On January 6th, a developmental test team from the U.S. 461st Flight Test Squadron conducted the inaugural flight of an F-35 aircraft in the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) configuration at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The TR-3 configuration provides the necessary computational capability to support advanced Block 4 features for the F-35, including updated sensor suites, expanded capabilities for long-range precision weapons, enhanced electronic warfare features, advanced data fusion, and increased interoperability with other platforms.
These features will provide pilots with a significant advantage in identifying, tracking, engaging, and surviving against advanced air, ground, and cyber threats.
“This is a significant achievement for the F-35 program”, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, program executive officer, F-35 Joint Program Office.
“TR-3 is the F-35’s critical computer processing electronics upgrade that will continue to provide all our pilots with the capability they need to be successful against any adversary. There is still a lot of work to do and I am confident that our industry partners and government team will get the job done.”
The TR-3 program has successfully addressed technical challenges related to hardware and software, and is on track to deliver these capabilities to the United States and its allies starting in 2023.
The government and industry team say here that they continue to work collaboratively to find innovative solutions to ensure the delivery of critical capabilities to counter future threats. Lessons learned from the TR-3 program will be applied across the entire Block 4 modernisation program.
Yes as I reported this earlier an important move to Block 4 especially if this set up is indeed incorporated into production aircraft from mid year as has been claimed. Still a long way from Block 4 itself sadly but at least some good news that the new aircraft will be ready for it and a barrier to deliveries about to be removed soon (hopefully).
Am I right in thinking that updating a tr3 aircraft to B4 is basically just a software update and therefore there’s no reason not to start buying aside from as a bargaining chip against LM? (Meteor integration when?)
Pretty much: yes.
The only thing is that computer hardware ages fast. So what is state of the art two years ago (likely time frame) isn’t going to look to amazing by 2030.
I’m sure some of this will have been mitigated by using card based processors and graphics cards but the backplane might still be a limiting factor.
That is the biggest problem for complex systems like F-35 due to fast technology development.
They are so complex that entropy within is so heavy they can’t be keep updated.
They risk being irrelevant in a war that can be won by simplified assets that can keep up with technology or just replaced inexpensively by comparison..
As we have seen in the Ukraine this is nonsense. Advanced technology will always beat legacy technologies if used properly. The Ukraine forces are destroying Russian equipment 5/10 to 1.
Agree to a point.
F35B is a bit too much of a fudge. Which is why upgrading three different versions, which have less commonality than hoped for, is a lot slower and takes a lot more effort than was ever envisaged at the start of the program.
One man’s fudge is another man’s Swiss Army knife. As each F35 is best in class the logic of “fudge” eludes me, perhaps we’re working from different dictionaries.
So you are comparing a weapon that was not even employed in Ukraine with an enemy that is quite slow to update its equipment regardless of complexity…?
If can’t read you can’t understand what i am saying. Parts of F35 will have devices from more than a decade ago…
Another delay for F-35 full rate production – seems this is a fighter that will never be finished and will ever get full rate production go ahead.
from defensenews
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s chief weapons tester fears a crucial test for the F-35 program is in danger of slipping further, perhaps into fiscal 2024.
(…)
Dan Grazier, a military analyst for the Project on Government Oversight who has been critical of the management of the F-35 program, said the new timetable rules out a full-rate production decision by the end of September — and said calendar year 2024 is a more likely scenario. He pointed to a passage in the DOT&E report that said the results of effectiveness testing during IOT&E would be reported within 90 days of the testing’s completion in the JSE to explain why next January or later is more likely.
This will place the decision on full-rate production decision at least four years behind schedule. The Defense Department originally hoped to make that decision in December 2019, but the deadline has repeatedly slipped due to delays in setting up the Joint Simulation Environment testing.
“That’s how complex [F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin and the Defense Department] made this thing,” Grazier said. “They spent years trying to develop a simulator to test it, and they still can’t deliver that.”
So the most advanced fighter jet in the sky to date and the most successful production jet of the modern age (2000s) is failing to be even more advanced and even more produced (FRP), so that makes it a failure! This alt universe that you’re living in must be a challenging place, the logic gates must be fearsome.
My understanding, reading between the lines, was that Meteor was delayed in integration because a) everything BlockIV is delayed and b) because HM Treasury didn’t sign a cheque when they were supposed to. Less than LM dragging their feet for whatever reason.
I may be wrong though, happy to be corrected by someone who knows more on the matter!
Fair, my inner conspiracy theorist suspected Washington preferred Meteor integration after all F-35 customers had already bought American.
I’m sure they do, I certainly wouldn’t put it past them! I may be completely wrong, and it could easily be a bit of both knowing our government…
however it can about customers wont forget that yanks got their toys on the F35 planes first and leopard tank customers also having thoughts now
I’ve read that Tranche 2 will be 26 or 27 planes to arrive between 2026 and 2033. Navy Lookout had 26 in April last year as did UKDJ in September; Breaking Defense had 27 reported in December. Perhaps the extra one includes payment for carrier breakages to give 75. Some of these won’t be capable of operational use, I think there three test frames, leaving 72.
If, as has been reported, it’ll cost $27m to upgrade the currently existing 27 planes, that’s £590m for the upgrades. It doesn’t seem too bad to me to upgrade them all. The Treasury’s share of Poland and Finland’s orders for their F-35s will more than pay for that. We weren’t expecting them. We weren’t expecting Germany’s nor all of Japan’s orders either. All have sections built in the UK and all orders imply money flowing through manufacturers taxes into the Treasury.
The least the Treasury could do is release some of that money as hypothecated for a full set of upgrades. If the US purchases are paying for a couple of hundred planes and foreign sales two or three times what we need for the upgrades, it would be crazy for the Treasury to completely disconnect these inflows from purchases and claim we are too poor.
That is unfortunately the issue with the way the cash accounting is done by Treasury – it really is a corner shop level view of finance that would never be tolerated in a large international organisation like Shell or BP there investments take decade(s) to pay back. There is little sense of a virtuous circle of doing something to earn income that at least part of it enables the wheel to turn more.
Also, to stretch an analogy beyond breaking point, the diameter of the wheel (in terms of time) is very small. So short term thinking dominates over longer term planning…..
It would probably be a smart move to make the Treasurer more like the Speaker instead of swapping them out every five years.
Two new extra squadrons of F-35B, for RN, will require at least 36 airframes, if you include the reseve airframes, stand-by, war-time reseve.
Usually a 3-star does not make such pronouncements, unless he is absolutely certain. Or he holds someone’s chitlins at risk. 😉😁
This is basically fitting the hardware that will allow Blk 4 to integrate into the aircraft. Blk 4 is a massive upgrade, much larger than the project Centurion upgrade for Typhoon for example. Blk 4 will include the integration of 16 additional weapon types. New Electronic warfare modes, new sensors (AN/APG-85 for example) new weapon modes, further enhanced interoperability with 4th gen platforms, more powerful data fusion and long range integrated kill webs. using data shared from other platforms in the air, on the ground and at sea. Blk 4 is also a series of upgrades following the F35 Continuous Capability Development and Delivery project. Delivering a new software upgrade every 6 months and new hardware every 2 years. 👍
The F35 has had bad press about availability rates but it actually turns out that the F35 has had better availability than the other airframes in us inventory.
In 2021, the availability rates of all three fleets of F-35s were higher than those of most of DoD’s other fighters.
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/57842
Here’s a fuller and more accurate picture for you Expat.
“In their initial years, all three fleets of F-35s exhibited low availability rates, which rose thereafter. The availability of F-35As and F-35Cs declined from 2015 to 2018 but increased in 2019 and 2020. The availability of F-35Bs trended upward through 2020. In 2021, the F-35 fleets had higher availability rates than most of DoD’s other fighters and attack aircraft.4 The F-35 fleets are much newer than those other aircraft, and newer fleets typically have higher availability rates than older ones.”
LINK
Clearly, that does not include the current ones that are new and grounded.
Typically Nigel. Brand new aircraft, especially fast jets, do have lower availability rates when they enter service, because everything is brand new, and experience among engineers and the supply chain is low. It takes time for everyone to get used to the new equipment, and new procedures, especially with somthing as complex as F35. Once the system has matured and experience gained across sqns availability improves. When we received the upgraded Harrier GR9, availability was lower than the GR7 fleet for the same reasons. Maintenance contacts do improve availability across the whole fleet, and can help reduce the dreaded fleet within fleets headache for fleet managers if the jets can be kept at the same standard. But this is difficult to achieve, especially when jets are deployed on active operations such as Op Shader.
The F35 is also getting upgrades much earlier than other jets which is dragging the average down. New jets don’t normally face this so early.
So it’s not really an apples with apples comparison to legacy jets and as the CBO state the newer F35s will not need to go through these upgrades and will have higher availability.as you expect.
Exactly mate. F35 is unlike anything that has entered service before. It also comes more war ready than any fast jet before it. Take the Electro optical targeting system. This would be an external pod on all other fast jets, Sniper pod ect. These have to be integrated and that takes time. AESA Radar, defence aids, Hemlet mounted display, datalinks, stealth ect are all on the jet from day one. It’s taken Typhoon 20 years to get to the capability it has today, and it still has a lot of development to come. F35 will be able to incorporate many 6th gen technologies. And for many nations, F35 will be the 6th gen option.
Tornado started with concrete in its nose instead of radar 😀
Not true. Tornado always had the Texas Instruments radar.
It was the latter Tornado fighter – model for the RAF only – that had the concrete to replace the non ready Foxhunter.
I think he meant the ADV version, which indeed were known as “Blue Circle” at the time after the cement.
Think only a handful of early Tornado F2’s had the concrete ballast.
Ahh, I think it was referred to as the blue circle radar system if memory serves me right!
Typically spare parts on new aircraft is the issue. Not enough time to build up inventory and small fleets so no scavenging opportunities.
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And it also states the F35 availability is lower due to the upgrade program and the newer airframes won’t need this. So the reality is the availability average is being dragged down by the upgrade program so those countries buying now will be getting an even better average availability.
And the other good news is since 2018 rates have improved even with increased numbers of airframes delivered and covid. Both of which should have stressed the F35 supply chain and maintenance facilities which doesn’t appear to have happened.
And as for Mr Blay the man who tells Porkies in a very poor attempt to twist the facts to suit his own agenda. CAUGHT RED HANDED
Robert Blay
January 15 2023 19:43
“I think this article explains it in plain enough English for you Nigel from a reputable website. I know you love a link. Or do you still think 6th gen will be available from 2025? that was a cracker of a prediction.”
REPLY
No doubt the clown in the room didn’t read my post on UKDJ fifteen days ago regarding Tempest and makes a complete fool of himself once again.
Give it up Mr Blay and stay off the wine, even I feel embarrassed for you.
Nigel Collins
UKDJ December 28 2022
F135 engine upgrade receives £62m funding boost
Some good news nonetheless!
“The UK MoD FCAS director, Richard Berthon, told Airforce Technology that a single supersonic demonstrator aircraft will be manufactured for the 2027 first flight, although declined to comment which systems will be initially tested on the platform.
“The flight itself is one milestone of many milestones,” Berthon said.
Work in progress
The design has also flown 100 hours digitally, testing key elements ahead of the start of platform manufacture, while the flight demonstrator platform was described by officials as being “low observable”.
On 18 July engine manufacturers, Rolls-Royce also presented details of Project Orpheus, a programme to develop and run a new design jet turbine in under 18 months, which would be used to inform propulsion requirements for Tempest.”
LINK
Is that the best you got Nigel? Or is it the only reply your computer program can up with? Keep digging that hole for yourself. How’s Moscow in January, I hope they are paying you well for this child like F35 trash talk. 👍🇷🇺 Comrade Collins has a certain ring to it don’t you think 😄
No On Likes A Proven Lier Mr Blay.
As for your endless Childish comments, STAY OF THE WHITE WINE you sound like a complete idiot.
🥱
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It was only a matter of time before you bored yourself to sleep 🤷🏻♂️
Brand New Aircraft 😂 “The F-35 first flew in 2006″
10 Jan 2023
“In fact, delays and technical problems with the TR-3 account for a $330 million increase in the F-35’s development costs, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office. Development of Block 4 is now three years late and will continue until 2029, the GAO said in April 2022.”
What was his recent comment regarding the Pilots And Maintenance crews 😂 More horse 💩 to create he’s in the know when he actually knows very little!
Downtime problems
“Generally speaking, the F-35 is also the bête noire (a person or thing that one particularly dislikes) of technicians in light of its engine problems: the number of F-35s without operational engines has risen from 2 aircraft in January 2020 to 36 in February 2022, and the trend is stagnating between 30 and 40 aircraft between July 2021 and February 2022 (GAO-22-105995, p. 14).
The DoD officially calls for a maximum of 6% of F-35s grounded for engine reasons, but this limit has already been exceeded since April 2021 with about 20 aircraft on the ground (GAO-22-105995, p. 14).
The causes are technical but not only: the logistics chain does not seem to be adequate, with too little repair and/or maintenance capacity. Worse yet, some spare parts are unreliable. It should be noted that the slow pace of engine maintenance and repair very quickly led to a lack of operable spares (GAO-22-105995, pp. 17-18).
The GAO notes, however, that DoD has formally acknowledged these various problems and is seeking solutions. There has, in fact, been a slight improvement in maintenance time (at the depot level, i.e., heavy maintenance) on the F-35: 188 days on average in November 2018 to 131 days in September 2021…but that is still far from the maximum 30 days requested by the DoD (GAO-22-105995, p. 9).”
The various DoD components are nonetheless acquiring F-35s, and the GAO estimates that if full production of the aircraft is launched in 2023, as many as 1,115 pre-production F-35A/B/Cs would have been delivered by now, or approximately one-third of the aircraft ordered.
A very weighty estimate because it implies that this fleet of F-35s operated by U.S. and foreign militaries will likely need to be upgraded after delivery (GAO-22-105128, pp. 15-16). Yet, putting 1,115 F-35s through heavy maintenance to “erase” their potential problems will increase the price of the aircraft by a now unknown but probably not insignificant amount… And this pessimistic scenario could get even darker if, as appears to be the case, full production is not notified to Lockheed Martin by the DoD.”
“The F-35 program is poised to reach its long-delayed, full-rate production decision by March 2024 under an updated acquisition program baseline that recently won approval, a Pentagon spokeswoman told Inside Defense. Previously slated for March 2021, the new timeline for FRP comes after the Defense Department’s acquisition chief signed off on the APB last month, spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell wrote in an email this week. The latest schedule, she noted, “has an updated milestone C and full rate production…”
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It also depends in what aircraft the air force gives makes priority to be available.
True and the flying hours which will drive down availability.
Agreed.
True but US availability rates are pretty Low due to legacy aircraft and maintenance hogs like F22 and B2. Would be interesting to see UK rates verses Typhoon.
Typhoon is obsolete… And you have no idea what the actual US availability rates are.
Perhaps you would care to explain why you think Typhoon is obsolete, despite obvious evidence to the contrary, such as recent orders, hot production lines and further upgrades in the offing.
Because he is a complete idiot who believes every thing he reads and then puts his own spin on it🙄
Oh dear, wrong and angry again. So sad.
Hawk t2 rates are very low due to the engine issues the Typhoon is around 60-70% which is similar to the US and is the normal for fast jets. The UKs c130s are lower than the a400.now its engine issues are resolved and sit around 65-70%.