Friday, April 22, 2016

Stealth Saga #41

Avenger:

The US Air Force tested an advanced optical sensor on the General Atomics Avenger.

 MQ-XX:

MQ-XX will only have tanking and ISR capabilities, no strike, if the navy gets its way.

KF-X:

The engine maker for the KF-X is to be selected soon.

Hanwha Thales has been selected to provide the radar for the KF-X.  A bit more here.

ATD-X/X-2:






The Japanese X-2 had its maiden flight.  More info here and here.

PAK-DA:

It should be met with skepticism based on the Russian economy and moves by the Russian MOD, but its reported the PAK-DA bomber will be a stealthy flying wing and should have first flight in 2021.

Sixth Generation Fighters:

The US Navy may ditch the FA-XX for a family of systems, but at this point has started its analysis of alternatives.  It has made it clear whatever comes out will not be the same airframe as the USAF's F-X (or whatever it may be).

B-21:

The House is asking the USAF to buy more B-21 bombers.

The USAF has revised its position and stated that 100 bombers is the minimum they need to buy for the B-21.

Here is the report to Congress on the B-21 program.

Does Congress have enough oversight on the B-21 program?

F-22:

F-22 are being deployed from Alaska to the middle east.

The House also asked the US Air Force to study the costs of buying another 194 F-22s. This would require a restart of the F-22 production line.  It might be simply too late to restart the production line.

The Congressman Forbes' push for the F-22 might have to do with his reelection fight.

F-35:

Israel is holding firm on increasing its F-35 order.

Officials are confident about the ejection seat fix for the F-35 as well.

Spain may buy the F-35B. 

Israel's F-35Is will arrive on December 12th of this year in country.

Israel expects they will be the only Middle Eastern F-35 operator for at least a decade.

The F-35 light weight helmet has passed its first test.

Britain wants to be the sustainment center for European F-35 avionics.

The GAO & JPO are at odds over the F-35 program mods...again.

The House Arms Services Committee is adding back in 11 F-35s to the budget.

Hill AFB is modifying all three of the F-35 variants.

CNN reports on the F-35 problems wiht ALIS.

MCAS Beautfort is getting ready for expanded F-35B operations.

General:

When will fighters become obsolete?

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