The F-35's crack problem.

3 Comments
No.  Not that kind of crack.
Like a certain Toronto mayor, the F-35 is a treasure trove of controversy.  At some point you simply stop asking yourself "Is it good or bad news this time?" and ask "Oh boy...  How bad is it this time?"

Not long ago, it was revealed that The Pentagon would be dropping its 2015 F-35 order down to 34 from the originally planned 42.  Now, it looks like the STOVL version, the F-35B, is under further scrutiny after durability testing found cracks in the bulkhead.  Durability testing will now be delayed until the issue can be resolved and existing aircraft refit.

These cracks only effect the STOVL  F-35B model.  The F-35A, Canada's possible choice would be (mostly) unaffected.  It should be clarified that these bulkhead cracks were found after over 9,400 hours of simulated testing.  The F-35 itself will be meant to last 8,000 flight hours.  While this may seem irrelevant at first, that extra 1,400 hours does not leave a sufficient margin of error.  It should also be noted that this is not the first time the F-35 has had cracks in its bulkheads.

The F-35 bulkhead.  

With 6 of the now 34 F-35s planned for 2015 being F-35Bs, one has to wonder if the order might be cut even further.  What's the point, after all, of building an aircraft when there will likely be changes made to one of internal components.  Given the current state of the American fiscal restraint, it might be a tough sell.

At least there's alway the possibility of increased foreign sales...  Right?  The UK is expected to place an order for its first batch of 14 F-35s next month.  The only problem is, the UK would be ordering the F-35B, the very same variant with a cracking bulkhead problem.  The UK is also not exactly on a military spending spree right now either.

Ditto Italy.

Popular posts from this blog

THE REAL REASON THE GRIPEN LOST...

Image
  For those of you wondering how Saab lost the FFCP competition, new information has come to light... According inside sources, the initial scoring of the two fighters was incredibly close.  The F-35 did indeed win the "Capability" category (worth up to 60%) while the Gripen E ended up being ahead on both price (worth 20%) and industrial offsets (worth the remaining 20%).   According to my source April Furst, who is currently serving an internship in the House of Commons.  The ultimate decision was made rather hastily while the final scores were being tallied up.   "Due to COVID restrictions and renovations, the FFCP committee were forced to convene in a remote office located in the basement of the Parliament building.  You could tell it wasn't used very often.  Lots of cobwebs, and the whole place smelled musty and moldy.   "The committee members were doing their thing, going down each individual line of the respective offers.  It was actual...
Read more

Fighter Jet Fight Club: Gripen NG vs. Super Hornet!

Image
I will be honest...  I have been dreading this installment of Fighter Jet Fight Club.  I tend to root for the underdog in any competition, but what happens when underdogs have to compete against each other?  Both of these aircraft have a 0-2 record for FJFC, yet both are clearly crowd favorites in the comment section. Our contestants today are two of the biggest value propositions in the fighter world today.  Both are "modernized" versions of aircraft that have been flying since the 80s.  Neither make promises of being the most dominant force in the skies, but they do promise a "90%" solution at "50%" of the cost.  Most importantly, both aircraft are "tried and true" designs that have provided years of faithful service.  Despite this, they are often overlooked in favor of newer, flashier aircraft like the F-35 Lightning II. Which aircraft will see redemption here today? Just remember the rules . Air-to-Ground: Infiltration/Pe...
Read more

FINAL THOUGHTS

Image
  So…. Now what? The process is still far from over but what is left is mostly mundane and bureaucratic.  Stuff like finalizing costs, delivery dates, etc. Hopefully, Canada can now focus it procurement efforts on  revitalizing the rest of the Canadian Armed Forces.  With fighters and frigates out of the way; it’s high time we look into replacing our submarines, MRTTs, and other.  Recent lessons from the war in Ukraine has also made it clear that UCAVs are the future of warfare.  Canada best catch up. Was all this for nothing?  No.  I do not believe so.  Even though Canada is still choosing the F-35, it is doing so in a much more rational way.  We have taken the time to evaluate our needs.  Taken a clear look at the options.  We have arrived at a decision removed from political whim.  Ultimately, Canada is getting a lot more aircraft than initially planned.  We are also getting later build F-35s.  Now, more of th...
Read more