Page 12 – Key Publishing

maus92

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 166 through 180 (of 563 total)

← 1 2 3 … 11 12 13 … 36 37 38 →

Author

Posts
November 25, 2010 at 8:56 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2357532

maus92
Participant

@maus & snafu,
well great to see that the F-35 is an affordable super fighter. A few F-22s for the current price tag wouldn’t hurt.

The F-35 is turning out to be almost as expensive as the F-22, although it was originally envisioned to cost less than the F/A-18E/F…

The F-35 is, however, a multirole aircraft with an emphasis on the strike mission, whereas the F-22A is an air superiority fighter (although it is being extended to carry some A-G weapons.) The F-22A is most definitely a superior fighter, but the F-35 will be a better strike platform.

November 25, 2010 at 1:48 am in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2358067

maus92
Participant

It’s exaggerated to state the US couldn’t afford more F-22s, ending production was more a political move.

Political in the sense that the aircraft are a very expensive, cold war orientated weapons system, and it was thought that the F-35 would be a more affordable and flexible alternative / complementary aircraft.

The F-22 line is still open, and LM is making meticulous records about every process in the event the line ever needs to be reopened.

November 23, 2010 at 11:17 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2359006

maus92
Participant

USAF Gen Schwartz is concerned about the F-35A

He seems to be concerned about software development, but notes that flight test is progressing well (for the -A.)

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/11/23/schwartz-concerned-about-f-35a-delays/

November 23, 2010 at 11:15 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2359009

maus92
Participant

Yes, I understand what you mean about the Corps and it’s historical lobbying power. One thing that is different now that could affect the Marines vaunted PR efforts is that very few members in the current Congress are veterans, and even fewer were former Marines.

November 23, 2010 at 10:32 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2359019

maus92
Participant

It is topical in the context of screaming lynch mobs declaring that the age of marine organic air is over. There is a law in place protecting the marine mission.
I know you’d like me to be banned and censored, but you could at least hide it lol XD. The Marines can refer to the 1947 law requiring them to support marine CAS for over theater concerns.

Nothing would stop the Marines from using F-18’s for fixed wing organic aviation. And the Key West Agreement could be amended to reflect modern realities.

November 23, 2010 at 1:31 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2359302

maus92
Participant

Report: VAdm Venlet supports F-35 engine competition

Politico links a story from Inside Defense that VAdm Venlet sent a letter to HAC-D chair Rep. Dicks in November in support of the F-35 engine competition.

http://www.politico.com/morningdefense/1110/morningdefense131.html

November 22, 2010 at 9:10 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2359597

maus92
Participant

In the ARES blog, Sweetman figures that each F135 costs 25M, based upon earlier procurement. P&W says that LRIP IV engines were offered at 10% less than the previous lot, so ~21M is a generous estimate.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3a7e939a63-3e67-4f0f-811a-45ff43a69bf4

November 22, 2010 at 4:35 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2359717

maus92
Participant

The DEW Line blog posted a chart on F-35 cost. In it, Trimble makes it clear that the cost of the F135 engine is not included in LM LRIP pricing.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2010/11/chart-how-much-does-an-f-35-co.html

November 21, 2010 at 12:26 am in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2360418

maus92
Participant

If there was a modification to an existing contract, that would also show as a separate entry.

This is why the latest LM contract starts with:

One would certainly think so.

But P&W is getting the contract for the engines from the DoD/NavAir, not LM – they say so in their press release. If P&W was suppling the engines to LM (as a subcontractor like NG or Alcoa,) you would think that P&W’s press release would indicate that their contract was with LM, and not the DoD.

November 20, 2010 at 11:55 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2360466

maus92
Participant

@Maus,
long lead items aren’t the entire engines, just components of them.

Yea, I know – I did a quick search looking for any contracts for the F135. I think the way it works is the DoD/NavAir awards a contract for long lead items, then modifies (adds funding to) the contract for the actual production and procurement of finished engines. This may be why the contract for the production of the engines doesn’t show up on the DoD website.

This press release indicates that P & W received the contract for the engines for LRIP Lot 3 aircraft from the DoD:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/07/mil-090722-pratt-whitney01.htm

When you add the contract amount for long lead items (113M) to the new award of 571M for production, you get the total value of the contract – 684M. The 113M is for the Lot 4 engines long lead items, and the 571M is for Lot 3 production engines. Presumably there was a similar long lead items contract for the Lot 3 engines *UPDATE – it was 78M.* Lot 3 was a run of 21 engines.

November 20, 2010 at 9:39 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2360491

maus92
Participant

P & W paid separately for F135

It doesn’t look like the pricing for the F-35 LRIP Lot 4 includes the engines:

Long lead items contract awarded to P&W for Lot 4 engines last year:

http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4024

Long lead items contract award to P&W for Lot 5 engines earlier this year:

http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4275

Lot 3 engines were purchased separately at 667M for 21 engines (31.7M each.) The P&W LRIP Lot 4 engine proposal comes in at more than 10% less than Lot 3, ~28M each. Pratt expects to reduce the cost of the engines by 40% over the 30 year life of the program.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4643997

November 20, 2010 at 12:58 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2360762

maus92
Participant

Another source pegs the LRIP IV price at 105-109M per plane.

http://defense-update.com/wp/20101119_f-35-testing.html

It is unclear if the cost includes the engine and radar – typically these items are GFE.

November 20, 2010 at 2:54 am in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2360908

maus92
Participant

F-35 LIRP 112M per copy

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/11/military-f-35-lockheed-gets-deal-for-lot-iv-111910w/

November 19, 2010 at 3:29 pm in reply to: F-22 Missing #2361139

maus92
Participant

I’m curious about what type of ASE that Alaska/Arctic based F-22A pilots might carry. Would they be wearing exposure suits? Parkas?

What’s the current model survival radio? Does it function like beacon or is it a satellite based system like ELT/PLB’s. If not, should USAF pilots carry COPAS-SARSAT PLB’s during peacetime?

November 17, 2010 at 8:51 pm in reply to: F-35 News Thread III #2361933

maus92
Participant

Cracks discovered in F-35B during fatigue testing

“The aft bulkhead of the F-35B BH-1 fatigue-test specimen has developed cracks after 1,500 hours of durability testing.”

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:7d1f2ccf-6f75-4c62-a78c-d57c7a6537e6
Author

Posts

Viewing 15 posts - 166 through 180 (of 563 total)

← 1 2 3 … 11 12 13 … 36 37 38 →