Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Ron D. Knapp Professor Michael Meadows Park University Internet Campus A course paper presented to the School of Arts and Sciences and Distance Learning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Baccalaureate LG201 - Systems Engineering and Analysis Park University October 09, 2011 The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program began with defense reviews conducted by the Clinton Administration after taking office in 1992. At the time, several government organizations were working on the next-generation strike aircraft. Following an intense competition, the U.S. Department of Defense on 26 October 2001, named Lockheed Martin lead …show more content…
The program collected data to manage manufacturing maturity, but currently unproven processes and a lack of flight testing was of concern to the GAO because of a potentially costly future of changes to design and manufacturing processes. Program costs continued to increase and the schedule had slipped since the 2004 rebase line. Very little flight testing occurred as of the report's publication and the first fully integrated aircraft was not expected to begin flight testing for at least 4 years. In 2007 the Department of Defense cut the number of test aircraft and flight test hours to maintain cost and schedule plans. A fully integrated, capable aircraft was not expected to enter flight testing until 2012, increasing risks that problems could be found and would require design and production changes, as well as retrofit expenses for aircraft already built. On May 10, 2009, AA-1 had completed 84 test flights, including a deployment to Eglin AFB. The first SDD STOVL aircraft, BF-1, had completed 14 flights. The second SDD aircraft, BF-2, had its first flight in February 2009. By December 2009, only 4 of 13 test aircraft had been delivered and total labor hours to build the aircraft had increased more than 50 percent above earlier estimates. Late deliveries hampered the development flight test program and affected work on production aircraft, even as plans
Throughout the history of Air Defense Artillery (ADA), innovative steps were made for the technological advance in weaponry to defend our skies and ground forces. The diverse history and continuous research and development of air defense systems played a vital role in the safety of ground troops and foreign civilians during the Persian Gulf crisis. Though not always in the forefront of battle, ADA had its own vital roles that it played from the time of its birth, and it was no different during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield when necessity helped to bring about the evolution of the PAC-II Patriot missile.
The after taking 25 years to develop the F22 Raptor from conception to operational certification the United States Air Force (USAF) produced the world’s first 5th Generation air superiority fighter. (site) This revolutionary fighter plane leveraged its very low observable stealth (VLO) and thrust-vectoring and digital fly by wire technology, to produce an extremely fast, agile and deadly air to air combatant. (GEO P 2) However, in 2009 Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, (SECDEF) convinced the President (POTUS) and Congress to truncate the F22 program, leaving the USAF with less than 187 operational F22 Raptors, this number was well short of the 381 the USAF estimated they needed to meet their mission requirements. (AWC 1/ site) Gates made his controversial decision based on three factors. This essay will explore these factors and explain how the 2009 U.S strategic environment, the overall cost of the F22 and Secretary Gates’ desire to change the Department of Defense (DOD) all lead to the decision to limit the production of the F22 Raptor at 187 aircraft.
Having the Government subsidize Airbus’s development phase gave Airbus company a great advantage (Lawrence, 2008). Airbus at the time also had the advantage in terms of technology. The fly by wire technology had been in use for some time in the Airbus A320. The two new models; A330 and A340; also used this technology. Boeing had yet to produce a fly by wire system (Richards, 1990).
It all started on December 7th, 1941. America had entered their Second World War following the Pearl Harbor attacks. America started its Pacific Campaign against the Imperial Japanese Army. After three years, America joined with fellow allied nations and invaded Nazi- Occupied France codename Operation Overlord. This was the biggest amphibious invasion ever recorded. From Pearl Harbor to the fall of Berlin in the spring of 1945, the American bomber plane helped defeat the Nazi regime, end the war in the Pacific, and revolutionize modern warfare.
Winston Churchill once said, “Not to have an adequate Air Force in the present state of the world is to compromise the foundations of national freedom and independence” (Quotes about Everything). In this sense, the military is important to America, especially the Air Force. The Air Force provides security and safety to the people. Military lifestyles are usually not everybody’s first choice in the beginning. Particularly, the U.S. Air Force is not always is not always the first branch that comes to mind when thinking of the future. Most of the time, people come to conclusion of enlisting in any branch of the military because of an uncertainty of their future. “…I had no career or education goals, no plans; it’s just where my path took me”
a) Economies of scale—the top three carriers (Federal Express, UPS, and Airborne Express) serve slightly more than 85% of the domestic express mail market. All three carriers deliver a high volume of packages, and thus, are able to spread fixed costs over more units. Also, each carrier has integrated technological systems that improved operational efficiency. In addition, intensive training programs of employees increase service and delivery efficiency.
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a single-engine, single-seat, metal fighter plane and ground-attack aircraft that was made by the Americans. The P-40 Warhawk fighters first flew in 1938 and caught the attention of the United States Army Air Corps, who placed the largest fighter plane order it had ever made for fighters for a count of 524 at a cost of US$13 million. This was the earliest serious fighter in WWII and did its job until better fighters came out. It was known as a safe and secure aircraft that was able to fly pilots back home after being shot up in action. Many variants of this plane were later created. In addition, the shark teeth graphics were a big feature on this plane.
Children Committing Violent Crimes The repercussions and treatments of young violent criminals are largely controversial and debatable. When a child commits a crime, especially a violent one, they deserve to be sent into a correctional facility. Offenders, no matter what age they are, are going to need a lot of psychiatric therapy before they’re released into the public population. No offender deserves to be let off the hook because of their age.
On December 1, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order that started the Civil Air Patrol. No one, not even its creator, Gill Robb Wilson, foresaw the importance that Cap would play in protecting the waters along the coast from the dreaded German U-boats attacking the shipping lanes. Sixty years later the CAP is still going strong. Performing its missions of aerospace education, cadet programs and search and rescue, CAP is preparing today’s youth to become successful leaders. This was not all that CAP has done. In the beginning of its creation, CAP played a major role in the defense of the U.S. during World War II. CAP played a vital role in the coastal defense of
The executives were angry with Boeing for failing to disclose and decided to put $4M IR&D into the $8M demonstrator program that would validate and refine basic flying qualities and performance characteristics of a small scale Tiltrotor with the potential for future applications to VTOL UAV missions. We contacted the famous Burt Rattan of Scaled Composites and asked him to bid two airframes. He arrived a week later, looked at the airframe plans and bid for $2M. Bell selected them for airframe detail design and fabrication. Recall that Burt was the first commercial fixed wing aircraft in
When Joint Task Force Guantanamo Troopers walk into the Joint Troop Clinic and make an immediate left, it leads them to a desk with a smiling face, waiting to help with their dental needs.
Conventional warfare follows the single battle concept, where two or more well defined forces using weapons that target the opposing force. The contiguous battle-space is well defined with a deep, close and rear area allowing the force commander to array forces that can be visually displayed in a linear graphic. This does not hold true in an unconventional warfare, where the rear area may also be the close and deep fight and forces may target the civilian population either through direct, indirect or propaganda attacks. The will of the people play an important part in unconventional warfare and their support to either force is equally important. The Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), the Marine Corps force in readiness is capable
BAL developed capabilities in the areas of space and communications, site management and the upgrade and maintenance of military aircraft and equipment. As BAL grew, it faced difficult decisions how to improve or upgrade its procurement system and process to meet its customers’ requirement, especially its major customer the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Irregular warfare has become the centre of much military and academic study in recent years, due mostly to the ongoing NATO operations in Afghanistan. However irregular warfare is by no means a recent revelation in the evolution of warfare and strategy, numerous examples exist throughout history in which irregular warfare tactics and strategy have been adopted and later analysed by academics and military professionals. This author will focus on the key issues that governments face in creating effective strategies for irregular warfare with a particular emphasis on counter-insurgency (COIN) and terrorism. Resources such as time, space, legitimacy and support present themselves as key issues in dealing with insurgency and terrorism and are
“History does not teach that better technology necessarily leads to victory. Rather victory goes to the commander who uses technology better, or who can deny the enemy his technology.”