Past Captain’s Corner Entry
Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Our March speaker, JR McDonald, gave an outstanding briefing on the current F-35 Program. He reviewed the latest Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) delivery schedule for Eglin. The first two F-35's scheduled for the 33 Wing are to be diverted to Edwards AFB thereby delaying delivery of production aircraft two Eglin, now due to arrive here sometime in mid-May with the formal dedication in June. This aircraft will be used primarily as a maintenance trainer. As more aircraft are delivered, Eglin will start formal training missions in November or December of this year. We will eventually have a total of 59 F-35's in the 33 Wing for the 3 integrated services training, for both flying and maintenance. Of the three variants (F-35A conventional take off and landing variant, F-35B short take off and vertical landing variant, F-35C carrier based variant), the Air Force is the only one with an internal gun. Most of the flying training will be accomplished using Duke Field and Choctaw Field. There are currently 9 fully instrumented F-35's in testing. Five for the Navy and 4 for the Air Force. Including the rest of Lockheed Martin test aircraft, there has been a total of over 1,000 flight hours, with tanker support scheduled when available to extend the test missions. All three variants have accomplished supersonic flight during the testing phase. Of the technical problems encountered, all are in work and fixable, with the Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS) all aspect capability proving to be "tough science." There are several LRIP contracts (lots) each spanning 3 years, awarded on an annual basis. LRIP is expected to continue through to 2015. Follow-on multi-year buys will potentially supply a further 2,700+ aircraft to air forces across the world excluding any Foreign Military Sales (FMS). Nice nations are partnering in the F-35's System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase: the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Australia. Partnership in SDD entitles those countries to bid for work on a best value basis, and participate in the aircraft's development. Additionally, Israel and Singapore have agreed to join the program as Security Cooperation Participants.
Seagull Flight has two new members. LTC Larry Hines, USAF (Ret), and Major JR McDonald, USAF (Sep).
The Dinner Meetings will now be on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Eglin AFB. This change was due to numerous scheduling conflicts with the club as it is now a combined Officer/Enlisted Club.
We still are in need of filling one vacant position: Vice Flight Captain. Please consider supporting your Seagull Flight by colunteering for this important and rewarding position.
Se you at Eglin Club on TUESDAY, 19 April.
Volabamus, Volamus
Charlie Heifner
Flight Captain