Aircraft - Page 3

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The F-35: Even the Engine Is Compromised (excerpt)

The F-35 promised reach without rival, yet its heart - Pratt & Whitney’s F135 - burns fuel like an older design. Thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC) shows why. The F100-PW-229 that powers late-model F-15s and F-16s clocks 0.726 lb/hr/lb. The F135 sits at
July 2, 2017
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Rafale in Combat: “War for Dummies”

Pilots walk to their jets before sunrise, climb the ladder, key the INS, and watch the route and target files flow in by Link 16. A typical launch leaves the chocks with the following kit:
May 31, 2011
F-35 Bulkhead Overhaul Lets Fighter Hide Heavier Arms

F-35 Bulkhead Overhaul Lets Fighter Hide Heavier Arms

Lockheed Martin reshaped a small yet vital slice of the F-35 frame. The fresh FS425 bulkhead now backs bigger bombs inside the jet. Crews hope the tweak keeps radar print low while packing harder punch. Work moved quick during late-2023 and spread
July 24, 2024
V-22 Osprey

AE 1107C Hits 500-Hour Mark Inside V-22 Fleet

The T406 engine reached a solid 500-hour record on one Osprey in mid-August last year. It happened during normal line ops, not a test flight. The count feels modest next to jetliner totals, yet inside tiltrotor work it signals tough stamina. Dust
December 27, 2024
F-35 Program Massages Flight Test Results

F-35 Program Massages Flight Test Results

The latest annual report from the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) states that the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) claimed improved reliability by adjusting the way it records equipment failures rather than by delivering technical corrections.
January 19, 2015