F-35 Lightning II
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Parece que el piloto implicado en el último accidente de un F-35B (New Mexico, 28/5/2024), se encuentra estable: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-pilot-f-35b-crash-kirtland/
Esta unidad accidentada era una instrumentalizada de pruebas configurada como TR2 y entregada en septiembre de 2023. Esta flota es muy escasa y con mucha demanda, por lo que la pérdida es significativa.
Contrato relacionado con los motores (29/05/2024): https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3790490/
NAVY"Raytheon Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $380,604,448 modification (P00053) to a previously awarded, cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive (firm-target), cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable contract (N0001921C0011). This modification adds scope and increases contract ceiling to provide for F135 propulsion system annual sustainment including program management, financial and administrative activities, propulsion integration, replenishment spare part buys, engineering support, material management, configuration management, product management support, software sustainment, security management, Joint Technical Data updates, and support equipment management. Additionally, this effort includes depot level maintenance and repair for all fielded propulsion systems at the F-35 production sites and operational locations, as well as training in support of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (40%); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (21%); Indianapolis, Indiana (12%); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (6%); West Palm Beach, Florida (6%); Brekstad, Norway (4%); Leeuwarden, Netherlands (3%); Iwakuni, Japan (3%); Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia (2%); (1%); Cameri, Italy, and Marham, United Kingdom (1%); and Fort Worth, Texas (1%), is expected to be completed in August 2024. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $91,144,011; fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $54,514,229; fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,667,989; non-U.S. DOD participant funds in the amount of $49,397,375; and FMS funds in the amount of $25,311,056, will be obligated at time of award, $162,326,229, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity."
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Otro contrato más relacionado con el motor (30/05/2024): https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3791872/
"Raytheon Technologies Corp., doing business at Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $301,762,768 modification (P00002) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive (firm-target), cost-plus-incentive-fee advanced acquisition contract (N0001923C0030). This modification procures Lot 19 long-lead time materials as well as the manufacture, assembly, inspection, acceptance, and delivery of 108 conventional takeoff and landing F135 propulsion systems, 27 short takeoff and vertical landing F135 propulsion systems, and 13 Carrier Variant F135 propulsion systems. Additionally, this effort provides global spares requirements to include spare engines, power modules, and other hardware supporting the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (17%) (labor surplus area); Indianapolis, Indiana (10%); Middletown, Connecticut (8%); Kent, Washington (7%); North Berwick, Maine (4%); El Cajon, California (3%) (labor surplus area); Cromwell, Connecticut (3%); Whitehall, Michigan (3%) Portland, Oregon (2%); San Diego, California (2%); South Bend, Indiana (2%); Columbus, Georgia (1%); Hampton, Virginia (1%); Manchester, Connecticut (1%), Cheshire, Connecticut (1%); Elmwood Park, New Jersey (1%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (34%), and is expected to be completed in June 2027. Fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $45,759,000; fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $21,319,250; fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $18,408,000; FMS customer funds in the amount of $195,364,769; and non-U.S. DOD participant funds in the amount of $20,911,749, will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity." -
Los F-35 holandeses asumen la misión de ataque nuclear: https://theaviationist.com/2024/05/31/dutch-f-35-nuclear-role/
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A este paso San Marino, Andorra y Monaco tendrán F35 A y B antes que España
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Las entregas del F-35, suspendidas durante casi un año, podrían reanudarse en julio
[https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-35-deliveries-could-resume-in-july/]
Incluso entregandolos necesitarían parches frecuentes...
[https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-35-tr-3-software-patches/]La Fuerza Aérea de EE. UU. ha firmado su primer contrato para misiles de crucero Joint Strike Missile (JSM) . Los misiles de fabricación noruega aparentemente están destinados a darle a los F-35A del servicio una capacidad antibuque de enfrentamiento provisional hasta que los aviones obtengan el misil antibuque de largo alcance AGM-158C (LRASM) más grande. Sin embargo, los JSM también pueden atacar objetivos en tierra y podrán caber dentro de los compartimentos de armas internos del F-35A, lo que permitirá a los aviones emplear estas armas mientras se mantienen lo más sigilosos posible.
[https://www.twz.com/air/usaf-f-35s-are-officially-getting-joint-strike-cruise-missiles-that-fit-in-their-bays]
Los F-35 holandeses asumen un papel nuclear completo
A partir del 1 de junio, un escuadrón holandés de F-35A será el primero en Europa en tener la plena responsabilidad del ataque nuclear con el caza furtivo.
[https://www.twz.com/air/dutch-f-35s-take-on-a-full-nuclear-role] -
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Al parecer, Alemania podría comprar otras ocho unidades: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2024-06-07/exclusive-germany-looking-into-buying-eight-additional-lockheed-f-35-jets-source-says
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Me parece a mi, que lo mismo todos estos gastos de defensa se terminan evaporando en discusiones parlamentarias.
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F-35B del VMFA-242 Bats (vía @Roberto_yeager): https://x.com/Roberto_yeager/status/1802997559390044443
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Otro contrato más relacionado con el mantenimiento (18/06/2024): https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3811149/
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $63,534,667 modification (P00032) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N0001922C0041). This modification extends services to provide continued infrastructure support, to include engineering, maintenance, logistics, manpower, and material for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) laboratory facilities and F-35 developmental flight test activities in support of the F-35 JSF program for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and F-35 cooperative program partners. Work will be performed Fort Worth, Texas (81%); Orlando, Florida (7%); Linthicum, Maryland (3%); Nashua, New Hampshire (3%); San Diego, California (2%); El Segundo, California (2%); Samlesbury, United Kingdom (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (1%), and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $19,282,467; fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,282,467; fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $6,698,415; fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,698,415; and F-35 cooperative program partners funds in the amount of $11,572,902, will be obligated at the time of award, $13,396,830 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.