(Luft) Lockheed Martin F-35 - Lightning II

[revan]

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RPT-New Chinese fighter jet expected by 2018: US intel

WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - China is building an advanced combat jet that may rival within eight years Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) F-22 Raptor, the premier U.S. fighter, a U.S. intelligence official said.

The date cited for the expected deployment is years ahead of previous Pentagon public forecasts and may be a sign that China's rapid military buildup is topping many experts' expectations.

"We're anticipating China to have a fifth-generation fighter ... operational right around 2018," Wayne Ulman of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center testified on Thursday to a congressionally mandated group that studies national security implications of U.S.-China economic ties.

"Fifth-generation" fighters feature cutting-edge capabilities, including shapes, materials and propulsion systems designed to make them look as small as a swallow on enemy radar screens.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates had said last year that China "is projected to have no fifth-generation aircraft by 2020" and only a "handful" by 2025.

He made the comments on July 16 to the Economic Club of Chicago while pushing Congress to cap F-22 production at 187 planes in an effort to save billions of dollars in the next decade.

Ulman is China "issues manager" at the center that is the U.S. military's prime intelligence producer on foreign air and space forces, weapons and systems. He said China's military was eyeing options for possible use of force against Taiwan, which Beijing deems a rogue province.

The People's Liberation Army, as part of its Taiwan planning, also is preparing to counter "expected U.S. intervention in support of Taiwan," he told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.......

Nun ja was die F22 Befürworter und ich schon immer befürchtet hatten, bewahrheitet sich jetzt. In übrigen Gates sollte man wegen Hochverrat anklagen und aufknüpfen angesichts der fatalen Folgen die seine Asymmetrische Kriegs Obsession für die Vereinigten Statten und unseren Verbündeten in Pazifik haben wird. Gates belog und betrog den Senat und den Kongress hinsichtlich des F35 Programms das sich als FCS Katastrophe der USAF und der USN abzeichnet und killte das einzige Flugzeug was den USA die Lufthoheit hätte sichern können also die F22.

Nun anstatt die ersten F35 aus den LIRP 2013 zu haben werden wir sie erst 2016/17 haben und China wird seine F22 2018 operativ bekommen wohl um 2025 mehr davon haben als man F22 haben wird. Ist zwar eine Horror Vorstellung aber eine die Realität wird, während Mr. War on Terror in seinen kranken Hirn weitere Kahlschläge für 2012 und plant, aber ein zweitemal wird man den Betrüger wohl nicht mehr glauben. Inzwischen hat der Senat Auflagen für die F35 gemacht um Druck auf das Programm auszuüben und den F136 Motor (der besser ist als der F135) nicht nur zu retten sondern voll zu finanzieren.


Diese Auflagen sind:

1 - limit obligation of FY11 funds for development and test to 75% until the DoD certifies all funds provided for development of the second engine have been obligated (the HASC added $485 million to fund the second engine in FY11)

2 - limit procurement funds to 30 aircraft unless:

- the second engine is fully funded (see above);

- all 12 flight-test aircraft have been delivered to their test locations (planned by the third quarter 2010);

- initial service release has been granted for the STOVL F135 engine (planned for the fourth quarter 2010;

- industrial facility and tooling capacity can support production of at least 42 aircraft in FY11;

- Block 1 mission-system software is released and in flight test (planned to fly first in the CATBird, at the end of May);

- the first two low-rate initial production F-35As have been accepted for delivery (planned by year-end);

- advanced procurement funds provided in FY09 and FY10 for the F136 second engine have been obligated;

- Lockheed Martin's earned-value management system has been certified as compliant;

- the first F-35C carrier variant has flown (planned for June) and the CTOL low-observable signature flight-test has been conducted and met or exceeded threshold requirements;

- the 394 test flights scheduled for 2010 have been completed, and 95% of the 3,772 test points accomplished;

- six F136s are available for testing and not less than 1,000 test hours have been completed.

Zwar fair aber unhaltbar angesichts der massive Probleme der F35 und dessen was Gates wohl auch noch verschwiegen hat. Fazit gnade uns Gott!