Skip to main content

F-35 jets: US military grounds entire fleet

F-35 fighter takes off from US carrier, 27 September 20178
The US military has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets in the wake of a crash in South Carolina last month.
Inspections are to be carried out on faulty fuel tubes.
An official report questioned earlier this year whether the F-35 was ready for combat after dozens of faults were found.
The F-35 is the largest and most expensive weapons programme of its type in the world.
The programme is expected to last several decades and global sales are projected to be 3,000. The US government's accountability office estimates all costs associated with the project will amount to one trillion dollars.
In a statement, the F-35 Joint Program Office said the US and its international partners had suspended flight operations while a fleet-wide inspection of fuel tubes was conducted.
"If suspect fuel tubes are installed, the part will be removed and replaced. If known good fuel tubes are already installed, then those aircraft will be returned to flight status.
"Inspections are expected to be completed within the next 24 to 48 hours."
The aircraft, which uses stealth technology to reduce its visibility to radar, comes in three variants.
The crash in South Carolina involved an F-35B, which is able to land vertically and costs around $100m (£75m).
The pilot in that incident ejected safely but the aircraft was destroyed.
The plane, manufactured by Lockheed Martin but including parts made in several other countries, has been sold to a number of nations, including the UK, Japan, Italy, Turkey and South Korea.

No going back

The temporary suspension of all F-35 flights is an embarrassment given the extraordinary cost of this frequently troubled programme. But the problem has already been identified as faulty fuel tubes. Once these are checked or replaced the aircraft will be back in the air.
The F-35 is only just entering service but it is already the most expensive weapons programme of all time.
It will equip the US Air Force and Marine Corps as well as several of Washington's allies. It represents a step-change in capability but the F-35's complexity has inevitably thrown up problems.
However there is no going back now. It promises to be the centrepiece of US air power for decades to come.
While its costs per aircraft are coming down there are still questions about how many planes the US can afford and whether it should also buy a cheaper, less capable aircraft alongside the F-35.
The F-35, first used in combat by Israel earlier this year to carry out two strikes, is designed for use by the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.
It boasts avionics, sensors and communications that allow data to be shared quickly with operational commanders.
Courtesy: www.bbc.com
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

US, Russia remain at ‘impasse’ over Open Skies treaty flights

WASHINGTON — The United States and Russia continue to be at odds with each other over a military verification treaty, to the point where no flights have been conducted in 2018. The latest issue with the Open Skies Treaty came to light earlier this week, with Russian officials saying the U.S. has refused to clear its planes for overflight of U.S. territory. Under the treaty, 34 countries, including both the U.S. and Russia, agree to allow unarmed surveillance flights over their territory to provide information gathering about military forces. “In breach of the Open Skies Treaty provisions, the head of the U.S. delegation refused to sign the final document, without giving any explanations or reasons, and citing direct instructions from Washington,” said Sergei Ryzhkov, the chief of Russia’s Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, according to the Tass news agency. “We insist that the U.S. side return to the Open Skies Treaty framework and demand that the current situat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Trump announces $3B defense deal with India

NEW DELHI — U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that India has signed a deal to purchase more than $3 billion of advanced military equipment, including helicopters. The announcement comes as the president visits with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Asian nation. Trump also said the two leaders made progress on what he describes as a “comprehensive trade deal" after bilateral talks. Modi, meanwhile, said the two had a productive exchange on issues including defense cooperation, energy and technology, adding that talks will continue. He also said that he and Trump have now met five times over the past eight months, noting that ties between the two nations is the “most important partnership of the 21st century." Credits: www.defensenews.com
Post a Comment
Read more

Dutch defense chief opens door for more F-35s

Visitors examine a replica of the Dutch F-35C Lightning II joint striker fighter aircraft during the Dutch Air Force Days at Leeuwarden Air Base in Leeuwarden on June 10, 2016. (Photo credit Vincent Jannink/AFP/Getty Images) COLOGNE, Germany – Dutch defense minister Ank Bijleveld has eliminated the country’s budget cap for F-35 purchases, opening the possibility of buying more planes in the future, a spokesman confirmed to Defense News. The defense ministry spokesman described the move as “just a formality” that would not require parliamentary approval, as the Dutch objective of buying 37 copies of the Lockheed Martin-made jet for €4.7 billion remains in place. But it means “we leave the option open to buy new planes” beyond those already envisioned in the budget, the spokesman said. The development was first reported by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, which wrote that the air force was angling to eventually get 67 aircraft. That amount would be enough to field fou...
Post a Comment
Read more