Saturday, November 25, 2017

Stealth Saga #68

The Unknown:

NORAD & the FAA are confirming an odd encounter with an unknown aircraft in Oregon.

Canada:

Canada expects to kick off a competition to select a 5th gen fighter in 2019.  um.  There's only one for sale, oh Canada.

KF-X:

Indonesia has failed to pay its part of the KF-X program.

Harris has won a contract for the KF-X.

F-3:

Japan is likely to delay the F-3 program.

Tornado Replacement:

The head of Airbus Defense and Space is calling on Germany and France to hurry up on decisions about the program.

In a bad sign for the program, Germany has stated the preferred replacement for the Tornado is the F-35.

Eurofighter Replacement:

Airbus has unveiled its concept for the Typhoon replacement.

Finland:

Finland will be seeking 64 new fighters.  The F-35 may be a contender.

Sixth Generation Fighters:

The USAF Penetrating Counter Air platform might have a serious funding problem.

The USAF has been working on a new very long range missile for two years.

B-21:

Northrop's parking lots seem to be rather full.  Is it a sign the B-21 program is ramping up?

An FOIA document on the B-21 appears to confirm the B-21 is optionally manned and nuclear capable (but not necessarily at the same time).

F-117:

F-117s were seen on the road under protective covers for transport.  Probably for destruction.

Another F-117 was seen flying the day after the previous one(s) were seen on the road.

F-22:

A com gateway between the F-22 and the F-35 is on the air force wish list.

F-22s conducted its first ground attack mission ever in Afghanistan.  Against a drug lab.

Six F-22s are being deployed to South Korea in December.

Is deploying F-22s to Afghanistan realistic training or just plain overkill?

F-35:

Lockheed has delayed certifying the 3F software build for the F-35 under February.

Lockheed is targeting a $80 million per F-35A price for LRIP 14.

The House authorized 20 more F-35s than the White House asked for: 56 F-35As, 24 F-35B and 10 F-35C.  The Senate has offered less.

Watch 10 more F-35As arrive at Kadena.

The 62nd Fighter Squadron traveled to Mountain Home AFB for the 2nd F-35A training course.

The damaged F-35A was transported from Mountain Home AFB to Utah by the logistics arm of the USAF by ground.

An F-35A underwent extensive lifecycle testing to see how long the airframe will survive.  The fighter seems to have made it through 24,000 hours at this point.

The USMC VMFA-121 is at full strength with its F-35Bs in Japan.

The US Navy gave Lockheed a modest contract to integrate the small diameter bomb II on the F-35.

International partners in the F-35 program are worried about sovereignty issues with the ALIS system in the F-35 and have worked up interim solutions.

British F-35Bs have been training with Kfirs.

The Brits have been talking up the interoperability of the F-35 with the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Denmark has found problems with its selection of the F-35.

Israel is ready for its next two F-35Is.

The first Japanese built F-35B flew and landed at Misawa AB.

Norway's receipt of its first F-35s is a major milestone.

UAE wants to buy the F-35, the US is in discussions, but a USAF general is skeptical of a mixed F-35 and Russian air fleet.

Lockheed has stated the international partners in the F-35 program are getting their simulators.

Pratt & Whitney got a contract for spare parts for the F-35.

Counter stealth:

Iran continues to build anti stealth aircraft defenses.

META:

Take a look at the secretive Tonopah test facility.

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