F-35 Squadrons

Abstract

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program will develop and field an affordable, highly common family of next generation strike aircraft for the United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and International Partners countries. There are three variants: the F-35A Conventional Takeoff and Landing variant; the F-35B Short Take Off and Vertical Landing variant; and the F-35C Aircraft Carrier suitable variant. Maximum commonality among the variants, consistent with National Disclosure Policy, will minimize total air system life cycle costs. Beginning in FY 2020, Continuous Capability Development & Delivery (C2D2) efforts designated as Block 4 that are not USAF-unique (US Service and International Partner common requirements) are requested in PE 0604840F. Remaining funding in PE 0207142F supports USAF-unique on-going User Information Data Exchange Service (UIDES), SEEK EAGLE, Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) and Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) requirements. These continuing efforts are not new starts. JSF C2D2 efforts provide incremental warfighting capability improvements to maintain joint air dominance against evolving threats. Requirements designated as Block 4 include a robust weapons integration portfolio and provide new opportunities for International Partners to assess, integrate, and field unique capabilities based on global sovereign requirements. The F-35 JSF Operational Requirements Document (ORD) calls for the F-35A to have the capabilities and provisions for DCA operations in the first post-SDD block upgrade. DCA is a NATO and US priority which is a critical capability in our collective defense and credible deterrence, with certification needed by Jan 2024. DCA refers to the capability to carry and deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons. DCA operations for the F-35A is internal carriage of up to two B61-12s. Due to extensive certification requirements, the DCA capability planning and design, testing and certification will continue throughout Block 4. Funding in this PE will resource the following F-35A DCA activities: development, analysis, test, integration, certification and risk-reduction activities necessary to field and maintain F-35A DCA capabilities throughout post-SDD block upgrades; assessment of DCA weapon integration and certification impacts on the JSF aircraft; identification and mitigation of potential technical and cost risks; definition of integration and certification trade-space to field the DCA capability with the B61-12 weapon; follow-on risk reduction efforts to ensure future integration alignment with the earliest feasible post-SDD block upgrade; full integration efforts pending Service decisions. This is not a new start effort. The Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO) is the AF organization chartered to perform the compatibility mission and manage the compatibility enterprise. AFSEO delivers warfighting capability through aircraft/store compatibility testing and evaluation and provides accurate combat weapon delivery and mission planning software. Beginning in FY2020, the USAF will support FTI wiring and weapons integration tasks related to SEEK EAGLE requests. These tasks include, but are not limited to, envelope expansion, mixed loads testing, adding additional stores and F-35A specific risk reduction efforts and studies. This is not a new start effort. The F-35 HPSI's primary role is to integrate support across the supply chain, maintenance, sustainment engineering, logistics information technology and training disciplines. It will deliver enduring, global support for fielded F-35s while preparing for future force expansion. USAF only will fund additional PMA to transition to a final HPSI, which will support sustainment analysis with product support managers, focused on long-term strategic planning and transition to a final integrated support plan. This is not a new start effort. USAF F-35 User Information Data Exchange Service (UIDES) provides for Air Force development of a F-35 Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) - UIDES that supports current and future Information Exchange Requirement (IER) data transfer capability from the F-35 ALIS into data reports and configurable tables to receive, store and integrate F-35 operations, maintenance, training and financial data within existing Air Force enterprise views and systems to support the growing fleet of AF F-35 aircraft, the ability to feed F-35 training and operations data to ALIS, and support modification of an enhanced data sharing capability (ability to consume increased volume and variety of ALIS IER data) to support operations planning, pilot and maintainer training, and depot data configuration and integration requirements. Activities also include studies and analysis to support both current program/project planning and execution and future program/project planning. This is not a new start effort. This program element includes necessary civilian pay and travel expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver F-35 weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay and travel expenses. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605831F. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2022
• Source ID: 0207142F_7_3600_PB_2022
• Change Summary Explanation: FY20 adjustments include $2.707M for Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and a reprogramming for M-Code FY21 Congressional reduction of 17.399M to DCA for unjustified growth.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Contractors
• Contracts
• Cost Analysis
• Data Transmission
• Engineering
• Fighter Aircraft
• Flight Testing
• Incentive Contracts
• Information Exchange
• Information Systems
• Logistics
• Short Takeoff Aircraft
• Supply Chain
• Test And Evaluation
• Warfare

Readers

• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Naval Engineering and Maritime Security

Technology Areas

• Space