Israel Will Be First International Customer To Fly F-35s

Though late to sign on to the network of nations purchasing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Israel will be the first international customer to operate the fifth-generation fighter.

“Israel will become the first non-U.S. operator of the F-35 in the world,” said Steve O’Bryan, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for F-35 program integration and business development in an interview at the Paris air show. The first F-35I combat squadron is expected to achieve initial operational capability in 2018. 

Eight other countries have already committed to the program with firm contracts.

“The F-35 fighters going into service with these users will use different initial versions that will be upgraded later into the latest version, as it becomes available,” O’Bryan said. That mean F-35s will be tailored to individual nations, he says. 

“Specific capabilities developed for certain users will remain exclusive, and open to other users only with the original user’s consent. For example, the software blocks pertaining to the Norwegian anti-ship missile will not be available to other F-35 operators except Norway, unless it decides to sell those missiles to one of the F-35 users. The same goes to the Rafael Spice 1000. Similarly, the advanced electronic warfare, data links and specific software modes developed for the Israeli air force will remain unique to Israel and not delivered to any other user. These capabilities will also be fully integrated with the aircraft capabilities, adhering to the stealth characteristics of the aircraft, particularly, at specific apertures cleared for the Israeli systems integration in the lower fuselage and leading edge,” he said.

The first Israeli pilots plan to arrive at Eglin AFB, Fla., for training on the F-35A in early 2016. The first aircraft is tentatively set to be delivered to the Israel air force toward the end of that year, and arrive in Israel in 2017. 

These F-35Is will be produced under Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lots 8, 9 and 10. By that time, all 19 aircraft included under the $2.75 billion order will be delivered to the IAF under the current five-year plan. A follow-on order for more F-35Is is expected in 2018, under the next five-year plan. As the new fighter enters full-production rate, volumes are expected to increase, leading to proportionally lowering cost, expected to drop below $85 million in then-year dollars.

Financing of this follow-on procurement is already under discussion with the U.S. Jerusalem is seeking creative ways for Washington’s agreement to guarantee payment for these planes, including the foreign military sales budget allocated annually to Israel. If this concept is approved, Israel will be required to pay for the interest but will be able to commit willingly to follow-on orders and receive the second squadron immediately after the first is delivered.

 

“With the F-35 Israel is expected to receive the AIM-9X short-range air/air missile (AAM) and the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM,” O’Bryan added. The F-35 currently carries the Raytheon AIM-9X Block at the outboard under-wing stations, in non-stealth configuration, as the current Block I missiles cannot be carried internally. This shortcoming will be corrected in Block II, which is to follow soon. 

Nevertheless, the optimal weapon carriage for the F-35 comprises exclusively the AMRAAM missiles, enabling the fighter to maximize its “see-first, shoot-first, kill-first” strategy. The next generation BVR-AAM will offer both active and passive guidance techniques, offering effective intercept ranges in excess of 100 km. This makes part of the argument not to include the Rafael Python V missile in the aircraft configuration; the next generation Python VI will be designed to fit the new fighter. Yet, according to IAF sources, a decision whether to use a derivative of the Stunner or a brand-new AAM has yet to be made.

F-35s are prepared to fight air combat as a “networked formation,” sharing all information between all members at all time. The data link used for this process, called MADL, will also be available to all F-35 operators. In addition, Harris Multi-Function Advanced Data-Link (MADL) terminals could be installed on certain support elements, to extend information sharing and update the data available to the stealthy F-35 formation. In addition, the F-35 is now offering Link-16 connectivity and would obviously include a satellite link as well, providing secure, low-probability-of-detection communications on extended range missions.

In August 2012 Lockheed Martin received a $206 million award from the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command, covering the development and integration of Israeli systems in the F-35A. Part of a larger package, the integration support agreement with Lockheed Martin covers a $450 million program to enhance Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment on the F-35, and integrate Israeli-unique systems beginning in 2016.

“The advantage of this F-35 for the Israel air force is not about higher performance or a specific weapon capacity, but the ability to understand the battlespace, identify, locate targets from standoff range and neutralize them before being engaged,” Brig. Gen. Hagi Topolanski, Chief of Air Staff and Deputy Israeli Air Force Commander, told Aviation Week in a recent interview. 

“These capabilities are meaningful in dealing with modern fighter aircraft and advanced SAMs. While the F-35 has its limitations, it can take on and win against any threat currently available in-theater. Its ability to independently collect, assess and process a battlespace situational picture, and strike those targets by itself, from standoff range, is providing a qualitative edge over anything the enemy can confront with, in the foreseeable future.”

Israel insisted upon a number of requirements throughout the procurement negotiations on the F-35I. Those included the adaptation of the baseline F-35A including all its systems, to the Israeli air force’s operational environment, which will require some necessary additions.

“Our F-35I will be equipped with our specific networks, armament and electronic warfare, among them the Spice autonomous EO guided weapon. It will also carry the AIM-9X2 air-to-air missile, which will become the first platform in the IAF to employ this advanced air-to-air missile. We also plan to continue and pursue the development of future air-to-air missiles; we are still evaluating the cost/performance trade-off between a common air-to-air and air-to-ground missile and a dedicated AAM design,” Topolanski explained. “Assuming the F-35 will offer the capabilities it is planned to deliver, it will bring a new dimension to air battles as we know today.” 

One of the advantages of the F-35 is the aircraft’s ability to fly long-range missions with internal weapons, accelerate faster and maintain higher speed, compared to current F16s or F-15s or any of the opposing force combat aircraft (flying with internal fuel). 

To further extend the F-35’s range, Lockheed Martin is exploring an innovative concept from Israel, of using unique drop tanks, developed by Elbit Systems Cyclone. Designed in a similar concept to the F-22 under-wing drop tanks, these tanks, each containing 425 gal. of fuel, will use special attachment pylons that would completely separate from the wing, regaining full stealth capability after separation. An additional 900 gal. of fuel will significantly extend the F-35I range, enabling the IAF to operate its new stealth fighter at the “outer ring” of operation without mandatory aerial refueling.

National Defence expected to lose some F-35s before all 65 delivered

National Defence scientists predicted in 2011 that the military would have almost certainly lost several of its brand-new F-35 stealth fighters before all 65 were even delivered, Postmedia News has learned.

In December 2011, the Defence Department’s research arm, Defence Research and Development Canada, published a report in which it said “that the probability of having 63 or more (F-35s) remaining at this time (when the last one is delivered) is approximately 54 per cent.”

Canadian military planners had originally expected to take possession of all 65 of this country’s stealth fighters over a staggered six-year period ending in 2022.

The DRDC report, obtained through access to information legislation, appears to also show how many F-35s the military could expect to lose over various time periods, but that information has been blacked out.

National Defence and the Conservative government have resisted budgeting for extra aircraft at the outset because doing so would push the estimated cost of acquiring the F-35 beyond the $9-billion envelope set aside for the purchase.

Instead, the government has made a vague statement about having “retained the option to purchase, or not, replacement aircraft in the future” — even though the report indicates the military would be short of the minimum required aircraft even before the entire fleet is delivered.

Former chief of defence staff Walter Natynczyk and former Royal Canadian Air Force commander Andre Deschamps both previously said 65 F-35s is the bare minimum required to meet the military’s requirements.

The DRDC report says the reason Defence Department scientists predicted the military would lose a number of F-35s in the first few years of operation is because “the rate of losses for any (fighter) aircraft fleet is … higher at the beginning of the fleet’s service life.”

The report adds that the rate of loss generally drops as the manufacturer learns more about the aircraft and fixes unforeseen problems, and as the Canadian Forces and other militaries learn more and change how they use the planes to compensate.

It adds that the information in the report “could be used to help plan for replacement aircraft purchases or to determine how to use the original 65 aircraft.”

The December 2011 report does include the proviso that the analysis was only based on information available at that time.

Officials would not comment specifically on the DRDC report.

Instead, Public Works spokeswoman Annie Duguay noted that a National Defence update on the F-35 project last year  “estimated that seven to 11 aircraft could be lost over the 42-year timeframe, and the cost to replace these lost aircraft could be in the order of $1 billion.”

“Rather than initially acquiring more aircraft than are required, the government has retained the option to purchase or not replacement aircraft in the future,” Duguay wrote, echoing established Conservative government policy.

Those F-35s already in operation in the U.S. have shown some problems since rolling off the assembly line.

The U.S. air force’s entire F-35 fleet were temporarily grounded in February when a crack was found in a test aircraft’s engine, the second such grounding in as many months.

A scathing Pentagon report leaked in March also identified a large number of problems facing the U.S. F-35 fleet, from radars that don’t work, to blurry vision from the aircraft’s sophisticated helmet, to an inability to fly through clouds.

The Pentagon report also found problems with maintaining the F-35s, with mechanics taking two days to replace an engine that is supposed to take two hours, and difficulties when aircraft is stored in temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius.

And it found the aircraft were not as reliable as expected as many required more maintenance than anticipated.

Despite these issues, the Pentagon declared in December that the F-35 was ready to begin extended pilot training while continuing to iron out the identified problems.

The Harper government pushed the reset button on its plans to purchase the F-35 last year.

This came after years of criticism over what has been seen as the Conservatives’ refusal to fully disclose how much the F-35s would cost, and after the auditor general raised serious concerns about the Defence Department’s handling of the file.

Bureaucrats have been ordered back to the drawing board to again examine what missions Canada’s jets will perform in the future, what threats they will face, and what fighter capabilities are currently available.

The Royal Canadian Air Force is leading the review with support from other federal departments, while a panel of independent experts has been tasked with monitoring the process to ensure it is rigorous and impartial.

While no timelines have been laid out, a final report 

The Conservative government has set aside $9 billion to purchase new aircraft to replace the air force’s aging fleet of CF-18 fighters.

National Defence revealed late last year that the cost of not only purchasing, but operating, maintaining and disposing of 65 F-35s through 2052 would be in excess of $45 billion.

Norway To Buy Six F-35s in 2017 And Then Six More Every Year Following Until 2024.

The Norwegian government today submitted a formal request to the Norwegian parliament for authorization to procure six F-35 Lightning II aircraft for delivery in 2017. In doing so, the Norwegian government follows up on its renewed plans from 2012 to stretch its procurement of the F-35 over additional years, and to accelerate its initial purchase by one year.

- We are very pleased that we have gotten to this point in our procurement process. Today represents a major leap forward in our efforts to procure the F-35. By making this commitment we are able to proceed with our plans to replace the F-16 fleet around 2020. By doing so we will also be introducing a wide range of additional capabilities to our armed forces which will improve their ability to meet the challenges of the coming three to four decades, says Norwegian minister of defence, Ms Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.

Together with the authorization for procuring aircraft, the government is also requesting permission to begin procurement of a wide range of additional equipment and services, including integration work, training and simulators.

- When the first aircraft land in Norway in 2017, we need to be ready to begin training and maintenance operations. That means we also need to begin investments in the necessary equipment and capabilities to do so, says Ms Strøm-Erichsen.

The Norwegian government today also announced its revised procurement plan for the F-35, which will see Norway receiving six aircraft annually from 2017 until 2024. This comes in addition to the four aircraft for training purposes that will be delivered in 2015 and 2016, for a total of 52 aircraft.

- It is important to note that even though we are announcing this plan now, the procurement of aircraft is still subject to annual approvals by the Norwegian parliament, says Ms. Strøm-Erichsen.

- We have concluded convincingly that the F-35 is the only aircraft that fulfills our future operational requirements. This continues to be true to this day, and we have no time to lose. Our F-16s remain among the world’s most capable aircraft of their kind, but they are also among the world’s oldest.

During the recent Joint Executive Steering Board meeting of the JSF-program, Norway also received assurances regarding the integration of the JSM missile into the development cycle known as Block 4. This means that the road is now open for final and complete integration of the JSM on the F-35.

- This is important to us mainly from an operational point of view – we need the JSM to fulfill our operational requirements. It is also important from an industrial side, as we believe the sales potential for the missile is significant with several F-35 users, says Ms. Strøm-Erichsen.

The requests sent to parliament have a total value of NOK 12.9 billion/USD 2.18 billion. This includes both aircraft procurement as well as related investments such as integration work, training and simulators. In addition, the government request calls for an uncertainty allowance of NOK 3 billion/USD 507.2 million.

Facts about the Norwegian procurement of the F-35:

- Norway will acquire up to 52 F-35 combat aircraft to ensure that its future Armed Forces will be able to perform its missions in the best way possible.

- The Norwegian acquisition is estimated to cost NOK 62.6 billion (adjusted real 2013-value.) The overall Norwegian cost estimates have been stable since 2008.

  The first four F-35s that are to be used for the training of Norwegian personnel were approved by the Norwegian Parliament in 2011. Of these four, the first two will be delivered in the United States in 2015 and the last two in 2016.