Very interesting video's which sadly shows that the U.S. Military flying fleet is lacking in proper design, engineering and construction qualities ... not to mention - safety issues. More videos and photos here:
Controversial $400bn F-35 fighter jet now has computer 'brain' problem which could see entire fleet grounded
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3552155/Controversial-F-35-fighter-jet-brain-problem-entire-fleet-grounded-claims-report.html
* Lack of testing on software may mean it's not ready for its deployment
* The problem is with the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS)
* Major issue is data produced by ALIS goes through a on operating unit
* The lack of back up could mean that the entire feet has to be grounded
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history.'
But despite a price tag of $400 billion for 2,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with issues.
Now,
a new report says problems with its logistics software system could ground the entire fleet.
The issue is with what the Department of Defense officials call the 'brains' of plane, also known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS).
A Government Accountability Office report says a failure 'could take the entire fleet offline' because there is no backup system.
The report also says a lack of testing done of the software will mean it's not ready for its deployment by the Air Force in August and the Navy in 2018.
The 'brains' of the F35 are one of three major components, with the other two being the engine and airframe.
CNN points out that
the software runs on ground computers rather than operating on the plane itself.
It is designed to support operations, mission planning and to spot any maintenance issues with the vehicle.
'Program officials said that if ALIS is not fully functional, the F-35 could not be operated as frequently as intended,' the report said.
'But a DoD commissioned plan found that schedule slippage and functionality problems with ALIS could lead to $20-100 billion in additional costs.' So far, the software has been so flawed that maintenance crews have had to resort labour-intensive alternatives.
According to National Interest, in one instance maintainers had to manually burn data onto CDs and to send the massive files across a civilian WiFi network. One major problem, the report said, is that the F-35 data produced goes through a single main operating unit which has no back up.
'The F-35 is still in development, and this is the time when technical challenges are expected,' Lt. Genernal Chris Bogdon told CNN.
'However, we believe the combined government and industry team will resolve current issues and future discoveries,' he said.
Lead defense contractor for the plane, Lockheed Martin, insists development of the logistics software is on schedule.
'As ALIS development continues, our focus is on the warfighter and delivering the most effective, efficient fleet management system to sustain the F-35 over the next five decades of operations,' said Sharon Parsley, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin.
'The recommendations by the GAO are in line with the actions already underway in preparation for full-rate production and worldwide sustainment.'
This isn't the only problem to plague the program. Last month, it has emerged the jets complex radar system has a problem - it keeps crashing.
The software glitch that interferes with the ability of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter's AN/APG-81 AESA radar working in flight.
This poses the greatest threat to delaying US Air Force (USAF) plans to declare its jets operationally deployable, a top service official told Janes.
Major General Jeffrey Harrigian, director of the air force's F-35 integration office at the Pentagon, described the problem as 'radar stability - the radar's ability to stay up and running'.
'What would happen is they'd get a signal that says either a radar degrade or a radar fail -something that would force us to restart the radar,' Maj Gen Harrigian said
Another Pentagon report revealed a massive list of potentially lethal bugs still facing the jet.
It also found problems with the computer software, including 'in fusion, electronic warfare, and weapons employment result[ing] in ambiguous threat displays, limited ability to respond to threats, and a requirement for off-board sources to provide accurate coordinates for precision attack.'
Last year researchers revealed the hugely delayed and over budget project has finally fired its first shots in the air.
The F-35A Lightning II completed the first three airborne gunfire bursts from its internal Gun Airborne Unit (GAU)-22/A 25mm Gatling gun system during a California test flight on October 30th.
The F-35 also has a smart parts system to ensure everything is working within its limits, and can warn when parts need to be replaced.
However, the computerized maintenance management System, or CMMS, 'incorrectly authorizes older/inappropriate replacement parts.' the report said.
It also fails to detect if it's been flying too fast and 'randomly prevented user logins' into its computerised control system.
In the first live firing test, three bursts of one 30 rounds and two 60 rounds each were fired from the aircraft's four-barrel, 25-millimeter Gatling gun.
In integrating the weapon into the stealthy F 35A airframe, the gun must be kept hidden behind closed doors to reduce its radar cross section until the trigger is pulled.
'The successful aerial gun test sortie was a culmination of several years' planning, which intensified in the first half of 2015 at the Edwards F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) Flight Test Squadron with a team of Air Force, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman personnel,' said Mike Glass, Edwards ITF flight test director.
'The results of this testing will be used in future blocks of testing, where the accuracy and mission effectiveness capabilities will be evaluated.'
The 25mm gun is embedded in the F-35A's left wing and is designed to be integrated in a way to maintain the F-35's very low observable criteria.
It will provide pilots with the ability to engage air-to-ground and air-to-air targets.
'At the end of the program's system development and demonstration phase in 2017, the F-35 will have an operational gun.
And the Government is worried about this?
US accuses Chinese woman of espionage, smuggling underwater drone parts to China
https://www.rt.com/usa/340561-us-chinese-woman-espionage/
