Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Northrop Grumman unveils fuselage for next U.S. fighter
Valley Press on ^ | Saturday, October 27, 2007. | ALLISON GATLIN

Posted on 10/27/2007 1:50:36 PM PDT by BenLurkin

PALMDALE - Six years after the contract was first awarded, Northrop Grumman Corp. employees Friday marked another milestone along the path to fielding the nation's next fighter, the F-35 Lightning II. The center fuselage for the first Air Force near-production version of the fighter was unveiled Friday at the company's Palmdale Manufacturing Center.

The fuselage incorporates design changes made during development to decrease weight in the final fighter.

"This is starting a new phase for what will be a very unique fighter capability," said Air Force Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, program executive officer for the F-35.

The latest - and possibly last - manned fighter for the nation's armed services is envisioned as a truly joint-service fighter, with three variations of the same basic aircraft to meet the needs of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

It also is an international program, with nine countries actively participating in the development and more expected to purchase the aircraft when completed.

The F-35 is expected to replace many other aging aircraft, including the A-10, F-14, F-16 and AV-8B Harrier. In the United Kingdom, it will replace the Harrier aircraft for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

The fuselages for all three versions of the F-35 are manufactured at Northrop's center at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale.

They are then shipped to the Fort Worth, Texas, facility of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the program's prime contractor, for final assembly.

"Today marks a momentous day for Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Lightning II program," said Bobby Williams, F-35 deputy program manager for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. The fuselage is "the first of literally thousands" that will head to Fort Worth to become fighters, he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...


TOPICS: US: California; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aerospace; aerospacevalley; allisongatlin; antelopevalley; aviation; f35; lightningii; navair; northrop; northropgrumman; northrup
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 next last

1 posted on 10/27/2007 1:50:38 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
"READY TO GO - Air Force Major Gen. C.R. Davis, program executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II program, speaks at the unveiling of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s center fuselage for the first weight-optimized Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft." Northrop Grumman
2 posted on 10/27/2007 1:51:21 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

bump


3 posted on 10/27/2007 1:58:16 PM PDT by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

4 posted on 10/27/2007 1:58:51 PM PDT by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
F-35 Lightning II

Northrop Grumman completed the center fuselage for the first weight-optimized Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft - a conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant designated AF-1. Technicians at the company's F-35 facility in Palmdale move the center fuselage into position for a ceremony to celebrate the production milestone.
5 posted on 10/27/2007 2:00:21 PM PDT by ricks_place
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Westlander

Great pics. Thanks!


6 posted on 10/27/2007 2:00:30 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

The Real Lightning.

7 posted on 10/27/2007 2:01:18 PM PDT by Dr. Thorne (Compromise on your vote and you get a compromised government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ricks_place

Nice!


8 posted on 10/27/2007 2:01:30 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I hope the weight loss was enough. Few airplanes have had so much hype to live up to and so many compromises to keep those performance promises from coming true.


9 posted on 10/27/2007 2:02:00 PM PDT by GBA ( God Bless America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Thorne

Oops. This is better.

10 posted on 10/27/2007 2:02:59 PM PDT by Dr. Thorne (Compromise on your vote and you get a compromised government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Thorne

That’s a beautiful airframe, indeed. But if the two went head-to-head, I know which one I’d rather be in.


11 posted on 10/27/2007 2:06:19 PM PDT by ReignOfError
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Thorne
I remember seeing an old P-38 Lightning take off one foggy morning in 1946 from the Ponca City (OK) Municipal Airport (don't ask me what it was doing there).

Just taxiing to the end of the runway, it looked dangerous. Like a slithering cobra.

Then, when those Rolls-Royces wound up, there was a throaty buzz all around -- you could feel it inside you -- and, even at six, you knew the thing was truly deadly.

I'd love to have one.

12 posted on 10/27/2007 2:13:14 PM PDT by okie01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Vroomfondel; SC Swamp Fox; Fred Hayek; NY Attitude; P3_Acoustic; Bean Counter; investigateworld; ...
SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

13 posted on 10/27/2007 2:13:55 PM PDT by magslinger (I will not submit.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Thorne
My Dad loved the Lightning. "When you saw one of those twin boomed beauties, you knew everything in the sky was American."

He was in tanks in the Pacific during WWII.

14 posted on 10/27/2007 2:17:55 PM PDT by magslinger (I will not submit.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
The F-35 is expected to replace many other aging aircraft, including the A-10

Aging yes. But the A-10 is timeless.

15 posted on 10/27/2007 2:18:29 PM PDT by llevrok (Born a ham and never cured.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: llevrok

I doubt that will EVER be able to replace the A-10’s ability.


16 posted on 10/27/2007 2:23:08 PM PDT by WakeUpAndVote (Got Towel?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Great Caesar's Ghost! I enjoy reading about stuff like this. Such names are superb, as well. F35 Lightning II!!!

When I was in the Navy, I was a sonar tech on a destroyer. In those days, each division had a great deal of latitude in decorating said division's spaces aboard the ship.

Our captain, one Commander Louis Colbus charged us with decorating our ASROC launcher. Those of us who were young and impressionable wanted to paint on some Charles Schulz' Peanuts characters. This was likely at the height of Schulz' popularity in the early 1970s. We mocked up some art work and presented it to our division CPO, one Chief Charles I. Craig.

Chief Craig didn't say, "No," he said, "Hell, NO!!!" He added that he wanted our decorations for all the world to see displaying a "skull and cross bones, d--n it!" And, if the "men" in his charge weren't up to the task, he would scare up some women to get the job done.

Some folks have a proper understanding that military things should carry nomenclature to satify the senses and scare the bejeebers out of the bad guys.

Lightning II...now that tells a story.

17 posted on 10/27/2007 2:28:35 PM PDT by stevem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GBA
The Precursor to the FB-111,known as the TFX went through hell in congress because of cost overruns and such. The program was almost canceled.

But the FB-111 turned out to be an excellent penetration bomber once the kinks were worked out of it.

All new aircraft have growing pains.They just make the plane better.IMHO.

18 posted on 10/27/2007 2:28:48 PM PDT by puppypusher (The world is going to the dogs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
"weight-optimized "

Does that means they got it just heavy enough that it will almost become airborne using current engine technology?

19 posted on 10/27/2007 2:34:13 PM PDT by MediaMole
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: stevem
Just guessing here, but Chief Craig wouldn't care for this, either.


20 posted on 10/27/2007 2:35:11 PM PDT by magslinger (I will not submit.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson