratio) by a slight amount though – like how I first proposed – instead of bumping up the external diameter of the engine (and intake). So, since pressure is a factor it could be slightly more than that. We’re talking small changes though…no need for the drastic difference in the size between the fan and the core seen in airliners because that third stream is compressed and so gives a very high bypass flow. And that means the engine will be very efficient because the fan can run at its optimum speed simultaneously with the LP and HP spools – which cannot happen with the big airliner engines without coupling the fan through reduction gears.

Let’s say that we have initially a diameter of 1
Add 0.1 at each diametral extremities (the thickness of the added stream) and the new diameter become 1+ 2×0.1 😉

Air intakes are desined for the enhanced air flow? (genuine question)