Swords and Shields: F-35 beats Russians

Russia lags behind the United States in aerospace research and development. It has yet to produce decent competitors to America's two new, fifth-generation fighter jets, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter and the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor.

The main Russian rivals to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightnings are the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-35 (NATO designation Fulcrum F) and the Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO designation Flanker). The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-35 is an upgrade of the MiG-29M/M2 and the MiG-29OVT. Both are fourth-generation jets.

The Russian government has been eagerly selling the Sukhoi fighter jets to its friends, so these aircraft are likely to be found in areas where the potential for conflict is greatest, while financing development of the fifth-generation fighter from these export revenues.

Russian analysts like to note that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSF, with a maximum speed of only 1,200 mph, is slower than both the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker -- maximum speed 1,680 mph -- and the MiG-35 Fulcrum -- maximum speed 1,587 mph. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning's range of 1,320 miles is below the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker's range of 2,260 miles as well.

While these measures make the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter seem inferior, they are actually fully consistent with its projected mission: F-35s are designed to operate in tandem with Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptors, which would clear the way for F-35s in real combat.


Moreover, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSF's reported service ceiling of around 57,000 feet is superior to the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-35 Fulcrum's 56,000 feet and the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker's 55,000 feet. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSF also claims a significant advantage in maneuverability because of its smaller size, advanced materials and lightweight construction.

On the record, Russian defense officials insist their Sukhoi and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG fighters can stand up to their American rivals. But a Russian Defense Ministry expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Pravda.ru that Russia "patches" its fourth-generation modifications to extend their lifespan, while most of its fifth-generation fighter program has largely remained on paper.

In fact, statistics are only the broadest indicators of an aircraft's performance. Combat performance analysis includes maneuverability, stealth, tactics, training, avionics, situation awareness, weapons, countermeasures, interoperability and supportability as major factors.

Stealth is a major discriminator between a 5G fighter like the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter and "Gen 4 plus plus" competitors like the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-35 Fulcrum and the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker that are essentially modernizations of their respective progenitors, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 and the Sukhoi Su-27. No operational Soviet or Russian stealth aircraft has ever been reported to have entered service.

A U.S. analyst who requested anonymity said that while the Russians have some good specific system technologies, their ability to effectively integrate them often lags behind that of the West, and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter takes integration of off-board intelligence to a step well beyond proven Russian capabilities.

"From the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union until crude oil prices recently rose to $100 per barrel, the ability of Russian aircraft designers to transition their advanced scientific knowledge through RDT&E (research, development, test and evaluation) into production-ready systems has been restricted, with funding available almost solely from sales of its legacy 4th Gen MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters to other countries," the analyst said.

With oil prices collapsing, the challenges of serial production of advanced aerospace weapons systems remains, while the Russian highly skilled military space and aviation industry labor force is pushing 60 -- beyond the life expectancy of an average Russian male.

Sukhoi Su-30 fighters bought by China and India were more advanced than those in Russian air force service, which were procured only in small quantities. Progress in completing the production development of the PAK-FA T-50, Russia's first 5G fighter design, remains dependent on Indian funding.

While notable improvements have been made in the reliability and supportability of Russian aircraft systems, they still fall far short of Western standards. This is particularly true of aircraft engines.

Russia has a long way to go to catch up with the United States in the prestigious new generation fighter competition. Only domestic politics, such as in Europe; declining economic fortunes of potential partners; and high production costs of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter may slow down its triumphant march.

(Ariel Cohen, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow in Russian and Eurasian studies and international energy security at the Catherine and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute at The Heritage Foundation).

source : http://www.spacewar.com/

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Israel wants own technology on F-35 stealth fighters

JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- As Israel plans to buy the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) from the United States, the Israeli Defense Ministry is seeking American approval to install Israeli-made technology on the stealth fighter jets it buys.

One reason for Israel to ask for the changes is that the version of Israel Air Force (IAF) will be unique and superior in case the aircraft is also sold to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, said a Thursday report by local daily The Jerusalem Post.

"We have unique needs and need to retain our superiority in the region," a senior Israeli defense official was quoted as saying. "To meet these needs, we must be able to install our own systems."

With the Iranian nuclear threat looming, Israel has been looking for further U.S. support on a variety of defense measures, including developing advanced missile defense capabilities, acquiring smart bomb technology and expediting the F-35 sale.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Defense Department notified Congress of plans to sell up to 75 Joint Strike Fighter fifth-generation fighter jets to Israel in a 15.2-billion-U.S. dollar deal for the aircraft, which is expected to be the mainstay of air power in the U.S. and several other nations for decades.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said it informed Congress last Friday that Israel has asked to buy 25 of the F-35s,with an option to buy an additional 50 at a later date.



In its statement to Congress, the DSCA said the sale would help Israel "develop and maintain a strong self-defense capability" and that the deal would not upset the balance of military power in the region.

The sale would be the first to a country outside the U.S. and the other eight partner nations that are collaborating on the F-35,which is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the largest U.S. defense contractor, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The first batch of 25 would be the variant of F-35 designed for conventional takeoff from military airfields, but the later 50 could include a version that can land and take off vertically, similar to a helicopter.

If approved by Congress in the next 30 days, Israel will likelysign an official contract with the U.S. Air Force in the coming months and begin receiving the aircraft in 2014, said the report.

While news of the Pentagon approval was positively received in Israeli Defense Ministry, Israeli officials said it was still too early to celebrate since Israel has yet to receive final Pentagon approval to allow the IAF to install Israeli-made systems in the plane.

Israeli demands include installing an advanced radar and conformal fuel tank design for long-range missions made by Israel Aerospace Industries, as well as other electronic and weapons systems that could require changes to the configuration of the aircraft.

The technology issue was discussed last week between the IAF and a team of U.S. military officers from the Joint Strike Fighter program who were in Israel. It was also at the focus of talks Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Pinhas Buchris held in Washington earlier this month.

The result of the negotiations will be a determining factor in the number of aircraft Israel decides to purchase.

If Israel exercises the vertical option, it would be the first time that the IAF obtains this capability, needed out of fear that Israeli airfields would be paralyzed by enemy missiles in a future conflict and planes would have difficulty taking off in a conventional fashion, said The Jerusalem Post.

Britain, Turkey and Australia are among the eight countries participating in the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Israel enjoys the status of a Security Cooperation Participant after paying 20 million U.S. dollars in 2003 to obtain access to information accumulated during the development of the jet, which will be priced at somewhere between 50 million to 60 million U.S. dollars.

The jet is still under development and is not yet in service. While the jet is expected to be widely used, the program has suffered delays and escalating costs that have been criticized by government auditors.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/03/content_10146022.htm

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Increasing Runway Safety with GPS Aircraft Positioning

For pilots, knowing what runway or taxiway they’re on is critical information. That knowledge is especially important at night, in poor weather or when the crew is unfamiliar with the airport layout.

Pilots have traditionally acquired that information by looking out their windshield. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has made it easier for pilots to have an invaluable electronic tool in the cockpit. It provides a moving map display with “own ship position” — that will change and improve runway safety the way GPS has changed the way we safely navigate our cars.

The FAA has aggressively focused on reducing runway incursions for the last several years. After thoroughly reviewing safety data, including human factors research on the safety benefits of own ship position versus the potential safety risks, we changed our certification process to make this technology available while maintaining all appropriate safety standards.

Electronic Flight Bags and Moving Maps

In recent years, paper charts and manuals have increasingly been replaced by the Electronic Flight Bag or EFB: an electronic display system that gives pilots information about a variety of aviation data. These EFBs range from laptop-like devices totally independent of the aircraft that can be used on planes across the existing fleet, to high-end displays permanently installed and fully integrated into the airplane’s cockpit for newer aircraft. The FAA focused our efforts on a third type of device, referred to as a “Class 2 system” that is still portable but takes its power and data directly from aircraft systems.

Most EFBs incorporate a feature called Airport Moving Map, a display that provides a constantly changing view of an airport’s runways, taxiways and structures to help pilots identify and anticipate the airplane’s location on the surface. GPS technology makes it possible for the moving map to show pilots their actual position (own ship) on the airport surface.

The FAA has varying certification levels for Electronic Flight Bags based on the technical complexity of the EFB and the types of data it is intended to display. Devices able to show data both on the ground and in the air, including an Airport Moving Map that identifies the aircraft’s position, are subject to the highest, or “Class C,” standards. These standards were set with particular regard for the strictest in flight requirements.
Same High Standards, Streamlined Certification Process

Since issuing its original guidance for EFB certification in 2003, the FAA has been listening to industry concerns about the complexity and high cost of certifying EFBs to provide the Airport Moving Map/Own Ship Position function for surface movements. The agency also reviewed studies and human factors research on those systems.

Research showed that pilots had far better awareness of their position on the airport’s surface using an own ship position display. Tests also demonstrated that pilots typically glanced at the own ship display, then quickly looked out their windows to verify that information visually, eliminating one of the FAA’s major concerns that pilots would be “heads down” too long for safe operations.

With that data in hand, the FAA decided to streamline the process of certifying the own ship position function of moving map displays to give pilots the safety benefits on the airport surface as soon as possible. FAA certification standards for EFBs remain the same, but we worked with several companies to develop revised certification policies that make this important safety enhancement more cost-effective for operators.

The new policies were finalized and ready for use by the end of April 2007. The first certification was given to Jeppesen in March 2008.

By focusing on the Own Ship Position function and finding innovative ways to simplify certification, the FAA believes the cost of certification for surface operations could drop to as little as $20,000 per unit — about one-tenth the original anticipated cost of EFB certification for ground and air operations. Based on feedback we have received, we believe the aviation industry will have the financial incentive to produce these devices in mass quantities. The result: A higher level of safety at a significantly reduced cost.

http://www.faa.gov/news/

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