USMC & USAF Pilots on the capabilities of the F-35

[Vulcan]

Yeah I try to remember to do that. This flash youtube integration is deprecated.

Should let them suffer for letting apple choose what 'is good for them'.     

[Zimme83]

http://aviationweek.com/defense/f-35c-needs-new-outer-wings-carry-aim-9x

The U.S. Navy variant experienced an undisclosed amount of oscillation or turbulence during flight trials with the AIM-9X in December 2015, and Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan says aircraft already delivered need to be retrofitted with strengthened wings.

[Vraciu]

http://aviationweek.com/defense/f-35c-needs-new-outer-wings-carry-aim-9x

"Nothing to see here.  Everything is fine."  - Bogdon

*facepalm*

[PR3D4TOR]

The outer wing panels need to be strengthened, and replaced on 32 aircraft. Should be easy enough since they are already separate from the rest of the structure. I can't see how this is a major setback in any way shape or form. If the sky is falling this hard we don't need planes anymore anyhow.

[Zimme83]

Should not be a disaster but they should have sorted things like this out years ago, its a decade since it flew for the first time...
What also got my attention is that the article says the F-35 will use the aim-9x and Aim-120c while the legacy fighers already use the -120D abd -9x block II...

[PR3D4TOR]

Last year was the first time they flew with the AIM-9 on the 35C. The first flight of the F-35A was a decade ago. The F-35A doesn't have these outer wing panels.

[ACE]

The F35 is so purrrrrrty

[Vraciu]

The outer wing panels need to be strengthened, and replaced on 32 aircraft. Should be easy enough since they are already separate from the rest of the structure. I can't see how this is a major setback in any way shape or form. If the sky is falling this hard we don't need planes anymore anyhow.

(Image removed from quote.)

They don't have a fix yet (like every other problem it is "being engineered").

Add weight there at the wingtip and you drive other problems.  This is not an easy fix and they're still rolling mistake jets out the door so they don't fall further behind schedule. 

It's unbelivable.

[PR3D4TOR]

Of course they don't have a fix yet. They've just discovered the problem.

[Vraciu]

You missed my point.     

Any way...

Just discovered THIS problem.   

They don't have a fix yet.  It's not a matter of simply beefing up the outer wing panel either.   This fix will drive other problems.  Ad nasueum.   

Major setback?   The bar for what defines major in this program is rather high (by necessity and incompetence).

Meanwhile they're building them any way.   Why not?   Free taxpayer money.   Yum!

[Zimme83]

actually: (should have been in the original post, sorry for that)

Engineers have already produced an enhanced outer wing design, which is now undergoing flight testing. The issue has impacted the timeline for fielding AIM-9X, which is being rolled out for the Navy in Block 3F. “Once the new design is verified to provide the require strength, the fix will be implemented in production and retrofitted to existing aircraft by swapping existing outer wings with the redesigned ones,” Bogdan writes.

[Vraciu]

actually: (should have been in the original post, sorry for that)

I saw that in the article.  I am not buying it. 

They still need to fix the tail-to-fuselage junction.  It's failing at 250 hours instead of 6,000.  That equals "major setback" by any definition.

[PR3D4TOR]

That's just it: You are buying it, whether you like it or not. 

[Vraciu]

That's just it: You are buying it, whether you like it or not. 

I know it.   Everytime I see my pay stub I wince just a little.

[PR3D4TOR]

I know the feeling.