F-35 Lightning II

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10.03.2008. g

Rastuća opasnost od PAR, naterala je Izraelce da razmisle o izmenama stavki u ugovoru onabavci aviona F-35. Tako će najverovatnije Izraelci umesto aviona F-35A kupiti verziju F-35B (STOVL). Kao razlog se navode očekivanja da su konvencionalni avioni na klasičnim aerodromima veoma ranjivi. Kao odgovor na takve pretnje Izrael će morati da menja taktiku, koristeći improvizovane aerodrome...

_{Cela vest}

Tel Aviv - Expanding missile threats could prompt Israel to switch its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) procurement plans from the U.S. Air Force's F-35A to the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) version designed for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Israel's latest five-year plan includes funds for an initial 25-aircraft JSF squadron, the first orders for which should be finalized next year. Ultimately, the Israel Air Force (IAF) hopes to acquire up to 100 new stealth fighters, all of which were initially planned as Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) F-35As.

But with the rapidly expanding missile threat from Gaza in the south, Lebanon in the north and - in worst-case future scenarios - from the West Bank hugging the Israeli heartland, runways could become vulnerable. As a result, the IAF may be compelled for the first time to operate in the type of improvised, austere environments envisioned for the STOVL variant of the JSF.

Government and military sources here say the specter of increasingly accurate, long-range missiles in the hands of Hamas and Hizbollah terrorists already has prompted the spending of tens of millions of dollars over the past three years to harden air bases and fortify weapon depots.

Moreover, the IAF has since the 2006 Lebanon War spent more time and money to hone an emergency plan for rapidly redeploying critical air assets from bases in the north to ones beyond the reach of the Iranian-supplied Hizbollah arsenal.

The evolving threat to operational requirements and modernization plans is expected to top the agenda of Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, the new commander of the IAF. Currently planning chief for the Israel Defense Forces General Staff, Nehushtan assumes his new duties April 1, following the retirement of IAF Maj. Gen. Elyezer Shkedy.

"The subject of STOVL has been kicked around on the Air Staff for a few years, but we always rejected it in favor of the longer range, bigger payload and lower price tag of the U.S. Air Force plane," said a retired IAF general. "But now that air base survivability is no longer hypothetical, it's logical that [the new IAF commander] will want to reassess the options."

Retired Maj. Gen. Herzl Bodinger, a former IAF commander, said the expanding missile threat may warrant a mix of CTOL and STOVL aircraft.

"Everyone understands that decisions of today have to serve us well over the next 20 to 30 years or more. So the flexibility inherent in a smart mix of capabilities is certainly worthy of serious consideration," he said.

Tradeoffs

Aside from an updated, long-term threat assessment and its likely impact on future IAF operational requirements, a serious re-evaluation of the JSF acquisition strategy will focus on range, weapon-carrying capacity and cost.

According to Lockheed Martin data, the CTOL F-35A carries 18,500 pounds of internal fuel, has a projected mission radius of 610 nautical miles and can deliver 18,000 pounds of weaponry. In comparison, the STOVL F-35B carries about 14,000 pounds of internal fuel, has a projected mission radius of 500 nautical miles and can deliver 15,000 pounds of weaponry.

When operated solely in stealth mode, the F-35A will deliver 5,700 pounds of weaponry, one ton more than the internal weapon load accommodated by the F-35B's smaller weapon bay. The F-35A can carry two 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) while the F-35B will accommodate two 1,000-pound JDAMs.

The STOVL version, with its complicated lift-fan, will cost about 30 percent more than the CTOL variant.

"Average unit recurring flyaway costs for the CTOL aircraft is in the upper $40 million range, while the STOVL variant is in the mid-60s," said John Smith, communications manager for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program.

The STOVL variant is more complex, with a shaft-driven lift fan, 3-bearing swivel nozzle and left- and right-side aircraft stabilizing roll posts added to increase engine thrust.

"These features basically create 40,000 pounds of thrust from a 25,000 thrust-class engine," Smith said. "They allow the aircraft to take off with a heavy load on runways a little over 500 feet long - which is really nothing - and to land practically anywhere."

He said that customers who choose a mix of CTOL and STOVL versions of the F-35 will benefit from the common avionics and logistics tail demanded by the two planes.

Sources here said that even though the CTOL version costs less, flies farther and carries more, there is one factor that could favor the STOVL variant: The F-35B will be the first to roll off the Lockheed production line.

Initial operational capability for the U.S. Marine Corps F-35 is planned for 2012, with the Air Force following the next year.

Bilateral Agreement Pending

Later this month, Israeli and U.S. government officials are expected to conclude a JSF technology-sharing arrangement that will allow the IAF to complete design studies and performance assessments essential for concrete procurement decisions.

The document, which sources from both countries have described as a kind of code of conduct governing JSF technologies, details Israel's obligations for safeguarding data and knowhow it receives during the course of the program.

If signed, as expected, by Pinhas Buchris, the director-general of Israel's MoD during mid-March meetings in Washington, the document will trigger the data flow that the IAF needs to determine its desired JSF configuration and follow-on procurement plans.

Whichever F-35 version - or mix of F-35 fighters - Israel ultimately selects will not require additional bilateral agreements or bureaucratic reassessments, a U.S. government source said.

"Regardless of what aircraft they want, the principles of technology transfer remain the same," he said. "Once that document is signed, they'll be exposed to all variants up front. They'll be able to understand the different nuances of each design and have all the data they'll need to make the internal decisions that have to be made prior to [contract] conclusion."

[Rade]

STOVL verzija aviona F-35B Lightning II poletela po prvi put


11. jun 2008. godine

STOVL verzija aviona F-35B Lightning II poletela po prvi put. Avionom je leteo test pilot Graham Tomlinson, bivši pilot britansog RAF-a...


_{Cela vest}
With test pilot Graham Tomlinson at the controls, the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35B Lightning II streaked into blue Texas skies Wednesday, marking the first flight of an aircraft that will provide a combination of capabilities never before available: stealth, supersonic speed and STOVL basing flexibility.

Tomlinson, a former Royal Air Force Harrier pilot now employed by BAE Systems, performed a conventional takeoff at 10:17 a.m. CDT from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth facility. As planned, all initial F-35B flights will be made using conventional takeoffs and landings, with transitions to short takeoffs, hovers and vertical landings beginning early next year. Tomlinson guided the jet to 15,000 feet and performed a series of handling tests, engine-power variations and subsystems checks before landing at 11:01 a.m. CDT.

"A great team effort led to a relaxed first flight, with the aircraft handling and performing just as we predicted based on STOVL simulator testing and flying the F-35A," Tomlinson said. The F-35B, known as BF-1, becomes the second Lightning II to enter flight test, preceded by the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A, which first flew in December 2006 and has completed 43 flights. The F-35B that flew today is the second of 19 System Development and Demonstration aircraft and the first to incorporate new weight-saving design features that will apply to all future F-35 aircraft.

Though nearly identical in appearance to the F-35A, the F-35B incorporates a counter-rotating shaft-driven lift fan positioned directly behind the cockpit. The lift fan, produced by Rolls-Royce, is turned by a drive shaft from the F-35's massively powerful single engine, which features a swiveling rear exhaust nozzle that vectors thrust downward during vertical flight. The lift fan, engine and stabilizing roll ducts beneath the F-35B's wings combine to produce 40,000 pounds of lifting force. Converting the F-35B from STOVL to conventional flight and vice-versa requires only the push of a button by the pilot. The system otherwise operates automatically.

"We're absolutely convinced that this aircraft is going to only further enhance what is a tremendous asymmetric advantage that we hold in terms of controlling the air, taking advantage of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, multi-sensor capabilities, and the ability, if need be, to drop a bomb in a precision strike," said Gen. James Conway, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The F-35B will be the first of the three Lightning II variants to achieve Initial Operational Capability, beginning with the Marines in 2012. The STOVL variant also will be used by the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and Italy's Air Force and Navy. With the capability to operate from a variety of ships or austere runways, the F-35B can deploy closer to shore or near front lines, shrinking distance and time to the target, increasing sortie rates and greatly reducing the need for support assets.

"This is truly an historic day for aviation and the JSF program," said Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, F-35 program executive officer. "It caps a commitment we made in August 2006 to the Department of Defense and the U.S. Marine Corps when we said we would fly a production-representative STOVL F-35 by June of 2008 - and the team did it. This flight is also a milestone in a 5,000-sortie flight test program that spans five years but continuously rolls out incremental F-35 war fighting capability. It's a proud day and proud beginning."

"The STOVL aircraft represents the ideal balance of form and function. It uniquely meets the warfighter's demanding requirements with 5th Generation capabilities to deliver lethality, survivability, supportability and affordability," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "The quality of this aircraft reflects the talent of the worldwide design and manufacturing team who made today's flight possible."

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23.10.2008.g           Flightglobal.com

Prototip F-35 zavšiio tronedeljno angažovanje u vazduhoplovnoj bazi Edvards gde je sproveden i test restartovanja motora u toku leta...

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 prototype has completed a three-week deployment to Edwards Air Force Base, California, which validated in-flight engine shut down and restart capability.

Twelve specific test cases over Edwards involving at least nine test flights demonstrated that the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan can be restarted on command in the event of an unexpected flameout.

“The initial data review and pilot-reported results are very favorable and meet or exceed our expectations,” said Doug Pearson, vice president of Lockheed’s integrated test force.

F-35 test pilot Jeff Knowles, who will fly the aircraft back to Fort Worth, Texas this week, also noted that the prototype “showed high reliability” during the 23-day deployment to Edwards.

Designated as AA-1, the first F-35 prototype aircraft has completed a total of 63 flights after nearly three years, with at least 13 flights conducted during the last two months.

AA-1’s will differ from all follow-on aircraft as it retains the non-weight optimized configuration adopted after 2004. Lockheed said it is still on tract to deliver all 19 F-35 test aircraft by the end of 2009.

A four-year series of demonstration flights will lead to an initial operational test and evaluation phase starting in the “2013-2014” timeframe,” according to Lockheed’s statement.

[leut]

Prvo okomito slijetanje za F-35B Lightning II

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Prvi pretprodukcijski prototip višenamjskog borbenog aviona pete generacije F-35B Lightning II, koji nosi oznaku BF-01, 18. ožujka je s uspjehom obavio svoje prvo okomito slijetanje. Pilot koji je upravljao avionom prvo je obavio kratko polijetanje uz brzinu od 148 km/h, a nakon petnaestminutnog leta avion je u "helikopterskom" prilazu doveo iznad predviđene točke na stajanci, i prije slijetanja je u lebdjenju na visini od 50 m proveo kraće vrijeme. Iako je Lockheed Martin ovakav pomak u pretprodukcijskom programu najavljivao za proljeće 2009., nesumnjivo je da je ovo vrlo važna i dugoočekivana potvrda STOVL (Short Take Off and Vertical Landing) odlika aviona F-35B Lightning II, i svakako velik korak k njegovoj serijskom proizvodnji.

Supersonični borbeni avion F-35B Lightning II je najkompleksnija inačica JSF-a (Joint Strike Fightera), uvelike zahvaljujući mogućnosti polijetanja odnosno okomitog slijetanja na kratke i slabo uređene uzletno-sletne staze. Za to je zaslužna iznimno snažna turboventilatorska pogonska skupina Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-600 STOVL (18500 kg potiska), uz pomoć kontrarotirajućeg Rolls-Royce LiftFan sustava za vektoriranje potiska motora i omogućavanje lateralne stabilnosti aviona.

Autor: I. Skenderović
Izvor: Hrvatski vojnik

[leut]

Poletio prvi F-35C Lightning II

S piste u mornaričkoj zrakoplovnoj bazi u Fort Worthu, 7. lipnja na svoj prvi probni let poletio je pretprodukcijski primjerak višenamjskog borbenog aviona pete generacije F-35C Lightning II. Riječ je o tzv. mornaričkoj inačici Lightninga II, koja će biti tehnološki najnapredniji borbeni avion koji je ikad imala Američka ratna mornarica (US Navy).

Za razliku od F-35A i F-35B, kojima će uz Sjedinjene Američke Države koristi još osam drugih zemalja svijeta, F-35C će se nalaziti isključivo u floti US Navy, što je i utjecalo da bude zadnji na listi prioriteta razvoja. C inačica Lightninga II rađena je prema specifikacijama US Navy, odnosno biti će to njihov prvi palubni borbeni avion smanjenog radarskog odraza. Uporaba s nosača aviona podrazumijeva znatno otporniju strukturu odnosno trup aviona da bi izdržalo naprezanja tijekom polijetanja i slijetanja. Uz to, za C inačicu će biti znakovita znatno veća površina krila čime će se omogućiti znatno niže brzine aviona u prilazu za slijetanje na palubu, odnosno bit će omogućena znatno lakša upravljivost i stabilnost aviona na malim brzinama. Ulazak borbenih aviona F-35C Lightning II u inicijalnu operativnu uporabu očekuje se 2015. godine.

Autor: I. Skenderović
Izvor: Hrvatski vojnik

[dexy]

Izrael potpisao ugovor o kupovini F-35


08.10.2010.

Izrael je juče potpisao ugovor o kupovini 20 aviona F-35 i time postao prvi strani kupac ovog aviona. Ugovor je vredan 2.75 milijardi dolara i podrazumeva pored 20 letelica i infrastrukturu, a obezbeđen je i offset za izraelsku vojnu industriju u vrednosti od 1 milijarde dolara. Isporuke bi trebalo da počnu 2016. godine.

Israel signs $2.75b agreement for 20 F-35s
By Arie Egozi

The letter of offer and acceptance for the supply of 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters to the Israeli air force was signed in New York on 7 October.

"We're very pleased with the government of Israel's decision to move forward with the US government's letter of offer and acceptance for the F-35," says Tom Burbage, Lockheed executive vice-president and general manager of F-35 Program Integration.

"This is another step in the long-standing relationship between Lockheed Martin and the nation of Israel. The Lightning II will strengthen Israel's national security posture both militarily and industrially."

The Joint Strike Fighter purchase will involve an immediate $1 billion in offset work for Israeli defence companies. This will grow if Israel exercises options to purchase more of the aircraft.

The $2.75 billion contract includes 20 F-35s and related infrastructure, and deliveries should begin in 2016.

Israel will be the first nation to receive the F-35 through the USA's Foreign Military Sales mechanism.

Izvor: Flightglobal

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Prvi F-35C u pomorskoj bazi američke mornarice


08.11.2010.
LockheedMartin.com

Američka mornarica "primila" prvi avion F-35C Lightning II. Avion je sleteo u pomorsku bazu Patuxent River 6. novembra u 1437 časova. U ovoj bazi će se sprovesti testovi punjenja gorivom u vazduhu i testovi letnih performansi.

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[SHOOTER]

"F-35 Now Unaffordable: Defence Offical" - "F-35 Postao Preskup: Izjava pretstavnika Americkog Ministarstvo Odbrane"

Kratak opis informacije: Celokupni razvoj aviona F-35 je zasada 385 Bil. dolara, a jedan novi avion kostace 113 Mil. dolara u 2011. Neki smatraju da je to previse i moze da ugrozi predvidjenu tempo zamene psotojece flote (ocekivana brojka je 2443 letalice)

F-35 now 'unaffordable': Defense official

Thu, 19 May, 2011

The cost of building the F-35 fighter jet, set to replace a large part of the US warplane fleet, is "unaffordable" in its current version and must be reviewed, the Pentagon's top acquisition official said Thursday.

"Over the lifetime of this program, the decade or so, the per-aircraft cost of the 2,443 aircraft we want has doubled in real terms," said Ashton Carter, the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.

"That's our forecast for how much the aircraft's going to cost.

"Said differently, that's what it's going to cost if we keep doing what we're doing. And that's unacceptable. It's unaffordable at that rate."

The cost of the plane has jumped to $385 billion, about $103 million per plane in constant dollars or $113 million in fiscal year 2011 dollars, said Christine Fox, the Defense Department's director of cost assessment and program evaluation.

Republican Senator John McCain called the figure "truly troubling," considering the original price was $69 million per airplane.

"The facts regarding this program are truly troubling," said McCain. "No program should expect to be continued with that kind of track record, especially in our current fiscal climate," said McCain.

"It seems to me we have to start at least considering alternatives"

The F-35 or Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), made by Lockheed Martin, is the Pentagon's most costly weapons program.

An additional appropriation of $4 billion brings the cost of development of the plane to $51 billion, "dismaying" figures," said Michigan Senator Carl Levin, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"These are dismaying; indeed, they are disturbing numbers in costs to us and to the taxpayers of the United States," Levin said.

Carter attributed the cost overruns and delays to the plane's complexities and its radar-evading equipment, as well as the short-takeoff and vertical takeoff versions. And he said the culture of easy money at the Pentagon since 9/11 was also to blame.

"In the decade of ever-increasing defense budgets, which we just enjoyed, it was always possible for our managers, when they ran into a technical problem or a difficult choice, to reach for more money," said Carter. "And the money was available in the decade after 9/11."

Izvor: AFP News

[Bandzi]

Ono što koči i poskupljuje ceo projekat je verzija F-35B (STOVL). Da su radili samo F-35A i F-35C verujem da bi ih već imali u operativnoj upotrebi i po nižoj ceni.

[dogfight]

Ono što koči i poskupljuje ceo projekat je verzija F-35B (STOVL). Da su radili samo F-35A i F-35C verujem da bi ih već imali u operativnoj upotrebi i po nižoj ceni.

- Bandzi, apsolutno se slažem sa tobom. Amerikanci su predvideli koncepcijski 3. načina poletanja F-35 :

- The F-35 has three different models; one is the conventional takeoff and landing variant, the second is short takeoff and vertical-landing variant, and the third is a carrier-based variant. The F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant aircraft.

- Da je  ostao na zahtevima koje je postavila USA- air force verovatno bi odavno bio u operativnom sastavu. US - Navy ispostavlja nove zahteve i mogućnosti za F-35B, razvoj istog se nastavlja usporeno, mada i američki đep ima svoje dno. Na listi budućih kupaca F-35 su Izrael, Norveška ... , Australija ( koja je skoro da bi premostila vremenski zaista prolongirani razvoj F-35 naručila novi kontigent F-18 super Horneta zadnje izvedbe).

- Ogroman novac je uložen, dalje se ulaže u F-35 i neverujem da će USA odustati od ovog aviona. Ugrađenom modernom elektronikom zadnje generacije, F-35 u više domena i prevazilazi F-22 Raptor ( mada je namena Raptora potpuna drugačija, ali se isti odavno nalazi u serijskoj proizvodnji). Znamo da je u skorije vreme čitava flota F-22 Raptora zbog bagova u softeru itd. bila prizemljena.
- Ogromna cena razvoja F-35 dospeva i pred američki kongres. Radi unifikacije  predviđeno je da u budućnosti i F-22 nosi identičan AESA radar kao na F-35 kao i data-link koji se pokazao kod F-35 pouzdanijim.


- F-35 pogoni izuzetno moćna pogonska grupa P&W i G&E  135/136 potiska 178. Kn.

- Kako amerikanci sami kažu : "Jedan avion a tri varijante" za JSF, upravo je -  short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL), prolongiralo ceo razvoj. Više odličnih linkova ka F-35 Lightning II, sa bogatom foto galerojom i video zapisima :

1. http://air-attack.com/page/48/F-35-Lightning-II.html

2. http://www.uscost.net/AircraftCharacteristics/acf35b.htm

- Gornji linkovi obuhvataju okvirno 200 fotografija F-35 sa više odličnih video zapisa.

3. http://www.uscost.net/AircraftCharacteristics/acf35b.htm

 - Skorašnji video snimak - First F-35C catapult launch  :


   <iframe width="720" height="420" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NkNZfu3EdvA?fs=1&start=" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>

-  Mada u svojoj floti poseduju veliki broj F-22 Raptora, i za jednu Ameriku koja neštedi novac po pitanju razvoja novih vojnih i avio tehnologija, zahtev : " JSF - jedan avion a tri namene" , u vremenu velike ekonomske recesije postaje preskup.

    

[dogfight]

- Par fotografija F-35 sa prikazom testiranja moćne pogonske grupe Pratt Whitney 135 - 178.Kn potiska  :

 

[dogfight]

- Nedavni link od 3.8.2011. I flota od 20 F-35A do daljeg prizemljena. Zaista, čitav projekt gledano finansijski "bure bez dna " !

 1.  http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/08/03/360325/f-35-fleet-grounded-after-electrical-subsystem-failure.html

  - Fotografija u gro planu P&W motora 135 i eskadrila F-35A u avio bazi Edwards :

   

[pvanja]

Amerikanci nemaju kuda (projekat je ufazi kada nema nazad a i nemaju alternativu) - moraju zavrsiti razvoj F-35. Jednio sto mogu da urade je da eventualno odustanu od neke od verzija (VSTOL) ili sto je najverovantije smanje broj primeraka koje ce kupiti.

[dogfight]

Amerikanci nemaju kuda (projekat je ufazi kada nema nazad a i nemaju alternativu) - moraju zavrsiti razvoj F-35. Jednio sto mogu da urade je da eventualno odustanu od neke od verzija (VSTOL) ili sto je najverovantije smanje broj primeraka koje ce kupiti.

- Pvanja, slažem se sa tvojim stavom. Najverovertnije će završiti ka-tad F-35B. U pitanju je američki nacionalni ponos i prestiž ( najskuplja investicija u istoriji Pentagona), mada i taj apriori "ponos" hteo nehteo mora da ima kompromise. Uopšte neželim da ulazim u politiku, ali tolika vojna umešanost van granica USA od Avganistana, skorašnjih nemilih ratnih zbivanja u Libiji ...mora se ekonomski odraziti na bilo koju zemlju pa i USA.
 
- Amerika je zemlja sa enormnim spoljnim ekonomskim deficitom i praktično je vojna industrija (ubedljivo najveća odvojena svota iz buđeta za armiju) i novčani input kroz izvoz naouražanja širom sveta, održava da kako-tako ekonomski pliva.
 
- Skoro smo bili svedoci da je bilo pitanje dana da USA zvanično proglasi bankrot.

- Ono što je najveći paradoks je da je Kina zemlja sa najvećim deviznim rezervama u svetu i maltene većom svotom zelenih novčanica u opticaju kroz razne svetske transkkcije. Odatle i nečudi zašto Kina zadnjih okvirno 8.godina tako svestrano, koracima od 7. milja drastično razvija ekonomiju u svim oblastima pa i vojnoj - naročito avio i amerima je "trn u oku".Kina je prošle gdine otkupila celokupan devizni dug Španije od 4. milijarde dolara, što mnogo govori. Polako, pa ubrzano termin "amerikan dream" i svetski "lider demokratuje"  tone u svojoj nezajžljivoj megalomaniji.

- Vezano za F-35, što bi naš narod rekao, pored tako moderne flote i već postojećeg F-22 Raptora, u sadašnjoj ekonomskoj svetskoj receseciji rasplinuti se i od F-35 odlično osmišljenog sa enormnim ulaganjem u razvoj istog mereno bilijardama dolara, je što bi naš narod rekao veliki  zalogaj ili "preko hleba pogače". Neminovan je komromis o kome govoriš. Verovatno će broj narućenih novih V-22 Ospray, ...  broj nove generacije raketa svih namena biti drastično rezan a od nekih se i odustati. Amerikanci imaju izuzezatan, agresivan  marketing i nebiraju sredstva kako da zacrtani proizvod-avion plasiraju-izvez u neku zemlju.

- Trenutno je najveći protivnik američkoj-izvoznoj grani, faktor VREME ! U Evropi proizvodne linije i dallji razvoj Euofightera nestaju i pored teškoća, Dassault Rafal još ne nalazi inokupce za isti, mada ubrzano radi na razvoju još modernije letelice sa opcijom superkstarenja i skorašnjim serijskim uvođenjem AESA radara- (opet faktor vreme i presija Saudijske arabije da dovede Rafal na još veći nivo), mada ogroman devizni kolać uzima indirektno putem izvoza THALES electronice i sl. Velika pretnja ubrzano stiže sa istoka - Kine, koja je USA najveći trn u oku.

- Praktično izvozni aduti Amerike su F-16-blok 60 i nova generacija F-18 Super Horneta. Za zadnjeg vidimo tradicionalno kupca u Australiji a za F-16 kod imućnijih arapskih zemalja, koji bi sigurno radije baš zbog faktora vremna i tolikog prolongiranja radije videli Dassault Rafal Ili Eurofighter u svom sastavu. Najsvežiji je primer indijski tender MMRCA za novi multirol gde su i pored žestoke presije i čuvenim "naj proizvodom" ispali iz trke i praktično Dassault Rafal I Eurofighter ostali jedini takmaci.  Kada je u pitanju tehnološko zaostajanje, kod platežno moćnih zemalja termin tradicionalni saveznik polako pada u vodu gde su i dalje u igri Engleska i Izrael. Izrelu upravo faktor vreme u nezahvalnom okruženju nikako neide na ruku a RAF proživljava najteže dane. Vidimo da je jedan Japan, vrlo izvestan saigrač i kupac Eurofightera što je do skoro bilo nezamislivo.

- Postaviti pred jedan avion toliko zahteva, sa neizbežnim imperativom MUST -morati, je zaista preveliki zalogaj i za USA.

[dogfight]

- Nije prošlo nekoliko dana kako smo pominjali nepohodnu racionalizaciju i odricanje od pojedinih projekata zbog preskupog razvoja F-35B, a upravo vidižimo još drastičniji korak. Ne samo da se pristupa racionalizaciji nego je i za američki konres i uticajne senatore svota namenjena za dalji razvoj razvoj F-35B neprihvatljiva i priskaće se ni mianje ni više nego rezanju. Terminu - CUT , koga amerikanci jako retko korisre kada je u čpitanju odvajanje za vojsku.

 - LINK : http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/news126928.html?WT.mc_id=DN_News