F-35C snart operative - Først på USS Carl Vinson - AW&ST

Momentum Builds For U.S. Navy To Declare The F-35C Combat-Ready Lee Hudson The U.S. Navy is poised to declare the F-35C ready for combat at the end of February, the last of the tri-service strike-fighter versions to achieve operational capability. As much as it is a landmark for the Pentagon’s largest procurement program, it is a milestone for Lockheed Martin, which was selected to develop the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in 2001. For the Navy, the declaration signals that the service can start preparing for its first carrier deployment with the fifth-generation fighter aircraft. It is in the process of moving all F-35C assets to California to support operational needs in the Pacific. The F-35C, with its advanced data links and sensors, will bring unprecedented situational awareness to the carrier air wing. Likened to an iPhone for its ability to bring new applications to aerial combat, the F-35C will work with the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, and other aircraft. USS Carl Vinson will be the first carrier to deploy with F-35Cs VFA-147 will be the first F-35C operational squadron to deploy It is the first aircraft to have a GPS-based guidance technology—known as the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System—built in, allowing for carrier landing approaches in bad weather. The F-35C also features integrated direct lift control, which combines engine and flight control to make carrier approaches easier by improving glidepath control. This capability is being retrofitted to F/A-18E/Fs. The aircraft are likely to deploy on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), which is slated to receive retrofits to accommodate the F-35 in 2019. Strike Fighter Sqdn. VFA-147, the Argonauts, will be the Navy’s first to deploy with the F-35C and is based at NAS Lemoore, California. The Navy had the luxury of waiting to delclare the F-35’s initial operating capability (IOC) because it had the F/A-18E/F in its inventory. It is still purchasing Super Hornets and will acquire an improved version of the aircraft known as Block III. The Marine Corps opted not to purchase the Super Hornet and needed to replace its aging F/A-18C/D Hornet fleet.

A pilot assigned to Strike Fighter Sqdn. 147, the Argonauts, conducts a preflight inspection of an F-35C. Credit: Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Isaacs/U.S. Navy

And Navy leaders, who were far less enthusiastic about the F-35 than the Marines or Air Force, opted to wait for the development program’s final Block 3F software load to come online, while the other services accepted less mature software. This upgraded version of software allows pilots to suppress enemy air defenses, which will be important to defend the joint force from potential threats from China and Russia. In addition to Block 3F software, the Navy stipulated that its first operational squadron be manned, trained, equipped to conduct assigned missions and have 10 aircraft in its inventory. The F-35 Joint Program Office, which has faced tremendous scrutiny for developmental difficulties on the $400 billion program, confronted several challenges specific to the C-model. The F-35C features a larger wing, with folding tips, and beefed-up landing gear to enable carrier operations. To conduct missions at sea, it carries nearly 20,000 lb. more fuel internally. Some of those requirements led to unique problems with the tailhook, wing structure and catapult launch. The tailhook redesign delayed the program by at least 12 months.

The F-35C will conduct carrier-based, all-weather, attack, fighter and support missions for the U.S. Navy using stealth technology and advanced sensors. Credit: Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe/U.S. Navy

During 2011 land-based tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, New Jersey, the F-35C failed to engage the Mk. 7 arresting gear in all eight attempts because the tailhook could not capture the wire. Working with experienced carrier aircraft developer Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin redesigned the critical component, and it successfully caught the wire during sea trials in 2014. Another hiccup for the C-model occurred in 2016 when the Navy discovered that the aircraft’s outer-wing panels did not have sufficient structural strength to support the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. Thirty-two F-35Cs had to be retrofitted at a total cost of $8.8 million. F-35C pilots identified another problem during carrier-qualification tests. The aviators experienced excessive and violent vertical oscillations during catapult launches. Subsequently, the hold-down force compressing the nose-gear oleo was reduced, and pilots are now using new strap-in procedures to address the safety concern. One year ago, the Navy made the decision to stand up a “type wing” to oversee training, manning and readiness of all F-35C squadrons at the same time VFA-147 was returning from a combat deployment and handing over its Super Hornets, Capt. Max McCoy, Joint Strike Fighter Wing commodore, tells Aviation Week. The Wing oversees all of the squadrons affiliated with the F-35C, including both training and operations. Once VFA-147 returned, sailors began arriving at Eglin AFB, Florida, for F-35 maintenance training. Eglin is home to the Academic Training Center for all F-35 maintainers, whether they are U.S. military, international partners or Foreign Military Sales customer personnel.

F-35Cs from three different squadrons—the Argonauts, Rough Raiders and Grim Reapers—fly over Eglin AFB, Florida. Credit: Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe/U.S. Navy

The Argonauts have been cleared as safe for flight—a designation needed to achieve IOC—meaning it has the optimum number of personnel, equipment, maintenance and safety programs to conduct routine flight operations. Another stipulation for IOC is that the squadron possess at least 30% of its assigned aircraft and have the logistics system installed and operating, which the Navy has met. Over the same period, the Navy’s F-35C community was able to conduct operational testing aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). “Those were a lot of challenging tasks that had to be done, and they were completed in a short period of time,” McCoy says. “They were all executed flawlessly, which is pretty impressive when you consider how small the community is and how new it is to the Navy.” During the operational test period, the aircraft conducted missions with other aircraft types for the first time. The Navy used six F-35Cs and 30-40 Super Hornets. The main focus of the test event was sortie generation and sustainment and operations on the aircraft carrier. Navy pilots who spoke with Aviation Week say they chose to fly the F-35C because it is an incredible opportunity to have direct impact for the nascent community. For example, Lt. Brian O’Toole, JSF Wing safety officer—and the only qualified F-35C landing signals officer—is helping to develop the carrier qualification program. Since the F-35 has more advanced technology to aid the pilot in landing on a carrier, the aircraft may save the Navy some hefty flight-hour dollars because the amount of landings needed to get qualified may be fewer compared to another fighter. In preparation for the start of operations, the Navy is moving its F-35C stateside to Lemoore. The home base had to add or remodel facilities to accommodate the fifth-generation fighter. This includes a pilot fit facility, where aviators can be fitted for their helmet-mounted displays, a certified engine repair facility, a pilot training center and remodeled hangars. Lemoore is outfitted with four F-35 training simulators and eventually will have eight. The Hangar 5 remodel will wrap up within the next few weeks, and the service is on track to modify Hangar 6. Renovating the hangars is necessary because the F-35C requires more space than legacy aircraft. The new aircraft brings requirements the Navy fighter community has not had to accommodate previously, whether it is electrical infrastructure, cooling, overhead coverage to meet maintenance requirements or mission planning security, McCoy says. Military construction funding is subject to the federal budget process, so the infrastructure required to support the F-35C must be prioritized to ensure that there is no unintended negative operational impact to the community.