Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Stealth Saga #30: GAO to Boeing, Protest DENIED

TFX:

Turkey is seeking advanced stealth technologies to be included in their TFX fighter.

PAK-FA:

There is a report the Russians are cutting their order for the initial production run of the PAK-FA/T-50 from 17 to 12.  The way the article is written, the whole program sounds in jeopardy.

J-20:

The Chinese are expected to produce at least 6 LRIP J-20s as part of their gear up to full production.

RAQ-25 UCLASS/CBARS:

The US Navy wants this tanker/strike/recon drone asap.  

Sixth Generation Fighters:

The US Air Force and US Navy Sixth Generation Fighers (F-X and FA-XX respectively) will be separate aircraft, unlike the F-35, due to very different requirements.

Long Range Strike Bomber:

The GAO has denied Boeing's contract award protest.  Northrop and the USAF are clear to move forward.  I wonder when we will get to see the bird now?

Here's a bit more on the subject including the actual release by the GAO.

A top US Air Force acquisition official has been moved to a new job after he disclosed his wife had a retirement account with Northrop. There was some thought this might have muddied the contract award to Northrop protested by Boeing.  Obviously not.

F-22:

Here are some gorgeous pictures of the F-22 during Red Flag.

F-35:

The F-35 has crossed 50,000 flight hours.

The F-35 program will build 20 less fighters between FY17 and FY21.

Cutting the F-35 is an easy financial target for budgets.  OTOH, international partners are pushing the US to do a block buy of the F-35 over three years for financial reasons as well.

The F-35 is a strong contender for the replacement of Belgium's F-16s.

The F-35's simulator is profiled.

The F-35 Atlantic crossing was done with purely Italian assets.

Lockheed sees a demand for another 100 F-35 fighters in Asia.

The US Air Force will start using contractors to do maintenance for its 4th generation fighters due to the short fall of personnel for the F-35.

Here's more on the six F-35As sent to Mountain Home AFB as a simulated overseas deployment.

Mitsubishi is getting close to finishing assembly of AX-1, the first Japanese assembled F-35.

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