Carrier Variant Sports Larger Wings, Enhanced Slow-Flight
Handling
Representatives with Lockheed Martin tell ANN the US Navy's
F-35C Lightning II carrier variant has completed its Air System
Critical Design Review (CDR), a significant development milestone
that Lockheed says verifies the design maturity of the aircraft and
its associated systems.
The review was conducted June 18-22 at Lockheed Martin's
facilities in Fort Worth, TX and involved officials from Naval Air
Systems Command (NAVAIR), the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office,
the F-35 international-participant nations and the F-35 contractor
team. Completion of the CDR is a prerequisite for the F-35C to move
into Low Rate Initial Production.
"We're pleased with the CDR results, which reinforce our
confidence in the F-35C's design," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed
Martin executive vice president and F-35 program manager. "The
review highlighted the program's development progress and the 5th
generation capabilities that the carrier variant will bring to the
Navy."
"Completion of this design review is a very significant
milestone -- the die is now fully cast for the unique,
three-variant Joint Strike Fighter program envisioned when the
planning began in the late 1990s," said JSF Program Executive
Officer Brig. Gen. C.R. Davis. "This is a momentous day never seen
in another acquisition program in history. The entire team should
be proud of the work that got us here today."
Terry Harrell, Lockheed Martin director of F-35 carrier variant
development, added, "We met our objectives for detailed design and
performance while removing more than 200 pounds from the aircraft
in the past seven months -- a major accomplishment. Getting the
design ready for this important milestone required tremendous
teamwork among NAVAIR, the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Air
Force Materiel Command's Aeronautical Systems Center and the entire
JSF contractor team."
The F-35C will be the Navy's first stealth aircraft. It is
designed to replace the F/A-18 Hornet and complement the newer
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. While it shares its fundamental design with
the F-35A (conventional takeoff and landing) and F-35B (short
takeoff/vertical landing), the F-35C is specialized for the
catapult launches and arrested recoveries of large aircraft
carriers. It features 30 percent more wing area than the other two
variants, larger tails and control surfaces, and wingtip ailerons
-- all contributing to the precise slow-speed handling
characteristics required for carrier approaches.
The F-35C's internal structure is strengthened to withstand the
punishment of repeated catapult launches and arrested recoveries on
the carrier deck. Funding for the first two production-model
Lightning IIs -- both conventional takeoff and landing versions --
is approved and fabrication for those aircraft has begun.
The US Marine Corps and Navy together are planning to operate
680 F-35Bs and F-35Cs, and the United Kingdom plans to place 138
F-35Bs into service with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The
remaining F-35 participant countries plan to acquire more than 700
aircraft.