Navy Receives First F-35C Lightning II

[+SidDogg 130]

FYI.

 

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=74982

 

 

 

 

 

SidDogg

[JediMaster 451]

I always found it odd that the USN's FRS was going to be at Eglin AFB.

 

I guess since the USAF is to have the most of the type, the infrastructure was built there, and the other 2 services/variants are based there as well for simplicity?

[Stratos 3,192]

Good news for the USN... I hope. Will be nice to see those new one trapping on a carrier.

[+russouk2004 6,958]

Hope the Royal Navy get theirs soon.

[+Gunrunner 314]

Wait, the RN is back to getting C models ? I thought they finally decided to go B and STOBAR all the way... (and they don't have a carrier able to operate them yet, or am I that behind ?)

[JediMaster 451]

No, last I heard they aren't getting any C's. They had bought B's long ago from early production, and when they decided to get C's instead it was too late to change that. So they were always going to get 2 or so B's from the early lots and then start getting C's. When they (surprise!) discovered C's would make the carrier(s) more expensive (which are still only in the design stage, maybe the keels are down, I've not followed their carrier construction that closely), they changed their minds back to the original plan. I guess the planners made their choice for the C in a vacuum or something.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Pretty sure its F-35Bs for the RAF and RN/FAA 

[+Jimbib 747]

(which are still only in the design stage, maybe the keels are down, I've not followed their carrier construction that closely)

 

The first carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) is quite underway, in fact a lot of the major assembly is complete. Build status as of the recent SP10 FWD lift.....

 

[+HomeFries 29]

I always found it odd that the USN's FRS was going to be at Eglin AFB.

 

I guess since the USAF is to have the most of the type, the infrastructure was built there, and the other 2 services/variants are based there as well for simplicity?

Navy and Air Force flght training has been joint since the 1990s.  We had AF officers coming through Aviation Indoctrination in Pensacola, and many of the WSOs get their advanced training at VT-86 in Pensacola as well.  I did my advanced flight training at the 562nd FTS at Randolph AFB.

 

You're absolutely right about the infrastructure as well.  I'm sure the AF has depot-level support at Eglin, which will really help keep the C models FMC, as they will be flown hard at the FRS.  Since the aircraft is new, the FRS has the responsibility of developing the tactics and procedures from scratch.

[JediMaster 451]

The commonality means things like radar procedures, interceptions, ECM, blah blah blah will all be identical. The USMC will have some unique differences due to VSTOL, the USN has the extra corrosion protection, and carrier equipment, and the USAF gets the gun.

 

BTW...I've not read if the USMC is getting any C models or not? Right now, USMC Hornet squadrons deploy in CVWs, but the Harriers have their own ships. If the USMC replaces both types with 35Bs, that would mean the USN has to cover 100% of the CVW manning for deployments as they're not going to bother with B's on the CVNs...the "extra work" they're doing now because of the stronger and hotter exhaust would have to be duplicated there as well, and that's not cost effective.

So since the USMC Hornets have always been land-based or carrier-based, while the Harriers have been land-based or on THEIR carriers, I wasn't certain if they were splitting their buy with some Cs as well as Bs.

[Nesher 628]

LM released the video of the F-35 arriving to Eglin AFB

[BailOut 1]

I guess I haven't looked at a picture of an actual C because I just now noticed it has a tandem nose wheel instead of a single. I'm also curious as to why they removed the gun... Weight perhaps? Regardless it's nice to see the C out and about.  

[JediMaster 451]

The C carries 1500 lbs more internal fuel than the A model, so my guess is the internal tanks were expanded and some of the stuff that was in the way got moved to the gun's spot in the C.