Page 26 - F-35B and USMC

The Integration of the F-35B into USMC Operations

On the America, you had UK maintainers, and you had observers from HMS Queen Elizabeth on board the
USS America as well.”

“It is very important for the community to remain focused on commonality.

There is widespread recognition of this requirement.

The Marines are a key stakeholder in this process with the services and the allies.

We are well tied into the community to shape commonality for upgrades and shaping the way ahead.”

This applies in strategic terms to shape integrated airpower from the UK to Norway to Denmark to the
Netherlands and operating off of US and UK seabases.

“The interoperability between the USMC and the UK is a key thread in that effort with our ability to
operate off of each other’s ships.

It is like flying with someone else nationally but part of your own squadron.”

How did the maintainability go aboard the USS America during your recent tests?

“We took an aircraft and pulled the engine, drive shaft and lift fan – then reinstalled and flew it off of the
ship in sea state three.

We validated many of the toughest maintenance tasks at sea with that maintenance evolution, and that jet
was one of the first planes off of the boat during the Lightning Carrier demonstration.

The two Yuma squadrons plus VMX-1 were working the maintenance and almost all of the maintainers had
never been to sea as well.

Availability and maintainability was good.

We did not lose any flying time due to maintainability.

Very unusual for an aircraft at this stage of the game.”

The test community is shifting its focus on airframe testing to the software upgradeability dynamic.

“We are internalizing that.

The biggest item I saw was the growing realization of what a software defined and upgradeable plane
is all about. Many of your hardware dynamics are also about software.

For example, with regard to the fuel pump, what it does and how it performs is software driven.

You have to tweak the software a bit and you can get the fuel pump do what you want to do with it.”

We then discussed the coming of the CH-53K to the USMC and the role of VMX-1 in that process.

“Not only is the lift much greater and the maintainability significantly better, but the aircraft will play into the
enhanced situational awareness (SA) with the F-35, along with the speed and range of the MV-22 as an
assault asset.

The pilot flying the F-35 will shape much greater SA to the MV-22 and the CH-53K as they inform and
support the overall assault force.
Second Line of Defense

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