Tag Archives: Lockheed Martin

The F-35 Drops the F-Bomb

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In highly volatile bomb circles, an F-bomb is considered a “bomb weighing 2000 pounds or more.” Good news for the F-35, it just released an F-bomb:

The F-35 Drops the F-Bomb

High above the Mojave Desert, the military’s next-generation fighter jet dropped a 2,000-pound bomb for the first time in its latest test flight.

It’s a key milestone for the stealthy, supersonic F-35, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., which has been undergoing tests since its first flight in late 2006.

I gotta come clean. An F-bomb isn’t a 2000 pound bomb. But go into any public place and yell an F-bomb at the top of your lungs, the effect’ll be nearly the same.

Black Dust on the F-22 Raptor

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Standby for three posts in a row on birds, this time with the Air Force. The F-22 has a much publicized oxygen problem. Now it is having charcoal issues after the installed charcoal filters caused its pilots to cough up black dust:

The Air Force grounded the Raptor for four months last year after pilots reported blackouts, and a 2010 crash of an F-22 in Alaska killed its pilot. An investigation by manufacturers Boeing and Lockheed Martin was inconclusive. And then the problems got worse. The Air Force attached charcoal filters to On-Board Oxygen Generating System, OBOGS. But then pilots began choking up black phlegm, as the charcoal filters were causing black dust to enter the pilots’ lungs.

An F-22 prepares to refuel during a training flight.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered to the F-22s to restrict travel outside of nearby landing locations where a hypoxia-stricken pilot could make a quick landing. Panetta also ordered the Air Force to begin installing an oxygen backup system. This is while two F-22 pilots, Capt. Josh Wilson and Maj. Jeremy Gordon, blew the whistle on 60 Minutes.

Install a temporary oxygen system and rip the current system out. It is not hard.

2,443 Cans of Whoop

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The new F-35 just went airborne with some firecrackers:

Lockheed Martin, F-35, JSF, 461st FLTS, F-35 ITF, Edwards AFB, First Flight of External Stores mounted to wings, 4 empty Pylons, 2 AIM-9X, Pilot: Lt Col Vitt, AF-1

The F-35, the military’s next-generation fighter jet, has begun its first flight tests carrying external missiles at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert.

The F-35 is the Pentagon’s costliest program going; the Defense Department has plans to buy 2,443 of the aircraft at a cost of $382 billion.

I’ve had friends who have won Sailor-of-the-Year and they received a fam flight on a jet, like an F-18 or an F-16. Guess I should shoot for Junior-Officer-of-the-Year (JOY) now. Of course, those jet jocks like to make their back-seaters puke. Nevermind, I guess I should not win the award. No joy for me.

Is there even a backseat variant? I suppose they could bungee me down topside, like some 4-point winter buck. Or maybe stuff me in the bomb bay? No thanks. I’ve done enough bombing in here, on corny posts. Not this one though. It’s been hilarious at this end. ¿Si?