Page 44 - Renorming of Airpower: The F-35 Enters the Combat Fleet

The Renorming of Airpower: The F-35 Arrives into the Combat Force

That’s all part of the development, the tactics, and our desire to develop this airplane fully from the beginning
and look towards the future, future capabilities, and also start developing those tactics to try to get ahead of
the curve.

And Lt. Cdr. Kitchen put on the finishing touch to the panel with this comment:

The F-35 can be surrounded by myth and legend. But it is a real testimony to the capabilities of the maintainers of
the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and the USMC to adapt to the new technological challenges. Their
knowledge of aircraft systems is now being applied to a new air system and taking steps forward into the
unknown.

It is a testament to the professionalism of these maintainers that they are just getting on with the job of making
this aircraft work. Every single person involved in this detachment are passionate about this aircraft and not just
because it is a sexy looking aircraft but want to see it working in every operational environment.

THE F-35 GLOBAL ENTERPRISE: THE IMPACT OF A GLOBAL FLEET

The F-35 is a 21st century air system and was established to manufacture a global product in significant
numbers to enable a global fleet, of unprecedented reach and impact.

The F-35 represents a new approach to the development, production, system and sustainment of a fleet of
combat aircraft. Additionally, the F-35 takes an innovative approach to collaborative upgrades over the
airframe and global fleet’s life cycle.

It is clear that the F-35 global enterprise is a unique enabler of the entire re-set of U.S. and allied airpower.
Yet this crucial and even central reality is hardly recognized in the mounds or should one say piles of
commentary on the F-35 program.

Allies are not simply “partners” in the program they are the enablers of 21st century air combat development
and approaches. Allies are not simply “following” the US lead; they are innovating on their own and will
infuse the F-35 global enterprise with the spirit of innovation and invention, not mortgaged by the
“sequestration” somnolent evident in Washington.

The F-35 as a global enterprise is clearly a foundational force or forcing function force for other
developments. It is not simply a means to an end (modernizing the tactical aircraft fleet) but a forcing function
force for fundamental change in approaches to 21st century defense forces.

There are several key aspects of the F-35 global enterprise, which are significant for allies as well as
Americans.

It will be in production for a long time, which means that allies can buy with confidence that the system will be
there when they need it. There are currently three final assembly lines and a significant global network of
suppliers to the program.

The weapons, which will be fitted onto the F-35 or operated by the F-35 in a sensor shooter relationship, will
be developed globally. This is historically unprecedented and allows global partners to build for themselves
and for the global consortium.

As a software upgradeable aircraft, users reflecting collaborative combat experience will do the code
rewrite. This is already happening with the Wedgetail in Australia, which is a launch point for the use of new
software upgradeable aircraft.

Second Line of Defense

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