F-35 program is building momentum, according to Deputy Direcctor of JSF Program Office

Photo courtesy of af.mil

At this month's AFA Air Force Breakfast Series, Maj. Gen. C.D. Moore II, Deputy Director, Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, regaled an audience of uniforms, industry professionals and the press with details of the progress of the next generation fighter. 

Moore has been on the F35 program for two years now, and reiterated the program’s development is at the "nexus of concurrency." 

“The planes are real and in the field and operating.”

 

He pinpointed the three key challenges that lie ahead: timely software development and integration; finishing durability and full system qualification testing as rapidly as possible; and delivering an affordability commitment for production and sustainment.  

The AFA Air Force Breakfast Program is a monthly series that provides a venue for senior Air Force and Department of Defense leaders to communicate directly with the public and the press. Past speakers include Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Gen. Gary L. North, Commander of Pacific Air Forces, and Gen. Donald J. Hoffman, Commander of Air Force Materiel Command. 

Learn more about the AFA Air Force Breakfast Series >>

Check back later this week for the audio recording of this month’s event!

Reuben and the "Raptorski"

Longtime Russian (and Soviet) military affairs writer Reuben F. Johnson, writing in the Weekly Standard online, attempts to take the measure of Russia's quest for a "fifth generation" fighter. In the story, Johnson leaves no doubt that he believes Russia is hot on the trail of its own Raptorski--designated T-50.

"Metal is being cut at the KNAAPO plant" and the plan is now for the aircraft to fly in 2009 or 2010 at the latest, said a source knowledgeable of the program.

Maybe. We've heard such things before. And Johnson soils himself with this gratuitous--and cockeyed--remark: "[T]he US Air Force ... has long sought to use the specter of such a program to justify increased procurement of the F 22A and funding for the F 35." Really? We thought the Air Force was talking mostly about the proliferation of double-digit Russian-made SAMs and Gen. 4.5+ fighters. Johnson doesn't attempt to describe the aircraft's putative capabilities relative to the F-22A. Any additional information welcome.