This is a discussion on F-35 Multirole Joint Strike Fighter within the Air Force & Aviation forum, part of the Global Defense & Military category; Alcoa Awarded $360 Million Contract by Lockheed Martin to Provide Aluminum Forgings on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program
(Source: Alcoa; ...
Alcoa Awarded $360 Million Contract by Lockheed Martin to Provide Aluminum
Alcoa Awarded $360 Million Contract by Lockheed Martin to Provide Aluminum Forgings on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program
(Source: Alcoa; issued Oct. 12, 2007)
CLEVELAND --- Alcoa today announced that its Alcoa Power and Propulsion business has been awarded a 10-year $360 million contract by Lockheed Martin to supply advanced patented 7085 alloy aluminum die forgings for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.
Contract work will be performed by Alcoa Forged and Cast Products Cleveland operations and involves the design and manufacture of all the large aluminum structural die forgings for more than 1,200 aircraft. The forgings include 15 large bulkheads -- the primary structural support for the wing and engine that can weigh from 1,800 to 6,000 pounds and range from 10 to 23 feet in length -- and six wing box parts which serve as an important component of the skeletal structure to the wing.
"Our partnership with Lockheed Martin is based on the value of Alcoa's proprietary and advanced alloys, our technical and engineering expertise, and our collaborative design capabilities that support such large and complex forgings," said Raymond B. Mitchell, president, Alcoa Power and Propulsion. "These attributes are key in meeting the demanding requirements of this critical defense program."
Alcoa's partnership with Lockheed Martin began in 2004, when Lockheed Martin's need for weight reduction on the F-35 coincided with both Alcoa's new alloy technology and innovative manufacturing approach. Parts were redesigned to take advantage of the entire Alcoa offering.
"Today, we look forward to playing a vital role in making this futuristic aircraft a reality," said Joseph E. Haniford, vice president and general manager, Alcoa Forged and Cast Products. "Our engineers, operations managers, and designers have worked collaboratively to offer complex die forgings that will meet weight reduction requirements and extremely tight time frames that will allow our customer to stay on schedule."
In addition to the aluminum forgings described above, other Alcoa aerospace units will provide critical F-35 components and solutions to the program. Among those are highly-engineered joining devices from Alcoa Fastening Systems, specialty alloy plate from Alcoa North American Mill Products, and high-pressure turbine blades for F-35 JSF engines and structural aluminum castings from Alcoa Power and Propulsion.
As part of the JSF contract, Alcoa plans to invest $24 million in Cleveland Works primarily for new machinery, equipment and infrastructure improvements.
Alcoa Forged and Cast Products is being supported by the State of Ohio with a $400,000 Rapid Outreach Grant and up to $450,000 for employee training.
The F-35 Lightning II is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including AV-8B Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets and United Kingdom Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers. It is projected that more than 4,000 Lightning IIs will be ordered by the United States and international forces.
Alcoa Forged and Cast Products is a division of Alcoa Power and Propulsion. Alcoa Power and Propulsion, a major business unit of Alcoa, is a global leader in airfoil and structural investment castings, forged structural parts, and forged aircraft wheels. With 29 production facilities, Alcoa Power and Propulsion employs more than 11,000 people worldwide.
Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. The company has 116,000 employees in 44 countries
FORT WORTH, Texas: Electrical power was applied to the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II for the first time Thursday night, initiating a series of ground tests that will lead to the inaugural flight of the short-takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighter next spring.
"The successful 'power-on' demonstrates that the integration of this unique aircraft is progressing to plan. It signals that production of our first F-35B Lightning II is on track for first flight next year, a key step toward realizing the aviation future of the U.S. Marines, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. The aircraft is scheduled to roll out of the factory in December.
The F-35 will be the most electronically advanced aircraft ever built, with capabilities unavailable in current multi-role fighters. The F-35B's power-on is an incremental process of testing the aircraft's circuits, electronic components and wiring.
"This event is one of the major milestones in the life of the STOVL aircraft and we have eagerly anticipated it for some time," said Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, F-35 program executive officer. "The F-35 has the most complex electrical system of any fighter to date. We had great success with the first jet we flew, but that jet taught us some very important lessons about its electrical system and those lessons have been incorporated into the jet we powered up today. So congrats to the team and on to first flight."
The aircraft incorporates parts and systems from all nine F-35 participant countries (United States, United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway), including the wiring harnesses, produced by Stork Fokker-Elmo of the Netherlands. The wiring harnesses are crucial to the F-35's electrical system, routing and apportioning electrical current throughout the aircraft.
The U.S. Marine Corps and Navy together are planning to operate 680 F-35Bs and F-35Cs, and the United Kingdom plans to place 138 F-35Bs into service with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The F-35B will be the world's first stealth fighter with supersonic and STOVL capability. The first F-35B fleet will go operational in 2012 with the Marines.
The first F-35, a conventional takeoff and landing version, began its flight test program on Dec. 15, 2006.
The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including AV-8B Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets, and United Kingdom Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers.
Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 Lightning II with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.
We had great success with the first jet we flew, but that jet taught us some very important lessons about its electrical system and those lessons have been incorporated into the jet we powered up today.
Might this be the reason the first prototype hasn't flown since the power failure in May? If the problem was a basic flaw in the design it means the whole electrical system could have to be rebuilt before it can fly again.
Wonder what this will cost, and how long it'll take...
Does anyone know about the A2A missile ejector system for the F-35?
Does the AMRAAM drop off the door like the F-22 or does the missile ignite while still attached to the door?
Has anyone see any plans for carrying an AMRAAM (or two) on the main weapons attachment point?
I believe we have discussed the idea of multiple AMRAAMs a couple months ago.
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The F-22 provides for this with an ejection system for the missile, but the F-35 doesnt have this, and this may create problems qualifying the AIM-9X to fire from inside the bay
Does the AMRAAM drop off the door like the F-22 or does the missile ignite while still attached to the door?
Would depend on the type of launcher fitted, the AMRAAM is punched off into the airstream by small explosive charges. They don't just drop off. Aim-9 and Asraam are launched off a rail type launcher on the wingtip stations. My guess is that any missile launched from the internal bay would be punched clear before ignition of the rocket motor. The weapon of choice for the internal bay would be the AMRAAM anyway, it would be hard to cue IR guided weapons like AIM-9 or Asraam onto the target while it is in the weapons bay.
Qualification of weapons for launch from the bay could be carried out in country by ARDU if need be. The downside is that the RAAF is then forced to fund this effort. Cheaper just to buy weapons that are already qualified for use on the platform, however that would be considered during the selection process. The qualification process would cover, among other things, how the weapon reacts close to the aircraft after launch. What the object does in the airstream after launch is very important. I have seen footage of tests on an F-111 punching off external tanks. The tank got caught in the slipstream just under the aircraft and happily followed the aircraft along. I guess solutions to this scenario are a larger ejector charge or some type of maneuver when punching off tanks. Hope this helps.
.... The weapon of choice for the internal bay would be the AMRAAM anyway, it would be hard to cue IR guided weapons like AIM-9 or Asraam onto the target while it is in the weapons bay. ...
Hooroo
No more problem cueing an IR-guided missile from inside the bay than there is cueing it to a target directly behind the launching aircraft, or too far away for the IR seeker to pick it up. That's the point of building in LOAL. And doesn't Asraam have it?
Wouldn't it be better to have I loadout of AMRAAM's and pick off targets at medium to long range than risk getting close enough for an WVR AIM-9 or ASRAAM engagement?
LOAL means lock on after launch, and i do believe swerve is right, ASRAAM has it. AFAIK teh only A2A missiles cleared for internal lauch on the F35 at IOC are AIM 120 family and AIM 132 ASRAAM, primarily becaiuse it has this feature. At the moment, AIM 9X can only be fired of a rail, and therefore can not be carried internally. However it'll be 5 odd years before F35 reaches IOC and there are plenty of other things to do and plenty of time to design an AIM 9X block 2 which can be fired internally. Also as far as F35 only carrying AMRAAM's internally, i would have theought it would be pretty damn constricting to go into battle with no WVR missile??? I wouldnt want to head into harms way without at least one. IIRC a double ejector is being designed for the belly hardpoint that will allow an internal load of 6 AAM's, therefore 1 or 2 AIM9X/AIM132 could be carried without compromising the AIM 120 load. personally i hope provisions for WVR are being made because ignoring it could have serious consequenses for our pilots.
There wont be many disadvantages with only having the AMRAAM.
The AMRAAM can still engage targets 5 miles away and as they are fully active from launch so the pilot can continue to dogfight.
Though during vietnam the Phantoms had the same problem when they had no gun... Back then we thought dogfighting was a thing of the past... Having no short range missile isn't half as bad as no gun.
The AMRAAM can hit targets the gun cant hit and the gun can hit targets that are too close for the AMRAAM. There would be a zone between 1 and 2 miles where you'd wish to have a sidewinder..
There wont be many disadvantages with only having the AMRAAM.
Except for the missing HOBS capabilities...
Seriously the AMRAAM can be used at short distances and if I must decide between an AMRAAM or Sidewinder to be loaded I would go for the first one. But having SRAAMs is better at all.
There would be a zone between 1 and 2 miles where you'd wish to have a sidewinder..
actually the tests between the F4's and the Mig21 they had out at Groom Lake showed that the Phantom II only needed 600m to gain the energy and engagement advantage. Those tests resulted in Top Gun being established. (not Top Gun being established to deal with the Vietnam loss problems as is commonly promoted in some books)
The biggest issue was energy management. The gun argument has been simplified so much that its seen as the primary cause when it was only part of it. The USN also knew how much gap they had between the Migs gun ranges (again determined at Groom Lake) - so the Guns argument was also negated by the issue of energy comprehension and the fact that the early Sidewinders and Sparrows were godawful (1 in 11 failed to work and at least 25% fell off the rails or failed to ignite)
Lets also remember that the Russians decided that guns were obsolete before the americans, Kruschev thought that the launch of sputnik put the americans back into the stone age.
It resulted in 7 years of tactical madness due to people misunderstanding technology cause and effect....
________________ A corollary of Finagle's Law, similar to Occam's Razor, says:
"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity"
There wont be many disadvantages with only having the AMRAAM.
The AMRAAM can still engage targets 5 miles away and as they are fully active from launch so the pilot can continue to dogfight.
AMRAAM can be used as an WVR missile, however your puing yourself at a dissadvantage by having an all AMRAAM load, especially since the other guy will have R73. The off broadsight capability in adition to its maneuverability and HMCS means your dead if you have to maneuver with the guy, and the only advandtage within 20-30km would be the slamers ECCM compared to R73's IRCM. There is a reason plenty of time and money was spent on missiles of the calibur of Python, AIM 132 and AIM9X, and a reason why all AMRAAM loads are not carried. In the WVR engagement envilope R73, Python, ASRAAM and AIM9X are all more capable than AMRAAM.
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Though during vietnam the Phantoms had the same problem when they had no gun... Back then we thought dogfighting was a thing of the past... Having no short range missile isn't half as bad as no gun.
The AMRAAM can hit targets the gun cant hit and the gun can hit targets that are too close for the AMRAAM. There would be a zone between 1 and 2 miles where you'd wish to have a sidewinder..
The value lost in not having a capability is subjective, and depends on the other guys capability. The inability to enguage someone at a minimum range without a gun when the other guy can, is no worse than not being able to take an off broadsight shot when your both maneuvering when the other guy can.
The Joint Strike Fighter could be upgraded to carry up to six internal AIM-120 AMRAAM Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, according to a Lockheed Martin executive. "Our spiral development program includes the ability to carry up to six internal AMRAAMs", G. Richard Cathers, senior manager of Lockheed Martin's strategic studies group, told the IQPC Fighter Conference in London on Wednesday. "It's a capability second only to the F-22."
Cathers added that the JSF's air-combat capability "has not been advertised as it could or should have been", partly because "at the same time as we are developing the F-35, we and the USAF have wanted to expand the F-22 program." Apparently, the USAF has not wanted to advertise the JSF's air-to-air capability, concerned that it would weaken the case for acquiring more than the 183 F-22s authorized today.
The four added internal AMRAAMs would be carried in place of internal bombs.
It's not clear, however, whether the short-take-off, vertical landing F-35B variant, which has smaller weapon bays, would be able to carry the added weapons.
An executive for a competing fighter program, speaking at the conference, said that the six-missile capability would be a major improvement for the JSF. Until now, competitors have criticised the JSF because it carries only two AAMs - supporting only a single engagement - in stealth mode.
Good news I expect for those overly concerned about the issue...
Would depend on the type of launcher fitted, the AMRAAM is punched off into the airstream by small explosive charges. They don't just drop off. Aim-9 and Asraam are launched off a rail type launcher on the wingtip stations. My guess is that any missile launched from the internal bay would be punched clear before ignition of the rocket motor. The weapon of choice for the internal bay would be the AMRAAM anyway, it would be hard to cue IR guided weapons like AIM-9 or Asraam onto the target while it is in the weapons bay.
Qualification of weapons for launch from the bay could be carried out in country by ARDU if need be. The downside is that the RAAF is then forced to fund this effort. Cheaper just to buy weapons that are already qualified for use on the platform, however that would be considered during the selection process. The qualification process would cover, among other things, how the weapon reacts close to the aircraft after launch. What the object does in the airstream after launch is very important. I have seen footage of tests on an F-111 punching off external tanks. The tank got caught in the slipstream just under the aircraft and happily followed the aircraft along. I guess solutions to this scenario are a larger ejector charge or some type of maneuver when punching off tanks. Hope this helps.
Hooroo
the tornado f3 has semi recessed amraams but doesnt'punch them off',it utilises a mechanism designed by fraser nash(used to make the rotating machine gun pods on second world war allied bombers) which moves the missile into the airstream then releases them.
Wouldn't it be better to have I loadout of AMRAAM's and pick off targets at medium to long range than risk getting close enough for an WVR AIM-9 or ASRAAM engagement?
Hooroo
of course it would,however engagements still do take place at visual range when the the gun still has its uses.ideally and esp with the more advanced nations,aew cover should reduce the likelihood of such an engagement developing but as with the falklands war and also localised conflicts such as the etriea/ethiopian wars,close range air combat comes to the fore.
