Description
The Weapon System
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program, formerly the Joint
Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) Program, is the Department of
Defense's focal point for defining affordable next generation strike
aircraft weapon systems for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and our
allies.
The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) originated in the early 1990s through
the restructure and integration of several DoD tactical aircraft and
technology initiatives already underway. The DoD goal was to use the
latest technology in a common family of aircraft.
In 1993, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency executed a
program to develop a supersonic Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing
(STOVL) aircraft as a replacement for the AV-8B Harrier. At about the
same time, the Department of Defense (DoD) considered canceling the
Navy's Advanced Attack/Fighter (A/F-X) that was being studied to fill
the void left after the cancellation of the General Dynamics/McDonnell
Douglas A-12 Avenger II aircraft being designed for the U.S. Navy.
Senior leadership at the Pentagon suggested a Joint Attack Fighter
(JAF) to replace the Navy's A/F-X program. Not only would the JAF be
much cheaper than the A/F-X, it would also be designed with a common
airframe suitable to the three services. It was believed that such an
aircraft would herald significant manufacturing and operational cost
savings. Much of the philosophy surrounding the JAF would later be
incorporated into JAST, such as its single-engine design and its
unprecedented level of commonality.
The Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) Program was initiated in
late 1993. The JAST program office was established on January 27, 1994.
Its mission was to define and develop aircraft, weapon, and sensor
technology that would support the future development of tactical
aircraft. The program subsequently moved from a broad, all-encompassing
program to one that would develop a common family of aircraft to replace
several aging US and UK aircraft.
By the end of 1994, the JAST program had absorbed the DARPA Common
Affordable Lightweight Fighter (CALF) program. JAST was also considering
modifying the CTOL versions of the aircraft to perform in a STOVL role.
Congress subsequently mandated the merger of JAST with the DARPA
Advanced Short Take-Off / Vertical Landing program. As JAST was already
considering STOVL variants, this merger was accommodated with
comparatively little disruption. The JAST Program initially explored a
wide range of potential strike warfare concepts. The findings of
Concept Exploration studies showed that a "tri-service family" of
aircraft was the most affordable solution to the collective
joint-service needs. The tri-service family would entail a single basic
airframe design with three distinct variants: Conventional Take-Off and
Landing (CTOL) for the U.S. Air Force to complement the F-22 Raptor and
replace the aging F-16 Fighting Falcon and the A-10 Thunderbolt; Short
Take-Off/Vertical Landing (STOVL) for the U.S. Marine Corps to replace
both the AV-8B Harrier and the F/A-18 C/D Hornet; and a Carrier (CV)
variant for the U.S. Navy to complement the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet.
Following numerous trade studies, two critical decisions were made:
the JAST family of aircraft would be single-crew and single-engine.
Navy attack/fighter aircraft have been preferred to have two engines in
case one is lost during flight. The choice of a single-crew aircraft was
accepted - subject to continued studies and appropriate technology
maturation - on the projection that a single crewmember could perform
all of the intended missions.
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, McDonnell Douglas, and Northrop Grumman
were each awarded fifteen-month Concept Definition and Design Research
(CDDR) contracts in December 1994. Northrop Grumman and McDonnell
Douglas/British Aerospace teamed shortly after the CDDR contracts were
awarded. The contractors refined their Preferred Weapons System Concept
(PWSC) designs and performed a number of risk reduction activities
(e.g., wind tunnel tests, powered-model STOVL tests, and engineering
analyses).
In the spring of 1995, all three of the contractor teams selected
derivatives of the Pratt & Whitney (P&W) F119 engine to power their
aircraft. Accordingly, in November 1995, P&W was awarded a contract for
preliminary design of each of the primary JSF engine concepts.
Concurrently, General Electric was awarded a contract to investigate
whether the GE F110 or YF120 could be developed into an alternate engine
for one or more of the JSF variants. In 1996, the YF120 was identified
as the "best fit" for a tri-service solution and GE initiated
preliminary design efforts.
Several Defense Acquisition Board (DAB)-level program reviews were
conducted in late 1995. The final Requests for Proposal (RFP) were
issued to the contractors in March 1996. By that time the JAST program
name had changed to Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
In May 1996, JSF was designated an Acquisition Category I, DoD
acquisition program. A formal Milestone I Acquisition Decision
Memorandum was signed by the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition &
Technology) on November 15, 1996.
Prior to the start of System Design and Development (SDD) in Fall
2001, the program facilitated the Services' development of fully
validated, affordable operational requirements, and it lowered risk by
investing in and demonstrating key leveraging technologies and
operational concepts. The SDD contract was award to Lockheed Martin on
October 26, 2001. They lead a team that includes Northrop Grumman and
BAE Systems as program partners.
The multi mission, supersonic JSF meets the requirements of all
services with enhanced lethality, survivability and reduced
vulnerability. Built on a single assembly line, JSF's unique,
multiple-variant design pushes the threshold of fighter technology far
beyond current limitations.
Commonality and flexibility are the basis for the Lockheed Martin
JSF design. The high degree of commonality among the service aircraft
variants, and across the total development and production program, is a
key to affordability. Cooperation allows the participating services to
share development costs, which in turn greatly reduces total cost, when
compared to an independent program for each service.
Skunk Works-designed technology has set the standard with a
one-of-a-kind, tested and validated lift-fan propulsion system that
provides the short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities required by
the U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
Carrier suitability and first-day survivability are designed into
the fighter to meet the increased physical demands of the U.S. Navy.
The USAF variant takes multirole fighter performance to a new level
with more stealth, increased range on internal fuel and advanced
avionics.
Joint Strike Fighter Propulsion System
Pratt & Whitney and the team of General Electric and Rolls-Royce are
developing propulsion systems for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Pratt &
Whitney is currently in the System Development and Demonstration phase
with the F135 and General Electric/Rolls-Royce is currently in the
pre-SDD phase with the F136. The development plans for the propulsion
systems support longer-term production plans and release for operational
usage.
The F135 and F136 engines are being developed to be physically and
functionally interchangeable across all JSF aircraft and the JSF
autonomic logistics system. The F135 and F136 engines integrate with
common propulsion system components to form complete propulsion systems.
Pratt & Whitney and General Electric/Rolls-Royce are cooperating in the
development of their common propulsion system components. Later in the
production phase, Pratt & Whitney and General Electric/Rolls-Royce will
be competing. The unique arrangement of "COOPETITION" was spawned by the
Joint Strike Fighter Program's emphasis on affordability.
The common propulsion system components include the lift fan system,
roll posts, 3 bearing swivel duct, conventional exhaust duct, and
exhaust nozzles. The propulsion support equipment is also common. The
use of common propulsion system components and support equipment
minimizes development costs and ensures the F135 and F136 engines will
be interchangeable. As a result, all JSF aircraft will be able to use
either the F135 or F136. This overarching strategy has come to be known
as "Engine Interchangeability".
Lift System
The Short TakeOff Vertical Landing (STOVL) version of JSF employs a
unique propulsion system to provide short takeoff, vertical landing and
hover capabilities.
The STOVL propulsion system is composed of the F135 and F136 engine
and the lift fan system.
Lockheed Martin has developed a STOVL lift system that uses a
vertically oriented Lift Fan. A two-stage low-pressure turbine on the
engine delivers the horsepower to drive the STOVL Lift Fan. The Lift Fan
generates a column of cool air that produces nearly 20,000 pounds of
lifting power using variable inlet guide vanes to modulate the airflow,
along with an equivalent amount of thrust from the downward vectored
rear exhaust to lift the aircraft. The Lift Fan has a clutch that
engages for STOVL operations and a telescoping "D" -shaped hood to
provide thrust deflection. Because the lift fan extracts power from the
engine, exhaust temperatures are reduced by about 200 degrees compared
to traditional STOVL systems. The concept was successfully demonstrated
through a Large Scale Powered Model (LSPM) in 1995-96. The lift fan, a
patented Lockheed Martin design, was developed and produced by
Rolls-Royce Corp. at its North American facility in Indianapolis,
Indiana.
During the summer of 1997, Allison conducted testing of a model of
the Lift Fan nozzle at the NASA-Lewis Powered Lift Facility in Ohio. The
test results validated the computational fluid dynamics predictions of
exhaust nozzle performance. B.F. Goodrich conducted testing of the Lift
Fan clutch that is being developed under a subcontract to Allison.
Testing demonstrated high-speed clutch engagements that were
representative of the X-35 STOVL operating conditions. A favorable
clutch plate wear rate translated into a clutch plate life of over four
times the X-35 flight demonstration requirement.
3 Bearing Swivel Nozzle (3BSN)
The exhaust from the engine flows through the 3 Bearing Swivel
Nozzle (3BSN). The 3BSN nozzle, developed by Rolls-Royce, was patterned
along the lines of the exhaust system on the Yakovlev Yak-141 STOVL
prototype that flew at the 1992 Farnborough air show. A US Navy program
also developed swivel nozzles in the late 1960's and was proposed for a
supersonic STOVL design by Convair (one of the Lockheed Martin heritage
companies) in the early 1970's.
Advanced Manufacturing
Lockheed Martin has developed and prototyped state of the art
manufacturing concepts, tooling, and techniques as part of the JSF
Concept Development Program. They completed a comprehensive Airframe
Affordability Demonstration (AAD), which demonstrated innovative
fabrication, assembly, and tooling techniques for use on JSF. In
addition, Northrop-Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS demonstrated advances in
composite technologies and flexible tooling which will greatly reduce
the cost and time for manufacturing.
Avionics Test Bed
The advanced JSF avionics requirements have been tested aboard an
Northrop Grumman's BAC-111 Avionics Test Bed. This testing enabled early
evaluation of technology in the airborne environment to ensure risks
were reduced early in the development cycle.
JSF High-Fidelity, Full-Scale Models
Lockheed Martin fabricated and tested a full-scale JSF aircraft to
demonstrate key low observability technologies, as well as innovative
support concepts for low-observable designs. Testing with full scale
prototypes early in the design stage enabled Lockheed Martin to verify
their design capabilities, identify areas for potential improvements
early in the development cycle, and verify key support concepts required
to ensure affordable operation once aircraft are fielded. Lockheed
Martin developed another full-scale aircraft to support avionics
integration testing and to verify performance of key avionics systems in
the proposed aircraft configuration early and affordably in the program.
Full-Mission Simulators
Lockheed Martin has developed full-mission simulation capabilities
for all JSF variants. This simulation capability allows
pilot-in-the-loop testing to verify operational concepts, system
requirements, and derived requirements on the aircraft and mission
systems. These simulations have been successfully used with pilots from
the US and Allied country Services who will be flying JSF.
Production Status, Population, and Planned Life
The U.S. Air Force will be the largest JSF customer, purchasing 1763
CTOL aircraft. The U.S. Marine Corps is expected to purchase 609 STOVL
aircraft, and the U.S. Navy about 480 CV aircraft. The U.K. Royal Air
Force and Royal Navy will purchase 150 of the STOVL variant. That total
of 3002 aircraft has been reduced to a total of approximately 2600.
Current plans call for 22 test aircraft with first flight in 2005.
Production deliveries of Air Force F-35A (CTOL) and Marine Corps F-35B
(STOVL) aircraft are planned to begin in 2008.
Prime Contractor: Lockheed Martin leads a team that includes
Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as program partners. Pratt & Whitney
and the team of General Electric and Rolls-Royce are developing
propulsion systems.
Office of Prime Responsibility: JSF Joint Program Office, Patuxent
River Naval Air Warfare Center, Maryland
R-TOC Focus Areas: (From USD (AT&L) memorandum dated December 16,
2003.)
The R-TOC Vision: Through R-TOC principles, all defense systems
will perform with increasing readiness and capability while avoiding
increased operations and support resource costs and improving logistics
footprint by institutionalizing the continuous implementation of
innovative process and hardware improvements.
The R-TOC Goal: Maximize cost avoidance on total defense systems'
FY 2010 O&S costs by offsetting 30 percent of the inflation predicted
from an FY 2004 baseline.
- FY 2004 Baseline O&S Cost: To be determined.
- FY 2010 Forecasted O&S Cost: To be determined.
- FY 2010 Goal: (FY 2004 O&S Cost) * 5% = To be determined.
Major R-TOC Development Concepts that will be used to achieve the FY 2010 O&S cost reduction target.
To be determined.
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