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2001-04-27
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Joint Strike Fighter, X-32
Lockheed Martin engineers are designing a fighter aircraft their grandchildren and
great-grandchildren will fly in the middle of the next century. It is an aircraft that will break many
of the long-held rules of aircraft design. Designing three versions of the same plane, with very
different missions, but with common design elements, underscores the jointness of the Joint
Strike Fighter.
The Department of Defense selected Lockheed Martin to receive one of two 51-month, $1.1 billion
contracts for the Concept Demonstration phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program. The other
contract went to Boeing, LockheedÆs partner on the F-22 Raptor program. Tasks will include
design, development, construction, and flight test of two full-scale demonstrator aircraft.
Lockheed Martin will take advantage of the low-cost, rapid prototyping and advanced technology
experience of the Skunk Works; the integrated product team structure, technology and lessons
learned from the F-22 program office in Marietta, and the total systems integration and lean
manufacturing capability at Fort Worth.
The team shares a virtual workspace created by shared databases and common audio, video and
computer systems. Cooperation allows the four services to share development costs, which in
turn reduces cost. They plan to buy up to 3,000 aircraft and with an overseas market, it will likely
be much higher. JSF is the number one tactical aircraft program in the United States, and most
likely the world. It could lay the groundwork for makeup of the industry for the next fifty years,
which is the estimated life of the total program.
The Air Force plans to buy 2,000 aircraft; the Marines will buy more than 600 and the U.S. Navy
is expected to buy about 300. The British Royal Navy is looking to replace about 60 to 90 Sea
Harriers with the JSF.
The Air Force version must be affordable, stealthy and match or improve the performance of
todayÆs Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon. Compared with the F-16, the JSF matches or
exceeds performance levels and exceeds in stealth, increased range on internal fuel and
advanced avionics. The Marines add short/takeoff/vertical landing, while the Navy version must be
suitable for carrier operations, such as catapult launches, control authority at approach speeds
and beefed up structure to handle arrested landings. In fact, carrier operations account for most
of the differences between the Navy version and the other versions. The aircraft has larger wing
and tail control surfaces to better manage low-speed approaches. The internal structure of the
Navy aircraft is beefed up to handle the loads associated with catapult launches and arrested
landings. The aircraft also has a carrier-suitable tailhook.
And it must complement the NavyÆs McDonnell Douglas F/A- 1 8E/F. Historically these
requirements have kept the services from developing a common aircraft.
All the Lockheed Martin JSFÆs look alike with common structural shapes such as wing sweeps
and tail shapes. All carry weapons in two parallel bays located in front of the main landing gear.
Most of the avionics are currently common. All of the aircraft are powered by a modification of the
same core engine used in the F-22, the Pratt & Whitney F119.
With JSF, Lockheed Martin is shooting for the maximum amount of commonality, manufacturing
it on a single production line with single fixtures that can accommodate common parts for each
version. Bulkheads also provide a good example of manufacturing commonality. Slight variations
in thickness or shape, possibly of different materials, might be needed to handle different load
conditions for each service aircraft. This kind of commonality is not new for modern aircraft
manufacturers. For example, there are 106 different versions of the Lockheed MartinÆs F-16 for 19
world air forces. Some portions of the JSF can be produced as single parts instead of being
assembled by hand from a multitude of pieces and hundreds of fasteners. Compared with the
F-16 fuselage, the JSF fuselage has 30 percent fewer parts and 25 percent less fasteners. The
fewer fasteners, the less weight and cost.
Engineers also are exploiting the relationship between designing and manufacturing to further
reduce costs. The aircraft's wingbox, for example, carries throughout the fuselage and integrates
the wing and the fuselage into one piece. By eliminating the side-of-body joint between these
traditionally independent components, the design reduces much of the structure, weight, and
assembly typically associated with this junction.
Lockheed Martin personnel from across the Aeronautics Sector and other parts of the Corporation
are participating with Tactical Aircraft Systems as the team leader. The two concept
demonstrators will be built at the Skunk Works and Aeronautical Systems will provide technology
and lessons learned from the F-22.
In April 1996 Lockheed Martin successfully completed its three-year effort to design, build and
test a large-scale, powered model representing the STOVL version of the JSF. The company
demonstrated and verified the propulsion system concept for the U.S. Marine and Royal Navy
versions. The 86 percent scale model was designed and built by the Skunk Works and powered
by a Pratt & Whitney F1OO engine, which is proportionally equivalent in thrust to the F119 engine
derivative planned for the full-scale aircraft.
In the STOVL or jump-jet mode, the JSF will use the Lift-Fan System. Paul Bevilaqua, the
inventor of the Lift-Fan System, began researching short takeoff and vertical landing technologies
as early as 1985 for a NASA project. In 1990 he patented his lift-fan concept. "The goal of those
early studies was a supersonic STOVL aircraft," he said, "but at that time we were designing
airplanes, not inventing propulsion systems."
The JSF propulsion system was tested for a total of 196 hours in 1995 and 1996, representing
about 2,400 takeoffs and landings with the vertical lift system. There were a final series of tests
conducted in a 80-by-120-foot wind tunnel at NASA's Ames Research facility.
Pat Tait, a flight controls designer at the Skunk Works, said "pilot integration is a real challenge.
We have to balance our ability to provide better handling qualities and simpler pilot-vehicle
interfaces with vehicle performance and flexibility. We want the controls to be as simple as
possible, however we do not want to sacrifice flexibility."
The plan is to use two concept demonstrator aircraft to flight test all three versions. Lockheed
MartinÆs first demonstrator will start off as a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft to be first
flown at Edwards AFB. It will then be converted into a carrier version by modifying the wings, tails
and control surfaces. The conversion will demonstrate the commonality of the Lockheed Martin
design. After flights at Edwards AFB, the carrier capable aircraft goes to Patuxent River, MD., to
finish the flight tests. The second demonstrator is configured from the start as a STOVL aircraft.
No other aircraft accelerates and climbs as fast as the F-16 Block 50. The F-117A Nighthawk
Stealth Fighter is an extremely low-observable aircraft. But the JSF will combine those
capabilities without compromising either trait. While the F-22 Raptor will have similar capabilities,
it will be an air dominance aircraft and will not have the multi-role mission of the JSF. JSF is F-16
performance and cost with the best of the low-observable features from the F-117 and F-22.
The JSF avionics are similar to those on the F-22. They are modular, lightweight and highly
reliable. The JSF cockpit will be completely night-vision capable with helmet mounted and color
flat-panel displays. The symbology for targeting and navigation will be displayed on the helmet's
visor, replacing the head-up display.
Like the Air Force version of the F-16, JSF has an internal gun but unlike the F-16, the Air Force
JSF carries an extensive array of electronic countermeasures internally. It also has an internal
laser designator and infrared sensors. Information from the aircraft's sensors is fused before being
sent to the helmet-mounted or head-down displays. Just as maneuverable as the F-16, the JSF
will have comparable instantaneous and sustained high-g performance.
The Marine Corps and British Royal Navy versions will be similar in their short takeoff/vertical
landing capability. Such an aircraft must have more vertical lift than weight. So weight is a critical
issue for both.
Fast, stealthy and capable of VSTOL operations! There will be nothing in the skies like it!
LOCKHEED MARTIN JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
AFFORDABLE
From the company that brought you the $20 million multirole fighter - the F-16.
LOW RISK
No miracles required - proven Lockheed Martin technology.
SURVIVABLE
Stealth technology from the only TACAIR stealth technology company.
SUPPORTABLE
Multirole to maritime worldwide support structure in place, lowest multirole support cost.
REALISTIC
Cradle-to-grave experience and technology from the largest aerospace company in the world, full
range of capabilities and experience; stealth, systems integration, prototyping, low-cost
production, single-engine design, and worldwide support.
Joint Strike Fighter (Description)Specifications* Colligo CorpInternet: www.ultimatebook.com