Trouble F-35

Due to problems with obtaining the required parameters of the Pentagon dropped the requirement for F-35A and B. Yesterday, delayed by several months, the first flight of F-35A outside the Eglin base and ended with the safe return.

F-35A took off from Eglin to the first training flight outside the air base at 10:07 local time. The plane piloted by Lt Col USAF test pilot Eric Smith of the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing. Flight was to last 90 minutes. But soon after takeoff the pilot accompanying F-35A fighter jet F-16 saw leaked. Although taken into account that this may be only liquid left over from washing the aircraft, the management decided to test the machine back to base. Flight ended in less than 20 minutes.

After landing, engineers have confirmed the existence of the leak. According to preliminary assessments, it was caused by loosening three fuel line clamps. With full tanks, it caused a leak. After the incident, the mechanics were required to make additional inspections of the other eight F-35A in the database Eglin.

The first flight of F-35A training outside the Eglin air base was planned for Tuesday. However, due to bad weather delayed the mission. The engineers responsible for flight testing believe that they should be done with perfect weather. - Our goal is to provide two flights a week - said one of them. The Eglin is only two pilots have appropriate permissions to perform such missions.

F-35 has problems not only with safety and delays in the program. A few days ago information leaked to the media that the Pentagon, specifically the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) in late 2011 reduced the requirements for this airplane. Lowering the bar applies to such operating range of the F-35A and B and the length of the take-off version of the F-35B. According to Inside Defense, because the F-35A lacked 6 mm to the required operating radius (590 nm), allowed to optimize combat flight profile in terms of fuel consumption. Now, can they be held in conditions similar to the through (altitude, speed), which is expected to exceed the operating radius of up 610 mm.


A bigger problem creates the F-35B. JROC had to agree to an extension of 10% of the way off. We do not know what will happen to the originally desired range. Lockheed Martin engineers failed to get there as much as 15%. And this in spite of the number of weapons carried by aircraft.