F-35–anything is possible if you are willing to lower your expectations

The supposed “sale” of F-35s to Israel has more work to do.

Spice and the very good Python 5 air-to-air missile probably won’t be integrated into the jet because it costs too much. At this point; why bother? The export friendly stealth of the F-35 won’t be able to stand up to any big threats that could end up in the Middle East over the alleged life of the program.

Some other news; Block 4 and other post SDD phase blocks–which were mostly notional fairy dust used to impress the gullible sheep–are even less firm; maybe a software upgrade of more PowerPoint slides is needed?

U.S. program officials may also defer some capability from the Block IV aircraft into later blocks. Burbage says there are 150 capabilities sought that lack funding. Integration of a sea-strike missile is likely in Block V, and the MBDA’s rocket-ramjet-powered, radar-guided Meteor is not yet included in Block V.

The British Defense Ministry expects the results of an MBDA/Lockheed Martin study on the timing and cost of Meteor integration this year. Alan Nicoll, weapons director for the ministry’s Defense Equipment and Support organization, says the study is determining “how to best factor [Meteor] in,” though he adds that the U.K. doesn’t “have a timeline.”

Meteor is set to enter Royal Air Force service on the Eurofighter Typhoon in 2015.

Also eyed by London for future integration are the Selective Precision Effects At Range (Spear) Capability 2 and Spear Capability 3 weapons. Spear 2 is based on the Dual-Mode Brimstone, while Spear 3 is a medium-range cruise missile in its early stages at MBDA. Steve Wadey, MDBA’s U.K. managing director, says the advanced short-range air-to-air missile is already on the integration schedule. Six of the partner nations have requested information on F-35/Meteor integration, though he declined to identify them.

70 Years ago this month–the Battle of Britain

The Citabria

My dad had one of these. Never did a 28 1/2 spin but still the aircraft was just so much fun.

4 aircrew lost in fatal Alaska C-17 mishap

Not many details, but 4 aircrew were lost when their C-17 crashed after take-off in Alaska.

Canadian defence minister MacKay jumps in

Lets see some of the spin defence minister MacKay puts on all of this in an opinion piece for today’s paper. My comments in brackets.

I would like to set the record straight on the federal government’s decision to purchase the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. (“Setting the record straight” means…well lets see…)

Canada has been a partner in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program since 1997, when the Department of National Defence signed on to the Concept Demonstration phase with an investment of $10 million U.S. As part of this phase, Canada participated in the extensive and rigorous U.S.-led competitive process where two bidders, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, developed and completed prototype aircraft. This process led to the selection of Lockheed Martin as the JSF manufacturer in 2001. To purchase this aircraft, our Conservative government exercised its options under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program memorandum of understanding with the nine partner nations to acquire the F-35. (This is nothing more than misleading. There was no competition for a purchase decision and signing on as a Joint Strike Fighter partner does not commit one to purchase)

This is the only fighter aircraft capability that meets the operational requirements of the Canadian Forces and enables our men and women of the air force to do the jobs that we, as Canadians, ask of them. (The “requirement goes as far as what is stated in LM PowerPoint slides) The F-35 ensures that the Canada Forces will continue to work seamlessly alongside our allies and provides Canadian pilots with the highest probability of mission success, and the highest probability that these men and women return home safely to their families. (Yeah bring out the kids. Weak. The Super Hornet, Rafale and Eurofighter also work along side Allies)

With this procurement, Canadian industry has a golden opportunity to participate in the largest defence program ever undertaken, a program estimated to be worth more than $383 billion.(Feeding at the all you can eat of spin buffet table. Rent seeking and again hope put on via the Ponzi Scheme in the PowerPoint slides.) This purchase will allow Canadian industry to contribute to the F-35 global supply chain of approximately 3,000 aircraft, advancing its technology, while bringing jobs and sustained economic benefits to regions across Canada.(The 3000 aircraft thing again. This could be believable if one had something to look at other than a woefully under-tested aircraft of dubious capability. Or….. again… dubious capability.)

Our government is making the decision at the right time for the Canadian Forces, Canadian industry and Canadian taxpayers. We are getting the best aircraft for the best value. (At the right time? Under-tested; a country in debt. Other defence needs that are obvious.)

Peter MacKay,

File Mr. MacKays response in the deception folder.

Canada: F-35 Wikipedia edits traced to Defence computers

Control the message: One can’t be critical of the governments weak justification for getting the F-35.

Defence Department computers in Ottawa have been used to vandalize information on a Wikipedia site critical of the Conservative government’s decision to spend billions on a new stealth fighter.

Nine attempts have been made to alter the online encyclopedia’s entry on the Joint Strike Fighter, including the removal of any information critical of the Harper government’s plan to spend at least $16 billion on the new fighter aircraft.

Defence Department computers were also used to insert insults, aimed at Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, into the Wikipedia Joint Strike Fighter page. Ignatieff has questioned the proposed purchase.

Sad day for some of the rent-seekers for others; they get to extend the delusion

Sad day for the rent-seekers that don’t have a clue about the F-35 program.

No F-35s for Tucson; Luke AFB selected

Shaw/McEntire do not make first cut for new jet

FINAL UPDATE: No Idaho bases selected for F-35

Ayaan Hirsi Ali speaking engagement in Sydney

Took a day off yesterday and went down to Sydney and saw Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She did a public speaking engagement for the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS).

The topic of the event was the importance of freedom of speech in the West and the importance of not letting this get run over by political correctness or the fear of offending someone. For example; surprise, surprise, some in the media don’t like to cover her as they are too PC. Other do.

The event was in a nice small room with around 50 people tops at the CIS building. Took the twin girls (14 years old) and they enjoyed it. They got to meet Ayaan for a minute. She is a good external role model.

I have read some of Ayaan’s books and they are worth the effort.

A look at son of SA-8, the Tetraedr T38 “Stiletto”

What kind of legacy can the SA-8 have? An upgraded concept with greater capability.

The Tetraedr T38 “Stiletto” is still something that can be taken out by the likes of the Block II Super Hornet-especially with more advanced versions of the JSOW and HARM and HART-JDAM coming. Note it will have a big radar return with modern AESA on the likes of a Super Hornet and when that image is overlayed in a sensor-fusion type of situation it can be discovered and killed. Having stated that, the missile is fast and dangerous and the shooting platform has good mobility. With that, I don’t think you will see this system facing first team players.

What this system can do with some extra pocket money from a Kleptocracy is to make any opponent aircraft in a 3rd world air force have a really bad time.

More so what this system can do on the cheap to make low tech enemy air forces have even more of a bad day, is to act like a centralised informer of a SAM-ring if you will, of MANPAD shooters (especially new-gen MANPADS) making them that much more effective.

What would I as “El Jefe” like to have hanging around my gold mine, diamond mine or whatever to help defend against an unfriendly neighbor in a Hatfields and McCoy scenario where both our air forces aren’t all that great? Something like this.

There is a market for this weapon.

F-35B flight test challenges

Testing is hard work and I wonder if the brainiacs in the USMC even thought of that when trying to field a complex aircraft by a fantasy initial operating capability date of 2012.

The F-35B short-take-off and landing variant flight testing at Patuxent River is going slower because of parts failures. These challenges are either the product of normal discovery or surprises depending on the quality of the project management.

Stevens said the component “failure rates are higher than predicted” and that Lockheed and the military test managers are working to understand why failures are occurring and how to improve their design and manufacture. Failing components are cooling fans that hold down fuel temperatures, lift fan doors actuators and other switches. Stevens said there have been no failures of key components of the STOVL propulsion systems, the engine or the lift fan system.