Sat, Aug 14, 2010
Comments Come As UK Public Sees Harrier Replacement For The
First Time At Farnborough
The radical F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is set to
become the future of air combat, according to the RAF test pilot
putting the aircraft through its paces. As the UK public got its
first glimpse of the RAF's planned Harrier replacement at
Farnborough, Squadron Leader Steve Long said "It is like an iPhone
on speed. It is a quantum leap in terms of technology and
aerodynamics."
Bristling with technology, the F-35 features nose-mounted,
electronic warfare aerials fitted around the aircraft and an
electro-optical targeting system - or sniper pod. One of the most
innovative features is the distributed aperture system - dubbed the
'God-Eye' - which gives the pilot 360-degree visibility via a
digital helmet display.
"It is essentially a 360-degree infrared search and track
system. You can see what is beneath or behind the aircraft through
a screen fitted to your helmet," said Squadron Commander Long. "It
is amazing having total visibility."
The former Harrier pilot has been stationed with the Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF) programme at the US Navy's Patuxent River Air
Base in Maryland for the past 18 months, flying the B-variant of
the test aircraft. The JSF, or F-35 Lightning II, is set to replace
the Harrier. Sqn Ldr Long is only the seventh pilot to fly the JSF
and will be testing its vertical take-off and landing abilities in
operational-based scenarios later this year with the US Navy.
There are presently three variants of the test aircraft (A, B
and C) some of which have been created solely for tests and will
not be flown in any other capacity. There are currently four B
variants, with a fifth coming out for testing at the end of this
year with a complete set of electronics, radars and warfare
systems.
The current four designs cover short take-off and vertical
landing development, flutter (monitoring aerodynamic or structural
interactions), loads and mission systems.
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