F-35B 수직착륙시험 성공과 이스라엘의 F-35 구입 계획...

 

3월 17일 F-35B 의 수직착륙 시험비행 성공 소식을 전한 바 있습니다.  --->  F-35B Vertical Landing

 

금주에 발행된 AW&ST 에서 수직착륙 (Vertical Landing) 시험비행 관련 상세 기사가 있어 소개합니다. 그동안 F-35 JSF 개발에

있어, 개발비 상승 및 일정 지연의 주범으로 지목된 B형, STOVL 기의 IOC 획득이 가장 빠를 것 같다고 하니 아이러니 합니다.

 

또한 이스라엘의 F-35 JSF 구매관련 사항도 언급하고 있습니다. 큰 변수가 없는 한 F-35 의 구입은 예정대로 진행될 것으로 보이

며, F-35 의 개발 일정이 다시 지연되고, 1기당 조달비용이 다시 상승한다면, 보잉의 F-15 Silent Eagle 의 구입 가능성도 있는 것

으로 예상하고 있습니다.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

F-35B Achieves Vertical Landing Milestone

AW&ST, Mar 22, 2010

By Amy Butler, Robert Wall, Graham Warwick and Alon Ben-David

 

The F-35B is taking a major step forward with vertical-landing test milestones, though the massive price increase for the stealthy, single-engine fighter is raising eyebrows among international customers.

 

The first vertical landing took place Mar. 18 after a 1:09 p.m. EDT takeoff at NAS Patuxent River, Md. BF-1, the first short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (STOVL) model, rode more than 41,000 lb. of thrust to achieve this milestone, which is key in proving the aircraft’s suitability for the Marine Corps, U.K. and Italian forces.

 

The landing occurred after an 80-kt. short takeoff that required less than 1,000 ft. After 13 min. of flight, Graham Tomlinson, F-35 lead (Stovl) test pilot for Lockheed Martin, positioned the aircraft at 150 ft. above the landing site, hovered for about 1 min. and commenced the descent to the runway. He says he is “speechless” at the ease of the landing. He “didn’t see any ground effect, which — to me — is a miracle.”

 

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. George Trautman, deputy commandant for aviation, is confident the aircraft will be ready for an initial operational capability (IOC) in December with Block 2B software, which will allow the use of two AIM-120D air-to-air interceptors and two 1,000-lb. Joint Direct Attack Munitions or two 500-lb. laser-guided bombs — all carried internally. With this software, the aircraft will be able to fly at 7g with a 50‑deg. angle of attack. The first unit, however, is not slated to deploy until 2014.

 

The Air Force and Navy have slipped IOC until 2016. Marine Corps IOC will include 15 aircraft for training at Eglin AFB, Fla., four in an operational test and evaluation detachment and the first operational squadron of 10 in Yuma, Ariz.

 

Critics say this plan is too aggressive. “Some people are missing the point,” Trautman says. He points out that the aircraft will exceed the range of current strike fighters, incorporate low-observability into the Marine Corps fleet for the first time, and offer better communications and sensors.

 

The test comes only weeks after Defense Secretary Robert Gates slapped the company with a $614-million award-fee withhold. The development program has been delayed by 13 months, and 122 aircraft were clipped from the near-term production profile to pay for a cost overrun.

 

This vertical-landing test had been slated for last summer. Though a significant step forward, it is not likely to overshadow doubts of prospective international buyers in light of the more than 50% increase in per-unit F-35 cost.

 

Per-unit price has spiked from $50 million in Fiscal 2002 dollars to as much as $95 million. Today’s flyaway cost is about $112 million.

 

Israel, while not a partner in the development program, is expected to be one of the largest export customers and would likely have been the first non-partner to buy. However, there is now growing interest among senior Israeli defense officials in purchasing a different fighter prior to F-35.

 

Israel was targeting procurement of a first squadron of 25 F-35As in 2015-16. This would have called for a signed contract in 2010, with initial payments beginning in 2011. Overall, $2.7 billion was budgeted.

 

But the negotiations have met several obstacles. While the U.S. sanctioned installation of Israeli communications systems and munitions, access to the JSF’s electronic warfare suite and source code needed for modifications is not approved. Israel wants to install unique, indigenously designed systems as it has done on other aircraft and it rejects a U.S. demand that JSF maintenance be performed in a regional center.

 

The Israeli requirements have driven the price of the contract to $3.25 billion ($130 million per aircraft), far above the available budget.

 

The Israeli air force (IAF) needs new fighters in this decade, as many of its aircraft are nearly 40 years old, a senior defense source tells Aviation Week. They should look at alternatives, he says “This could also improve its position in JSF negotiations.”

 

But the IAF, by contrast, is clinging to its F-35 ambitions: “Although there are still issues to be resolved, mostly about the price, we believe the contract could be concluded soon.”

 

Most Israeli defense officials agree that the best existing alternative to the JSF would be Boeing’s new F-15 Silent Eagle, which combines traditional F-15 capabilities with a reduced radar cross section and internal weapons bay. However, no formal proposal has been made.

 

“From the little we know, the . . . F-15SE could reach $100 million per aircraft, not so different from the F-35,” says the IAF source. “Naturally, we will consider it if there will be a major delay in the F-35, but haven’t arrived at that point yet.”

 

Meanwhile, JSF also appears to meeting big headwind in Denmark, where it is competing against the Saab Gripen and Boeing F/A-18E/F, which is seen as the frontrunner.

 

  F-35B BF-01 ground test. ⓒ Lockheed Martin