Stewart Penney/LONDON
The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)competition is poised to move into its final stage with the imminent release by the US Department of Defense of a call for improvements (CFI). Boeing's and Lockheed Martin's response to the CFI will be the foundation of their proposals for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase.
Maj Gen Mike Hough, JSF programme director, said on 12 October that the CFI will be released "within two weeks", depending on when the document can be signed off.
Hough says that Boeing and Lockheed Martin will submit CFI responses by the end of January and a "source selection will be made in the summer in time for EMD to start in September". He acknowledges that this is a slip from the plan to select an EMD winner in April, but adds "it's just a few weeks".
The UK, the only full partner in the JSF programme, has yet to sign a memorandum of understanding to participate in EMD. Speaking at the UK Royal Aeronautical Society, Hough says the UK will sign "before January", in time to participate in the downselect.
The UK is considering JSF to meet its Future Carrier Borne Aircraft (FCBA) needs. The UK Ministry of Defence's Equipment Approvals Committee is understood to have passed its FCBA recommendation to ministers. Industry speculation is that it recommended JSF but did not decide between the naval and short take-off and vertical landing versions.
Head of the FCBA team, Air Cdre Peter Giles, declines to comment on specifics but says if the UK does not participate and decides to buy JSF off-the-shelf, this would save money during the early part of the programme but would limit the UK's options, including the ability to integrate its own weapons.
Meanwhile, Boeing plans to begin simulated carrier approach flight tests with its X-32 JSF concept demonstration aircraft around 19 October after modifications to the undercarriage which allowed it to be successfully cycled for the first time on its 10th flight on 10 October. Boeing rejigged a position switch on the nosewheel leg and removed a down lock actuation restrictor to allow the gear to lock in the up position.
Source: Flight International
