F-35: Same old song and dance

Mark Ayton reviews the latest news from the world’s largest defence programme, the F-35 Lightning II fighter

During a joint hearing of the House Armed Service Committee titled ‘F-35 Program Update: Sustainment, Production, and Affordability Challenges’ on November 13, Dr Robert Behler, Director, Operational Test and Evaluation at the United States Department of Defense said the F-35’s Initial Operational Test and Evaluation could not resume until mid-2020 at the earliest. F-35 IOT&E was placed on pause in because development delays of the Joint Simulation Environment used to evaluate the F-35 in robust threat scenarios. Based at Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Joint Operational Test Team started F-35 IOT&E in December 2018 and expected to complete its test programme during the summer of 2019.

A fully functioning Joint Simulation Environment is a critical system requirement for completion of the F-35’s IOT&E. While the JSE remains incomplete, IOT&E remains on pause. So what’s incomplete after so many years of development devoted to the F-35? Lockheed Martin and the US Department of Defense’s agencies are behind schedule in integrating a simulated model of the F-35 air vehicle, its systems and weapons into the JSE. 

As a result of the pause at least two big issues arise. One, with the very expensive IOT&E programme on pause running costs mount up placing additional budget pressure on the programme. Two, US Federal law prevents a major defence acquisition programme from proceeding to full-rate production until the director of operational test and evaluation submits a final report to the secretary of defense and Congress following the conclusion of the testing process. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Ellen Lord, signed off on a F-35 programme deviation report documenting the expected schedule threshold breach in the Milestone C full-rate production decision of up to 13 months. Until then, low rate initial production will continue through Lot 12, Lot 13 and Lot 14.

Testifying, Dr Robert Behler said: “So far the Joint Operational Test Team has conducted 91% of the open air test missions, actual weapons employment, cyber security testing, deployments and comparison testing with fourth-generation fighters, including the congressionally directed comparison test of the F-35A and the A-10C. IOT&E events have assessed the F-35 across a variety of offensive and defensive roles. Operational suitability of the F-35 fleet remains below service expectations. Test results show that neither the F-35B nor the F-35C are currently on track to meet ORD reliability or maintainability requirements when they attain flight-hour maturity. In short, for all variants, aircraft are breaking more often than planned and taking longer to fix. However, there are several suitability metrics that are showing signs of improvement this year.

“There are two phases of IOT&E remaining. The first is electronic warfare testing against robust surface-to-air threats at the Point Mugu Sea Range. The other is testing against dense surface and air threats in the Joint Simulation Environment at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. I would approve the start of these tests when the necessary test infrastructure is ready. The Joint Simulation Environment is essential, a man-in-the-loop synthetic environment that uses actual [F-35] aircraft software. It is designed to provide scalable, high-fidelity, operationally realistic simulation. I would like to emphasize that the JSE will be the only venue available other than actual combat against peer adversaries. To adequately evaluate the F-35, due to the inherent limitations of open-air testing, these limitations do not permit a full and adequate test of the aircraft against the required types and density of modern threat systems, including weapons, aircraft, and electronic warfare that are currently fielded by our near-peer adversaries. Integrating the F-35 into the JSE is a very complex challenge, but is required to complete IOT&E, which will lead to my final IOTE report.

Based on the current schedule, Behler does not expect the JSE to be ready to start final phase of operational testing until July 2020.

Also testifying, F-35 Program Executive Officer, Lieutenant General Eric Fick said: “We’re not only integrating the F-35 in a box into this environment, we’re also integrating all of the blue and red threat vehicles — ground systems, airborne systems, weapons, electronic warfare — and all of the things needed to bring a full 8-on-8 [aircraft] or greater scenario to life in a synthetic environment. We’re trying to come as close to a combat environment without putting iron in the sky.”

According to Ellen Lord: “The F-35 Autonomic Logistics Information System [ALIS] is a key enabler for tactical and operational availability and sadly, as presently constituted, ALIS is not delivering the capabilities the warfighter needs. The department is progressing towards a future ALIS developed and sustained utilizing agile software development techniques designed to rapidly deliver flexible applications on a modern secure architecture.” Major shortfalls include non-timely delivery of spare parts and difficulty in its use, especially at remote locations and on board amphibious warships.

In addition, Robert Behler said integration of ALIS on board an aircraft carrier has challenges due to weight and power, while General Fick said problems remain with data transfer between the aircraft and an amphibious ship. According to the Director of defence capabilities at the Government Accountability Office, Diana Maurer, during FY2019 F-35s were only able to perform one of many potential missions less than two-thirds of the time and all missions only one-third of the time, and that for about 30% of time, F-35s can’t fly because parts are breaking more often than expected and maintenance write-ups are taking twice as long as expected to fix.

Chair of the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee, Rep. John Garamendi (D-California) said the F-35 is plagued by high operating costs, inadequate repair capacity, spare part shortages and poor replacement part reliabilities, ongoing challenges running the Autonomic Logistics Information System which compounds spare part problems. Garamendi also highlighted that the F-35 programme’s acquisition costs are currently expected to exceed $406 billion, and sustainment costs are estimated to exceed $1 trillion.

Garamendi all but squashed any hope of a multi-year contract being awarded until the fundamental questions that have been asked thus far, and several that have not yet been put on the table have been resolved. He said: “Heretofore, the contractors have had the long end of the leather, and the government has been on the short end of the leather, that’s going to change.”

Ellen Lord affirmed that the Pentagon is at least a year away from giving consideration to asking for approval for awarding F-35 multiyear contracts.

Fifteen days before testifying to the House Armed Service Committee, Ellen Lord announced an agreement between the Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin for three low-rate initial production lots for a total of 478 aircraft and $34 billion; Lot 12 (149), Lot 13 (160), and Lot 14 (169). By variant the agreement covers 351 F-35A CTOLs, 86 F-35B STOVLs and 41 F-35C CVs. With so many ongoing problems still rattling around the rafters of the F-35 house, let’s hope the warranties of these jets are enforceable.

What about the unit costs of the air vehicle and its F135 engine? The combined air vehicle and engine cost is referred to as the unit recurring flyaway cost or URF. The F-35 Joint Program Office expects the URF to continue to fall over the next three years. Price tag for an F-35A is expected to drop from $89.2 to $77.9 million in 2022; F-35B from $115.5 to $101.3 million; and F-35C from $107.7 million to $94.4 million. According to General Fick the price tag of a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine is not declining at the same rate as the rest of the aircraft. Pratt & Whitney’s chief flack, John Thomas reckons the company cut the price of the F135 engine by more than half between 2009 and 2018, with ongoing single-digit percentage cost cuts from order to order. He said: “Deeper cost reductions would only be possible through major technology and design upgrades.”

In early October, Pratt & Whitney announced a US Department of Defense contract award valued at $5.7 billion for 332 F135 engines; the power plants for aircraft in low-rate initial production Lot 12 and Lot 13.

Based at Edwards Air Force Base, California, the F-35 Joint Operational Test Team has a fleet of 23 aircraft assigned, comprising 8 F-35As (including two Dutch jets), 9 F-35Bs (including three UK jets) and 6 F-35Cs. All 23 were manufactured in the early low-rate initial production lots and had received a series of upgrades to operationally representative configuration prior to the start of IOT&E. That said, some of the aircraft remain configured with specific flight test systems and instrumentation. Given the fleet’s operational test programme, so crucial to the entire F-35 programme it’s surprising to discover that in June, the 23 aircraft test fleet achieved an 8.7% full mission capable rate, according to an official F-35 ITF chart acquired by the Project on Government Oversight. The chart provided aircraft availability rates from December 2018 through to mid-July. Since IOT&E started on December 5, 2018, the 23 aircraft test fleet bottomed-out with a 4.7% full mission capable rate in May, against a monthly average of 11%.

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina is home to Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE), a depot-level maintenance facility for Navy and Marine Corps types including the F-35. It now has an F-35 laser shock peening facility which will use laser technology to strengthen F-35 structural components; the facility will become fully operational in 2020. In June 2020, the first F-35 aircraft will be inducted to undergo the validation and verification process prior to laser shock peening.

The 16,000-square-foot facility comprises two bays, where the actual laser shock peening process will take place, and a connected area that will house the laser generator. The state-of-the-art process will allow FRCE to conduct heavy structure modifications that will strengthen areas of the F-35’s airframe without disassembling the entire aircraft.

The process strengthens designs without adding additional metal or weight, which increases the aircraft’s life and reduces maintenance costs. It has been used on the F-22 Raptor and in manufacturing aircraft components including engine blades, but has never been employed for the F-35. FRCE will use the technology to help Marine Corps aircraft reach their full life limit.

Aircraft maintenance personnel at FRCE will conduct preparation work and some structural modification on the F-35s inducted into the depot, then turn them over to the contractor running the laser shock peening operations. The contractor will complete the process to strengthen the bulkheads and airframes without adding weight, and FRCE will re-assemble the jets, perform functional check flights and return them to the fleet.

In laser shock peening, the surface of the media is first coated with an ablative layer and covered with a water tamping layer. A high-energy laser beam is fired at the metal, which creates an area of plasma on the metal’s surface. The impact creates a shock wave, which travels through the metal, and compressive residual stresses remain. This compression helps improve the metal’s damage tolerance, fatigue life and strength.

The process creates a square laser beam, and the intensity is consistent across the entire laser beam. Using a grid pattern, square lasers are stacked up right beside each other so the entire surface of the part is completely uniform without weak spots in between that would then induce cracking later.

Laser shock peening will be a main focus of the F-35 line for the next four to five years completing modifications to the remaining jets in the F-35B fleet that require this treatment. The F-35C fleet will be processed by Ogden Air Force Base in Utah. Heather Wilburn, Fleet Readiness Center.

Australia

By the end of 2019, the Royal Australian Air Force’s Air Combat Group expects to have eight F-35As at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales and over 30 jets by the end of 2020. In January, the first two aircraft delivered on December 10, 2018 commenced flight operations. Many of the flights flown to date are part of the F-35A Lightning II Verify and Validation programme (V&V) designed to verify and validate the entire F-35A system in the Australian operating environment. Specifically, the V&V programme will assess the F-35A air system against F-35A initial operating capability (IOC) requirements, including: functionality with Australian logistics, base support and local training systems, assessment of processes and procedures, producing required sortie generation rates, i.e. number of flights per day and weapons events and live-firing exercises. The V&V programme will continue through 2020 in the build-up to declaration of initial operational capability (IOC) at the end of next year. Additional F-35A aircraft will be added to the V&V programme as they are delivered to Australia.

Commander of Air Combat Group (ACG), Air Commodore Michael Kitcher said: “In December 2020, Australia will have up to 33 aircraft, established a sovereign training capability and completed verification and validation of the Australian F-35A capability. By the end of 2020, one operational squadron [3 Squadron] will be proficient in air combat, strike and offensive air support, and ready to deploy in support of Australia’s national interests.”

In May, up to four F-35As started the first phase of weapons training at the Salt Ash Air Weapons Range. Commander Air Combat Group, Group Captain Harvey Reynolds said: “The initial training runs would involve a series of dry passes over the range, and be followed by gunnery activities. The weapons training programme will include practising F-35A weapons loading and unloading procedures, and gunnery practice which remains an essential skill for fighter aircrew. The Air Force has a responsibility to ensure personnel are ready and able to deploy at short notice and this involves necessary air-to-ground training that is employed at the Salt Ash Air Weapons Range.”

On July 15, two Royal Australian Air Force pilots conducted their first training mission on the F-35A after completing a two-month academic and simulator transition training program at Williamtown.

Speaking about the mission, Officer Commanding 3 Squadron, Wing Commander Darren Clare said: “Although we currently still send pilots to the United States [Luke Air Force Base, Arizona] for training, this shows Australia is quickly becoming self-sufficient and it all contributes to our F-35A squadrons reaching combat readiness as planned. The introduction of a fifth-generation aircraft and all of its new systems has been highly complex. It has only been since January that we started testing out how the F-35A integrated with the Australian logistics, base support and local training systems.”

On August 2, Australian Defence Minister Linda Reynolds announced a five-year, AUD $91 million contract between the Ministry of Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia dubbed the Autonomic Logistics Information System Integration (ALIS), Maintenance and Administration Services (IMAS) contract. Under the contract, Lockheed Martin Australia will provide mission combat system support and cyber accreditation for Australia’s F-35 program.

Linda Reynolds said: “This is a significant milestone towards achieving initial operating capability for the F-35A. It delivers a more responsive and cost-effective solution for key aspects of Australian F-35A maintenance management, and will create up to 60 jobs in the Canberra, Adelaide, Hunter and Katherine regions.

Lockheed Martin Australia, CEO Scott Thompson told Australia’s Defence Connect: “Our new contracts with the Department of Defence are a world first and are an important step in developing fifth-generation sovereign capability, providing an opportunity for potentially billions of dollars’ worth of new sustainment contracts for local industry.”

Air Commodore Damien Keddie, Director- General Joint Strike Fighter Division told Defence Connect: “These agreements are the next stage in maturing the sovereign maintenance and sustainment programme for Australia’s F-35 capability and the sovereign sustainment and capability for Australia. This is important for supporting the ALIS agreement is particularly important because working with Lockheed Martin Australia enables us to keep the mission data and fidelity of the information generated by Australia’s JSFs in our hands while supporting the development of Australia’s sovereign industry.”

Belgium

October 25, 2018 was the day that the Belgian government announced it had selected the F-35A Lightning II as its next-generation fighter; the 13th country to do so. The US State Department had approved the deal with an estimated value of $6.5 billion for 34 aircraft. During the official announcement, Belgian Defence Minister, Steven Vandeput said the F-35 beat the other contenders in all seven selection criteria.

Secretary of the Air Force, Barbara Barrett selected Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, as a candidate to host a Belgium F-35A Formal Training Unit, for up to seven years, starting in 2023. She said: “Because of Luke’s infrastructure and its experience in hosting international F-35 customers, Luke is uniquely suited to provide an optimal training environment for our Belgian allies.”

The Belgian Air Component’s transition from the F-16 to the F-35 will take place between 2023 and 2030. Luke will receive the first Belgian Air Component F-35As in 2023 and a further four in 2024. The eight aircraft are expected to be delivered from Luke to Florennes Air Base in 2025. The Belgian Air Component has not confirmed how many squadrons will operate the F-35A at both Florennes, currently home of 1 and 350 Squadrons under 2 Wing, and Kleine Brogel Air Base, currently home of 31 and 349 Squadrons under 10 Wing. All 34 aircraft will be delivered by 2030.

New infrastructure will be constructed at Florennes to support F-35 operations including squadron buildings, training facilities with four flight simulators and maintenance hangars for six aircraft; similar facilities will also be constructed at Kleine Brogel.

Denmark

Denmark’s acquisition of the F-35A, announced on June 9, 2016, currently comprises 27 aircraft, a number that might be increased in order to permanently base at least four of the fleet at Thule Air Base, Greenland to counter potential Russian threats to the island.

According to the Danish Ministry of Defence, parts of Greenland will soon be within reach of Russian aircraft, capable of breaching Greenland’s airspace without hindrance. The Danish Ministry of Defence reckons that Russia’s military buildup in the Arctic involves tanker aircraft and fighter jets based at Nagurskoye Air Base on the Arctic island of Alexandra Land located about 1,000 kilometres from the coast of Greenland.

In Denmark, acquisition of 27 F-35As will ensure Denmark has freedom of action and the ability to assert Danish sovereignty, to be deployed on international operations and contribute to NATO’s collective defence of Danish and allied territory. The Danish government said the F-35A ranked higher than all other competing types in all four major requirements; strategic, military, economic and industrial.

The Kongelige Danske Flyvevåben (Royal Danish Air Force) plans to introduce its F-35s to service between 2021 and 2026 such that all national tasks can be undertaken by the new fighter from 2024 before the last F-16 aircraft will be phased out by the end of the year, ensuring Denmark’s quick reaction alert can be continuously maintained. A deployed limited combat capability is expected in 2025 followed by the full combat capability from 2027. Consequently, the Kongelige Danske Flyvevåben will be unable to conduct any international commitments with a full combat capability between 2022 and 2024 and with only limited combat capability through 2026.

Flyvestation Skrydstrup, is the base selected by the Danish government to base its fleet of F-35s; the base is currently being upgraded to the standard require to operate the Lightning II.

The Danish government has estimated the acquisition cost of its F-35 fleet over the phase in period between 2021 and 2026 to be DKK 20 billion.

Italy

Italy is the first NATO nation to deploy the F-35 to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland for NATO’s interim air policing operation Northern Lightning which started on October 2, 2019. This commitment is also the first in which the F-35A falls under the command and control of NATO.

Six Aeronautica Militaire F-35As assigned to 13° Gruppo, part of 32° Stormo based at Amendola Air Base in southeastern Italy, deployed to maintain quick reaction alert at Keflavik to safeguard the integrity of NATO air space, and strengthen surveillance activity in Icelandic air space. Four aircraft flew to Keflavik on September 24 supported by a KC-767 tanker, followed by another two on September 25.

Organised as Task Force Air 32nd Wing, led by Italy’s Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze (Joint Operation Command), the Italian contingent also included Task Group Lightning, an Air Defence Controller team from Comando Operazioni Aeree (Air Operations Command) based at Poggio-Renatico; the latter conducted in cooperation with the Icelandic Coast Guard

An Icelandic-specific initial operational capability was declared on October 1 followed by a final operational capability the following day; a declaration of the contingent’s readiness to conduct the Icelandic air policing mission.

Armed with two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, this weapon load configuration is the standard load out used back home at Amendola where 13° Gruppo maintains a quick reaction alert on a rotational basis with other fighter units under the Servizio Sorveglianza Spazio Aereo (Air Space Surveillance Service) mission.

Using its brand new fighter for a NATO-led mission enables the Aeronautica Militaire to evaluate the F-35 while operating from a different base with significantly different weather conditions to those at Amendola following different procedures under a different chain of command, a significant milestone ahead of the type’s final operating capability declaration.

Japan

On April 9, Japan lost F-35A 79-8705 (c/n AX-05) in the Pacific Ocean during a training mission flown from Misawa Air Base with the tragic loss of pilot, Major Akinori Hosomi.

Bound for a combat training mission with three other jets, Major Hosomi took off from Misawa around 7pm and proceeded to the training area. At around 7.26pm ground control told Major Hosomi to descend to maintain separation from a US military aircraft some 36km away, but the F-35 kept descending and disappeared from the radar.

Air Self-Defense Force investigators concluded the crash was caused by spatial disorientation on the part of Major Hosomi and not by any mechanical problem. Investigators found that Major Hosomi did not have enough time to stabilize the aircraft after a warning alarm sounded, and concluded Major Hosomi crashed without realizing his plane was barrelling toward the sea.

Misawa is home to 302 Hikotai, Japan’s first F-35A squadron, which began operations in March 2019.

This was the second F-35 crash, the first involved Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) F-35B BuNo 168057/VM01 on September 28, 2018 near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina.

Japan joined the F-35 club in December 2011 with an order for 42 F-35A jets. Last December, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe increased the F-35 order to 147 by requesting an additional 63 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs from the US government. Japan became the fourth nation to opt for the short take-off, vertical landing variant of the F-35 Lightning II.

Japan’s government plans to deploy F-35Bs to its southern islands where runways of the length required by the F-35A are in short supply. In addition, the Japanese Ministry of Defence now plans to modify its two Izumo-class multipurpose operation destroyers, Izumo (DDH- 183) and Kaga (DDH-184), currently in service with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force with reinforced decks and systems required to support F-35Bs. Both programmes are being implemented to bolster Japan’s air defence capability around its southern islands.

Netherlands

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht or KLu) reached a major milestone with the delivery of the first F-35A Lightning II to the Netherlands on October 31. This was not the first KLu F-35A Lightning II to touch down at a Dutch Air Case – Dutch F-35As based at Edwards Air Force Base, California previously visited the Netherlands on two occasions; once in 2016 and earlier this year. What made this occasion special is that it marked the first F-35 delivery to a Netherlands-based squadron.

Although the Dutch requirement is for more aircraft, due to budget limitations the government decided in September 2013 to limit the number of F-35As ordered to 37 – including two test aircraft acquired in 2009 and 2011. The first eight (serials F-001 to F-008) had been delivered by May 2019 and are permanently based in the United States for operational testing and pilot training. These were all built at Lockheed Martin’s facility at Fort Worth, Texas. The remaining 29 will be built at the Final Assembly and Check-Out facility at Cameri, Italy. The jet delivered to Leeuwarden on October 31, serial number F-009, is the first Italian-built Dutch F-35A. The aircraft made its maiden flight from Cameri on September 9 and was officially rolled out three days later. The next jet off the assembly line, serial number F-010, took to the air for the first time on November 4.

In recent years, the Netherlands has increased its defence spending in an effort to meet its NATO obligations. In 2018, NATO called for three operational Dutch F-35 squadrons. With 15 F-35s projected for each squadron, 37 jets are inadequate to equip three squadrons plus a training unit. On October 8, the Ministry of Defence confirmed plans to order nine additional F-35As for the KLu before the end of 2019, bringing the total to 46. Another follow-on order will be necessary to fully meet the NATO commitment. A Lockheed Martin representative recently suggested that a solution for the Netherlands might be the acquisition of F-35As that have been built for Turkey, but will not be delivered because the US government excluded Turkey from the F-35 programme in July after Turkey took delivery of the Russian S-400 air defence system.

At Leeuwarden, the first aircraft arrival event on October 31 was attended by more than 2,000 invited guests, including Minister of Defence Ank Bijleveld, State Secretary of Defence Barbara Visser and KLu commander Lieutenant General Dennis Luyt. Also present were politicians and many people from the military and industry involved in the F-35 project, plus inhabitants of the city of Leeuwarden and villages surrounding the base.

The F-35 was flown to its home base by Lieutenant Colonel Ian Knight, the recently appointed commanding officer of the F-35 Squadron at Leeuwarden. Throughout its delivery flight, F-009 was accompanied by two KLu F-16BMs acting as chase plane and photo ship. Upon arrival Knight made a couple of low passes and a formation fly past with three of its predecessors – an F-16, Hawker Hunter and Spitfire – before landing on runway 23 at 1524hrs. After taxiing onto Leeuwarden’s northern platform, F-009 received the usual hose-down treatment by the air base fire brigade.

Unfortunately, one of the crash tenders’ crew had accidentally selected foam instead of water, so the F-35 came to a standstill between the grandstands covered in foam. Since fire extinguishing foam may have a corrosive effect on the aircraft and its engine, Lockheed Martin was consulted and the jet got washed with water during an engine run immediately after the welcoming ceremony. With inspections already planned before the KLu formally accepts the jet, additional inspections should reveal whether any damage has occurred.

According to Leeuwarden’s base commander Colonel Arnoud Stallmann it would take up to three weeks for F-009 to be accepted and F-35 flying operations to commence. Lieutenant Colonel Laurens Jan Vijge, head of operations at Leeuwarden, became the first KLu pilot to fly an F-35A on December 18, 2013. He said: “In the coming months the squadron will gradually build up and get used to working with our new weapon system. This allows technicians to get acquainted with the aircraft and us to see how the logistic aspects develop. Of course we benefit from the experience gained with our F-35s in the US, particularly at Edwards where we operate relatively independent as a Dutch team.”

Until the first F-35 squadron reaches initial operational capability status towards the end of 2021, two squadrons will operate side-by-side at Leeuwarden: 322 (F-16) Squadron continues to fly the old jets from the southern part of the air base, while 322 (F-35) Squadron operates the new ones from the northern part.

Delivery of F-010 is scheduled before the end of the year and F-011 should follow in April or May 2020. The Cameri FACO will deliver eight F-35As to the KLu annually. Full operational capability (FOC) of 322 Squadron is scheduled in the first quarter of 2024. The first Volkel-based squadron will start converting to the F-35 in 2021 and initially operate from Leeuwarden to benefit from the experience and infrastructure there, before relocating to Volkel in mid-2022. The final F-16s are slated for retirement in 2024.

Over in America, KLu F-35As are involved in pilot training and operational testing. The Nederlands Opleidingsdetachement F-35 (NODF-35, Netherlands F-35 Training Detachment) at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, achieved several milestones in the past months. On July 19, F-005 flew the 500th hour for the Dutch fleet within the 308th Fighter Squadron ‘Emerald Knights’ since the Dutch jets started flying at Luke on February 21. The Emerald Knights received the sixth – and, for the time being, final – Dutch F-35A on July 23, when F-008 relocated to Luke from Edwards Air Force Base, California. Delivered to Edwards on May 10, 2019, this jet had been used temporarily by the KLu’s 323 Test and Evaluation Squadron for test flights within the multi-national F-35 Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) programme. On September 16, it was again F-005 that completed the 500th sortie flown by the Dutch jets at Luke. And on October 8, the first operational Leeuwarden-based pilot graduated from the conversion course at Luke.

At Edwards, 323 Test and Evaluation Squadron continues to participate in the much delayed IOT&E, a test programme that’s now likely to not be concluded until 2021. Consequently, F-35As F-001 and F-002 will not relocate to Luke at the end of this year as originally foreseen, but remain committed to operational testing until the conclusion of IOT&E. A decision has yet to be taken on whether the Netherlands will remain involved in F-35 operational testing beyond the end of IOT&E. Aircraft F-002 is fully instrumented as a dedicated test aircraft, so it seems likely that the KLu will to some extent – if not permanently, then at least occasionally remain at Edwards for follow-on operational test and evaluation. Kees van der Mark

Norway

On November 6, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, Major General Tonje Skinnarland declared the Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret’s F-35A fleet operational after completing a deployment to Rygge Air Station in November to validate they are able to operate the jets away from Ørland Main Air Station.

Over the last two years, the Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret has conducted an intensive operational testing and evaluation of the F-35A in Norwegian conditions including winter operations, operations in the northern areas and cooperation with the Army, Navy and Special Forces. To conclude the test period, aircraft, personnel and equipment were transferred from Ørland to Rygge to train and practice operations from the base. This was the first time Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret F-35s conducted flight operations from a base other than Ørland.

Next year Norwegian F-35s will deploy to Keflavik, Iceland to conduct the NATO air policing mission, and by 2022, the Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret expects to have built up enough F-35s, pilots and maintainers in Norway to enable the F-35 to take over the 24/7 quick reaction alert from Evenes Air Station in northern Norway, a mission that requires pilots to scramble and intercept aircraft flying near Norwegian airspace.

Poland

On September 11, the Polish government announced it has requested 32 F-35A Lightning IIs, a full mission trainer, training, logistics and support, which the US State Department and the Congress duly approved by late September. The deal is estimated by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to be valued at $6.5 billion. In service with the Siły Powietrzne Rzeczpospolita Polska (Polish Air Force), the F-35As will replace the remaining MiG-29 Fulcrums and Su-22M-4 and Su-22UM-3K Fitters (officially 18 aircraft, 12 combat-coded and six dedicated to training).

According to the Warsaw-based Casimir Pulaski Foundation, the Siły Powietrzne Rzeczpospolita Polska operates four squadrons of combat-coded MiG-29s and Su-22s, amounting to 64 machines.

Poland’s MiG-29s are assigned to two tactical squadrons; 41. Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego based at 22. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Malbork and 1. Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego based at 23. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Minsk Mazowiecki. Two tactical squadrons; 8. and 40. Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznegos are based at 21. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Swidwin.

Given the number of F-35 involved in this $6.5 billon deal, it appears the Polish government is replacing half of its current 64-aircraft fleet. Which Tactical Aviation Base or bases will receive the F-35As has not been announced, though it’s more likely to be Malbork and Swidwin; Minsk Mazowiecki is perhaps the base that would require the most expenditure to configure for F-35 operations.

Minister of National Defence of Poland, Mariusz Błaszczak tweeted that the purchase of the F-35 jets would be “the most important contract in the history of the Polish armed forces. But this is not the end of our work. We will be negotiating hard to secure the best possible price.”

South Korea

Cheongju Air Base in the south-central North Chungcheong province of the Republic of Korea is now home of the Asian nation’s first F-35A unit, 151 Fighter Squadron, a component of 17 Fighter Wing.

The first two jets arrived at Cheongju on March 29, seven days after departing Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Luke is home to the 56th Fighter Wing, host unit of the F-35 international pilot training schoolhouse, where the first six Republic of Korea Air Force F-35As were delivered and operated by Air Force Reserve Command’s 944th Fighter Wing. Republic of Korea Air Force pilots commenced F-35 flight training with the 944th in 2017 with the first solo flight flown in July 2018. By the end of 2019, 151 Fighter Squadron is scheduled to have 13 F-35As on strength, with a further 14 to follow through 2020. The Republic of Korea government placed a 40-aircraft order in September 2014 under the US government’s foreign military sales programme. All 40 Republic of Korea Air Force F-35As will be assembled at Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth, run by Lockheed Martin.

A Defense Acquisition Program Administration report presented to the Republic of Korea National Assembly on October 7 stated that the government is preparing to launch the second phase of the F-X III in 2021 lasting five years; official language for the acquisition of 20 more F-35s at a cost of around $3.3 billion. The specific variant was not disclosed, but in general, Republic of Korea defence sources predict the aircraft will be F-35As; the alternative F-35B has a higher unit recurring flyaway cost and the nation’s first 30,000-ton large-deck landing ship will not arrive until the 2030s.

Turkey

In July 2019, the US Congress suspended Turkey’s participation in the F-35 programme thereby halting its involvement in the manufacture of production of aircraft components and parts used on the final assembly lines at Cameri, Italy and Fort Worth Texas, and delivery of jets to the nation. The suspension decision was made because of the Turkish government’s procurement and acceptance of the first shipment of Russian S-400 air defence systems, a lethal system that the US government says is in compatible with NATO equipment. In reality, the US does not want Russian operators supporting the Turkish armed forces gaining ‘eyes on’ to any of the F-35’s systems.

Turkey was a significant player in the F-35 programme; the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri had a requirement for 100 F-35As to replace ageing F-4 Phantoms and its oldest F-16 Fighting Falcons.

Four Türk Hava Kuvvetleri F-35As have been resident at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona since mid-2018 where they were assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing’s 63rd Fighter Squadron, and used to train Turkish pilots and technicians to fly and operate the fighters; 42 Türk Hava Kuvvetleri pilots and maintainers returned home following Turkey’s suspension from the F-35 programme.

F-35 Program Executive Officer, Lieutenant General Eric Fick is expecting Turkey’s entire phase out from the programme to be complete by March 2020. Testifying to a joint hearing of the House Armed Service Committee on November 13, he said: “We began just over a year ago, very quietly but deliberately, taking actions to find alternate sources for all of the parts produced in Turkey. We have, on the airframe side, 11 components we have to mitigate to be at full-rate production … and on the engines, there’s one: integrated bladed rotors.”

Some parts ordered from Turkey however, will be delivered after the March 2020 deadline.

United States

In a press release issued on May 9, the office of the Secretary of the Air Force announced F-35A Lightning IIs will be moved from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada from early 2022 to equip the reactivated 65th Aggressor Squadron.

The aggressor squadron’s re-activation is part of an initiative to improve training for fifth generation fighter aircraft by using the F-35A to replicate emerging threats entering service with the Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily Rossii (Su-35 and Su-57) and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (Su-35 and J-20)

Commander Air Combat Command, General Mike Holmes recommended improving training for fifth generation fighter tactics development and close-air support by adding F-35s to complement the fourth generation aircraft currently being used. To support this requirement, the Air Force has decided to create a fifth-generation aggressor squadron at Nellis and move nine non-combat capable F-35A aircraft from the 33rd Fighter Wing based at Eglin.

The Air Force has already re-assigned two F-35A aircraft from the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron based at Edwards Air Force Base, California, to join the F-16C-equipped 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron, a close air support unit also based at Nellis. The 24th TASS assignment will provide the Air Force with F-35As dedicated to close air support training.

At Eglin, the 33rd Fighter Wing will only begin to reassign its early lot F-35A aircraft to Nellis once new replacement jets have filled the billets currently expected in early 2022.

The first brand new F-35As for Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing were delivered to its Burlington base on September 19. Vermont is the Air National Guard unit to receive the F-35A.

One month later to the day, the 158th Fighter Wing officially welcomed the F-35A Lightning II into the wing. Eighteen more jets will arrive over the coming months as the wing continues to develop its skills in flying and maintaining the stealth fighter.

Back in 1986, the 158th Fighter Wing transitioned from F-4D Phantoms to Block 1, 10 and 15 F-16A Fighting Falcons; only the second Air National Guard unit to re-equip with the Fighting Falcon.

The 158th Fighter Wing’s operational squadron is the 134th Fighter Squadron, the fifth Air National Guard unit to be formed. Squadron Airmen are carrying on the long lineage with their famed ‘Yellow Scorpions’ emblem painted on the side of the F-35’s vertical stabilisers.

Converting to the F-35 has affected the entire wing with changes required at all levels. While pilots needed to learn to fly a new aircraft and maintainers needed to learn new procedures, everyone from the fire department to security forces also needed to adapt as the base facilities and taxiways were overhauled to accept the new aircraft.

Vermont’s 158th Fighter Wing is the first of 15 Air National Guard units currently planned for transition to the F-35A Lightning II involving 300 aircraft. TSgt Ryan Campbell, 158th Fighter Wing.

On the other side of the nation, at the sprawling Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on the northern outskirts of San Diego, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) ‘Black Knights’ retired its last F/A-18A Hornet on June 21. Prior to that date, the initial cadres of the squadron’s pilots were already at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California’s central valley learning to fly and operate the F-35C with Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA- 125) ‘Rough Raiders’, the Navy and Marine Corps’ F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron.

VMFA-314 is transitioning to the F-35C, the first Marine Corps squadron to convert to the type, a process that is scheduled to complete in the spring of 2020; the first aircraft with squadron markings is F-35C BuNo 169601/VW434. Squadron maintainers are undertaking their initial training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida before moving to Lemoore. Pilot training started with VFA- 125 at Lemoore in early September. Once the squadron is certified as safe-for-flight by a Marine Corps officer, actually the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 11 after which it will move to Miramar its future home base.

As the US Air Force continues with its goal to become a more lethal and ready force, the 388th Fighter Wing based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, the first combat-coded F-35A Lightning II wing has been a key contributor to the force’s overall readiness.

Over the summer, all three squadrons assigned to the 388th FW, the 4th, 34th and 421st Fighter Squadrons — nearly 70 F-35A aircraft — were operating away from home station. They conducted operations in nine different countries on three separate continents, supporting multiple combatant commanders. The 421st FS supported a European Theater Support Package, the 34th FS conducted off-station operations at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, while Hill’s runway was under construction, and the 4th FS conducted the first F-35A combat deployment.

Commander 388th Fighter Wing, Colonel Steven Behmer said: “We’re focused on maintaining and improving every aspect of readiness – training, manning, and developing our people and tactics to meet current threats. Our maintainers are doing a great job providing the sorties we need to do just that.”

Successes can be attributed to several factors, from higher experience levels of the maintainers, to rebounds in the supply process. And not everything has been a recent fix. The numbers are catching up to past process improvements.

Explaining, 388th Maintenance Group chief enlisted manager, Chief Master Sergeant Trey Munn said: “A lot of the time people’s perceptions and expectations of the programme are influenced by stale data, old, inaccurate information. A really good example is the Autonomic Logistics Information System [dubbed ALIS]. There are definitely applications within ALIS that still need to be addressed, but the prognostic health management system and joint technical data are great examples of where ALIS, on the whole, has improved and we’ve improved.”

Commander 388th Maintenance Group, Colonel Michael Miles said: “The jet’s prognostics health management system can detect problems before they fail and allow maintainers to prioritize workload. Making prudent maintenance decisions in coordination with the operations group’s flying schedule is a key process enabled by these systems.”

The newest jets assigned to the 388th FW are also reflected in the improvements as Col Miles explained: “We’re not seeing the same problem parts and issues that we did in the past. Problems sent in from the field are being addressed and solutions are woven into the production line. I like the trajectory we’re currently on. There have been some valleys, but our overall experience shows we’re on a readiness incline.”

Last autumn, former Defense Secretary James Mattis directed Air Force and Navy fighter squadrons to improve material readiness by achieving a mission capable rate of 80% – something many believed to be a lofty goal given the operations tempo, manning and resource constraints faced by all of the services.

Twelve months later, materiel readiness at the 388th FW, to include one squadron deployed, has seen remarkable improvements. This was highlighted when 388th FW units hit a single day in September with two units above 90% mission capable and the third unit above 80%. This is testament to the level of effort the Airmen maintaining and sustaining the F-35 have put in over this year.

Col Miles believes his is a reflection of processes that are on the right track. He said: “It took hard work and there will be a lot of naysayers, and many people don’t understand the trajectory the programme is on.”

Mission capable rates are just one component assessed at the unit level to determine readiness. In a recent interview, Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein described five aspects of overall readiness, which include training Airmen, sustainable budgets and funding, mission preparation, a reliable logistics supply chain of available parts, and flying hours so pilots have more time in the air.