Lockheed Martin F-35A, B, C and other ideas

[McColm]

It appears to me that Lockheed Martin has employed ex British Leyland production line staff as the F-35 has the quality control has some issues. According to the USA press two thirds of the current fleet have some sort of fault with them. Even gaps in ill fitted parts of the fuselage.
The slogan 'Fly before you buy' now reads " buy before you fly".
Will it enter service on time, doubtful. If most of the F-18s A,B,C and Ds are replaced with the E and F models. F-15s the older aircraft fazed out of service, likewise the F-16s.
They could always lease a squadron or two of EuroFighters.

[PR19_Kit]

They could always lease a squadron or two of EuroFighters.

Except they couldn't fly them off carriers.....

[McColm]

They'll just have to wait until the ship gets into port, that's all.

[zenrat]

Or build bigger carriers.

[PR19_Kit]

Or build bigger carriers.

The ones we're building are the 2nd biggest in the world and MILES bigger than any we've had before..............

[Taiidantomcat]

It appears to me that Lockheed Martin has employed ex British Leyland production line staff as the F-35 has the quality control has some issues. According to the USA press two thirds of the current fleet have some sort of fault with them.
Even gaps in ill fitted parts of the fuselage.

Its an aircraft that is in low rate initial production. Are there other new aircraft that also don't have the same "teething troubles" early on?

The slogan 'Fly before you buy' now reads " buy before you fly".

What aircraft manufacturer doesn't operate on contracts signed well in advance of even starting development, let alone building aircraft lots??  

Will it enter service on time, doubtful.

Well its looking like the the software should be ready by December, there are concerns about the engine restrictions causing delays but the July 2015 date is still on, and delays are not expected to be more than 4-8 weeks if they occur last I heard.

http://www.janes.com/article/40733/farnborough-2014-block-2b-software-testing-for-f-35-nears-completion

So that will be the Bees first official combat stand up, the USAF is slated to reach IOC the next year.

F-35C is slated to do its first carrier work in the next few weeks (hoping for cool Top gun style photos). LRIP 8 contract is set, and along with 43 more airplanes the price dropped. Israel just announced 25 more.

They could always lease a squadron or two of EuroFighters.

No thanks bro we're good.  

[DarrenP]

will it be capable of doing the job as Lockheed advertise..................er um!!!

[rickshaw]

Israel cancels planned procurement of V-22 Tilt-Rotor aircraft - to purchase instead a second squadron of F-35s

[Taiidantomcat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STVAM85y3i0#t=14

[Taiidantomcat]

http://www.cpf.navy.mil/news.aspx/010332

[Caveman]

Except they couldn't fly them off carriers.....

http://media.defenceindustrydaily.com/images/AIR_Eurofighter_Naval_Cutaway_New_lg.gif
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dY8O2tinLyU/TVks--Iv6hI/AAAAAAAAMxo/e3RvN-D0F74/s1600/Typhoon%2BIN.JPG

[PR19_Kit]

Except they couldn't fly them off carriers.....

http://media.defenceindustrydaily.com/images/AIR_Eurofighter_Naval_Cutaway_New_lg.gif
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dY8O2tinLyU/TVks--Iv6hI/AAAAAAAAMxo/e3RvN-D0F74/s1600/Typhoon%2BIN.JPG

Have they actually built a carrier borne Typhoon yet? No.........

[ChernayaAkula]

^ That aside, the thought* that ditching the F-35 on grounds of delays and cost overruns and instead expecting a naval Typhoon to be both on time and on budget is just hilarious! Especially given the Typhoon's own track record.


*Not putting words in Caveman's mouth, but this "ditch F-35 and get a navalized Typhoon instead" argument came up in a couple of articles.

[McColm]

The Typhoon has had problems, even now sub-contractors forgot to recess the screw heads holding the tail section. This hasn't affected any of the UK's fleet.
The debate whether or not a carrier Typhoon will be built.
As Whereas the Dassault Rafael has a carrier model, if this was built under licence by the British before the production line closes in the next few years due to the lack of no new orders, then maybe someone would take notice.
Perhaps China?

[Taiidantomcat]

The Typhoon has had problems, even now sub-contractors forgot to recess the screw heads holding the tail section. This hasn't affected any of the UK's fleet.
The debate whether or not a carrier Typhoon will be built.
As Whereas the Dassault Rafael has a carrier model, if this was built under licence by the British before the production line closes in the next few years due to the lack of no new orders, then maybe someone would take notice.
Perhaps China?

China would notice you are building Rafales that require the wires and catapults the MoD already decided were too expensive to fit onto the carriers already.  Same goes for a Navalized Typhoon. If you can get them to STOVL, then you are in business.