New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019

[n2doc]

The Pentagon’s newest stealth jet, the nearly $400 billion Joint Strike Fighter, won’t be able to fire its gun during operational missions until 2019, three to four years after it becomes operational.

Even though the Joint Strike Fighter, or F-35, is supposed to join frontline U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadrons next year and Air Force units in 2016, the jet’s software does not yet have the ability to shoot its 25mm cannon. But even when the jet will be able to shoot its gun, the F-35 barely carries enough ammunition to make the weapon useful.

The JSF won’t be completely unarmed. It will still carry a pair of Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM long-range air-to-air missiles and a pair of bombs. Initially, it will be able to carry 1,000-pound satellite-guided bombs or 500-pound laser-guided weapons. But those weapons are of limited utility, especially during close-in fights.

“There will be no gun until [the Joint Strike Fighter’s Block] 3F [software], there is no software to support it now or for the next four-ish years,” said one Air Force official affiliated with the F-35 program. “Block 3F is slated for release in 2019, but who knows how much that will slip?”

more

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/31/new-u-s-stealth-jet-can-t-fire-its-gun-until-2019.html

[msongs]

1. designed to attack the US treasury - mission accomplished. incompetence and theft run amok nt

[Man from Pickens]

4. Bingo

The F-35 is a case study in the corruption of our political system brought on by the military-industrial-banking-lobbying complex.

[Arcadiasix]

5. Time to can this program

[upaloopa]

2. They probably can hang a Gatling gun under the wings.

These jets are not made for just one configuration.
Those guns are only good for short blasts anyway. I doubt they need them

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Check with the Senior Senator from

Arizona as to what the deal is. McGrumpy and Pal fought the cancellation of this turkey. And you wonder why the Tax Payer gets a bit pissed.

[AwakeAtLast]

6. You should add a disclaimer:

"Not the Onion"!

[Posteritatis]

7. That's an innovative definition of "becomes operational"

The ammo count in is actually in line with other fighters with that caliber cannon - 180-300 rounds is pretty common - but the fact that it (1) requires specialized software to fire (2) that has not yet been developed is ... impressive.

[EX500rider]

8. "...and a pair of bombs."

The U.S. Air Force has successfully tested the new JMMBRU bomb rack for the SDB (Small Diameter Bomb). JMMBRU allows the F-35 to carry eight SDBs internally, plus (in a less stealthy configuration) another 16 externally. This makes the F-35 a much more effective bomber, especially since the SDB has been upgraded. The air force recently completed tests of SBD II (130 kg/285 pound, also known as the GBU-39/B). This model is equipped with hardware and software to enable it to hit moving targets. The SBD II is now ready for mass production.


http://strategypage.com/htmw/htairw/articles/20141231.aspx

[jmowreader]

9. You know what will happen if the balloon goes up before then

If they absolutely NEED to go put holes in someone with an F-35 before the software is developed, some enterprising crew chief will duct-tape a pushbutton switch to the pilot's control stick, wire a relay to the button, and wire the relay to the firing terminal on the back of the gun.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. The Joint Strike Fighter is the biggest taxpayer ripoff in the history of anything.