Makes Changes In Some Key Benchmarks For The 5th Generation Fighter

The Pentagon has proposed some adjustments in the performance requirements for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, including its expected combat radius. The changes still need to be approved by the Joint Requirement Oversight Council (JROC).

About a year ago, the JROC adjusted the F-35A combat radius from 590 nautical miles to 584, based on updated engine bleed estimates. In an effort to compensate, a new revised requirement under consideration by the Council assumes near-perfect altitude and cruise speeds in a less-demanding flight profile, which extends the F-35A range to 613 nautical miles.

Defenseinsider.com reports that the combat range estimation for the STOVL variant for the Marine Corps is about 15 percent less than the F-35A model. Performance for the "B" model were also relaxed, extending the short takeoff distance to 600 feet from an estimate of 544 feet when carrying a standard load of munitions cited in the April 2011 report.

The JROC reassess programs which have exceeded their original baseline costs by 25 percent as a matter of policy. One goal of the review is to determine if acquisition costs and other estimates can be improved by easing program requirements. (Images from file)

FMI: www.defense.gov