Navy: F-35C will be eyes and ears of the fleet

[spazsinbad]

This thread is about the F-35C as Eyes & Ears of the Fleet - thread is not about PAINT JOBS. There is a specific Sub forum for this especially the photo above & how about providing details including the original url - thanks.

F-35 Spotting & Photography Discuss photos, special paintschemes and serial numbers of the F-35

AHA! AHOY! The Good Ship STEVENage has started an appropriate DOUBLE NUTS paint scheme thread for the F-35C here:

Unusual Panther paint schemes in F-35 Spotting & Photography Sub-Forum

[weasel1962]

There are 2 more B sqns based at Iwakuni, Japan (26 Bs in VMFA 242 & 121) which would double the figure in westpac to 52. Last hurrah for VMA 214 harriers before sundown?

Looks like the fleets been deployed in case China thinks it can take advantage of the distraction in ukraine.

[beepa]

Early news on a landing mishap recently. Pilot ejected and some crew injured.

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/24/f-35-l ... M3vKa6HmWU

Sorry Spaz, couldn't find the "pilot ejected, crew injured" thread.

[pron]

Early news on a landing mishap recently. Pilot ejected and some crew injured.

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/24/f-35-l ... M3vKa6HmWU

Sorry Spaz, couldn't find the "pilot ejected, crew injured" thread.

Is the plane still on the carrier, or will it be a deep see rescue?

[spazsinbad]

Early news on a landing mishap recently. Pilot ejected and some crew injured.

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/24/f-35-l ... M3vKa6HmWU

Sorry Spaz, couldn't find the "pilot ejected, crew injured" thread.

OK. I think it is OK to start a new thread with each new mishap. I have been chided for having TOO LONG threads that are more than ten years old. However for example I have started SRVL threads and other stuff but WHATEVER. So I'll point to a new thread about this MISHAP soon.... OK OK NOW!

Pilot Ejects After F-35 Lightning II ‘Landing Mishap’ on USS Carl Vinson in South China Sea

https://www.f-16.net/forum/posting.php?mode=post&f=22

[jessmo112]

It's sounding like a wire snap or something close.
A plane just ditching wouldn't necessarily injure crew nearby. Let's hope the jet is recovered.

[spazsinbad]

It's sounding like a wire snap or something close. A plane just ditching wouldn't necessarily injure crew nearby. Let's hope the jet is recovered.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Follow this link: https://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.ph ... LD#p463684

[jessmo112]

On the subject of what's in csg 1 and 3. Here is

According to the Navy, CSG 1 currently includes aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57), Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG-106) and USS Chafee (DDG-90), replenishment ship USNS Yukon (T-AO-202) and dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE-11).

CSG 3, includes USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9; Ticonderoga-class USS Mobile Bay (CG-53); and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), USS Gridley (DDG 101), USS Sampson (DDG-102), and USS Spruance (DDG-111). USS

That is quite a bit of kit.
I'm starting to think that in any scenario 1 CSG isn't enough to deter China, you need 2-3 carriers
And plenty of Missile defenses.

[Corsair1963]

The Democrats are still wasting money on buying Super Hornets. Which, the USN has been trying to stop for the last two years.

QUOTE:

Last Minute FY 22 $728.5B Defense Bill Funds 13 Navy Ships, 12 F/A-18s; Saves 3 LCS From Decommissioning

By: Sam LaGrone

March 9, 2022 7:59 PM

House appropriators signed out an early morning, all-in-one federal funding bill that pluses up the overall budget Pentagon budget and the Navy shipbuilding account over the initial fiscal year 2022 request.

The omnibus appropriations bill, four months past the start of Fiscal Year 2022, sets a Department of Defense topline at $728.5 billion over the Biden administrations FY 2022 initial $715 billion request from May. The budget includes a $26.6 billion for shipbuilding, up from the initial request of $22.6 billion, for 13 warships to includes:

$4.23 billion for two Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines
$3.67 billion for two Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyers
$1.46 billion for two John Lewis-class fleet oilers (TAO-205)
$1.1 billion for one Constellation-class frigate (FG-62)
$590 million for two Expeditionary Fast Transports with one configured as a medical ship (EPF)
$434M for one T-AGOS(X) ocean surveillance ship
$577 for one Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB)
$183M for two Navajo-class towing ships (T-ATS)

In addition to the new construction the shipbuilding and conversion account also includes $4.7 billion for the Columbia-class program for construction and advanced procurement, $2.2 billion for the next two Ford-class carriers Enterprise (CVN-80) and Doris Miller (CVN-81), $2.4 for a Nimitz-class carrier refueling and complex overhaul, $391 million for three Ship to Shore Connector hovercraft and $310 million for Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious warships.

The bill also defunds Navy efforts to decommission three Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), USS Detroit (LCS-7) and USS Little Rock (LCS-9). The bill includes $264 million in added funds for the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) – the service’s overhaul of its public shipyards.

In aviation, the bill includes funds for:

$8.5 for 85 F-35 aircraft across the Air Force, Marines and the Navy
$1.5 billion for 11 CH-53K Heavy Lift helicopters for the Marine Corps
$1.1 billion for V-22 tilt-rotors
$977 million for 12 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets

The addition of the Super Hornets goes against the Navy’s plan for its carrier air wing to start adding more F-35C JSFs and start work on developing a sixth-generation fighter as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance Program.

The overdue bill from House appropriators is expected to be voted on by the full House on Wednesday and later this week in the Senate. The government is running under a Continuing Resolution that expires on March 11.

https://news.usni.org/2022/03/09/last-m ... missioning

[spazsinbad]

Budget Funds 37 F-35s for U.S. Naval Aviation in 2022
17 Mar 2022 Brett Davis

"ARLINGTON, Va. — The fiscal 2022 budget, finally signed into law almost halfway through the fiscal year, provides for 37 F-35 Lightning II strike fighters for the Navy and Marine Corps, as well as 12 FA-18 Super Hornet strike fighters.

Of the overall 85 F-35s funded in the budget, the 37 for naval aviation include 17 F-35B short-takeoff/vertical-landing versions and five carrier-capable F-35Cs for the Marine Corps and 15 F-35Cs for the Navy, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office. The rest of the 2022 lot is comprised of 48 F-35As for the Air Force.

The Marine Corps currently fields five F-35B and one F-35C fleet squadrons, while the Navy fields two F-35C fleet squadrons.

Still in low-rate initial production after more than 15 years, the F-35 has not yet completed its initial operational test and evaluation. The Navy’s program of record for the F-35 totals 353 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, 67 F-35Cs for the Marine Corps and 273 F-35Cs for the Navy.

Congress, concerned about a continuing strike fighter shortage, also funded 12 more F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighters for the Navy, continuing production for yet another year even though the service has been trying to stop the program for a few years. The Navy’s program of record for the Super Hornet through fiscal 2021 totaled 678 F/A-18E/Fs (379 F/A-18Es and 299 F/A-18Fs). The model breakdown of the 12 fiscal 2022 Super Hornets is not yet available."

Photo: "An F-35C Lightning II, assigned to the “Black Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). U.S. NAVY / Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Singley" https://seapowermagazine.org/wp-content ... n-JPEG.jpg (1.1Mb)

Source: https://seapowermagazine.org/budget-fun ... n-in-2022/

[mixelflick]

Interesting question...

Why is the camo/color of the F-35C so different from the Super Hornets in the background? Given they're both "strike fighters", you'd think they'd both wear the same color scheme (given its multi-mission role). But clearly, they don't

Did the Navy perhaps re-think this, and decide whats on the F-35C now is "better"?

[steve2267]

Interesting question...

Why is the camo/color of the F-35C so different from the Super Hornets in the background? Given they're both "strike fighters", you'd think they'd both wear the same color scheme (given its multi-mission role). But clearly, they don't

Did the Navy perhaps re-think this, and decide whats on the F-35C now is "better"?

USAF doesn't get a vote? They are, after all, buying a whole bunch more Lightnings than either the USMC or USN.

[nombre]

The Democrats are still wasting money on buying Super Hornets. Which, the USN has been trying to stop for the last two years.

The addition of the Super Hornets goes against the Navy’s plan for its carrier air wing to start adding more F-35C JSFs and start work on developing a sixth-generation fighter as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance Program.[/b]

The Navy is against requesting more because it wants to secure funding for its NGAD program.

Also, USNI is wrong. Getting more earmarked by Congress doesn't impede plans elsewhere: these jets will simply go straight to the fleet so they can retire jets that would otherwise have to be SLM'd. F-35C integration is limited by F-35C production

[quicksilver]

“…these jets will simply go straight to the fleet so they can retire jets that would otherwise have to be SLM'd.”

Yeah…your car needs a 30K mile inspection so you decide to buy a new one instead.

“F-35C integration is limited by F-35C production”

And what do you think limits F-35C production, Admiral? (And don’t tell us production capacity cuz the answer is the same)

[Corsair1963]

The Democrats are still wasting money on buying Super Hornets. Which, the USN has been trying to stop for the last two years.

The addition of the Super Hornets goes against the Navy’s plan for its carrier air wing to start adding more F-35C JSFs and start work on developing a sixth-generation fighter as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance Program.[/b]

The Navy is against requesting more because it wants to secure funding for its NGAD program.

Also, USNI is wrong. Getting more earmarked by Congress doesn't impede plans elsewhere: these jets will simply go straight to the fleet so they can retire jets that would otherwise have to be SLM'd. F-35C integration is limited by F-35C production

The USN would easily take more F-35C's. Yet, they want the US Congress to increase their budget to pay for them....