DRIVINGDOWNF-35COSTS INLATESTBATCH
In the background to the operational
scene, F-35 production continues apace.
The US Department of Defense and
Lockheed Martin recently agreed the
11th low-rate initial oroduction batch,
worth some $11.5 billion and covering a
total of 141 jets.
O cial gures put the F-35A yaway
cost at $89.2 million. However, the most
expensive variant — the F-35B — is still
up at $115.5 million, albeit down from
$122.4 million in LRIP 10. Lockheed
Martin says it remains on track to reducethe cost of the F-35A to $80 million
by 2020 as it ramps up to full-rate
production of 168 aircraft per year.
US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis
included the F-35 in his audit of ghter
aircraft that need to improve readiness
rates. The USAF’s F-35A has tracked
downwards in terms of availability,
logging an average 54.67 per cent
mission-capable rate in 2017. This trend
re ects the status of immature early-
production jets, all of which need to be
upgraded to the latest, more reliable,
Block 3 production standards.
JPO chief VADM Mat Winter says the
USAF, US Marine Corps and US Navy will
upgrade all early-production F-35s to
Block 3 standard, but they will be a mix of
standards. Tech Refresh-2 (TR-2) includes
a new integrated core processor (ICP), a
panoramic cockpit display and memory
system. Harris Corporation is developing
the ICP, which will process data for
the F-35’s communications, electronic
warfare suite, cockpit displays and helmet
displays. The follow-on TR-3 features
additional enhancements and will be
introduced on new-production aircraft in
Lot 15, which will be delivered from 2023.trials on board Britain’s carrier particularly
closely.’ Test pilot Lippert said, ‘This is one
of the main reasons we are here. It is of
interest to the service at large and we
are learning from each other. I will have
the honor of conducting the rst SRVL
at sea for the US military so I’m excited.
It’s what we all join up for — this is truly
experimental test ying.’ The US Marine
Corps will join the UK F-35 force for the
debut deployment in 2021.
Cdr James Blackmore, commander air (or
‘Wings’) on board Queen Elizabeth stated,
‘This is the rst step in proving this
capability, and another milestone in
aviation for the Royal Navy. It’s fantastic to
have achieved this — it was textbook and
just what we expected.’Above: BAE test
pilot Peter ‘Wizzer’
Wilson made the
fi rst shipboard
rolling vertical
landing on the
carrier.
BAE Systems
Left: BF-04 sits
adjacent to
‘FlyCo’, which is
situated in the rear
‘island’ and is the
nerve center for
fl ying operations.
Crown Copyright/
LPhot Kyle Heller
Below: Cdr Gray
in BF-05 on the
Queen Elizabeth.
Crown Copyright/
PO Arron HoareINDUSTRY REPORT // F-35B
80 December 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net