US Marine Corps (USMC)

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Marine Corps Welcomes First F-35B Aircraft to Yuma, Ariz.










The Marine Corps welcomed its first operational F-35B aircraft, the Marine Corps variant of the F-35 Lightning II also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. Friday, Nov. 16. The F-35B, one of three variants of the Joint Strike Fighter, is a tactical fixed-wing aircraft that is to be the replacement for aging jets within the Marine Corps. 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing's first F-35 squadron, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, is based at MCAS Yuma and is the first operational F-35 squadron in the Marine Corps and the Department of Defense. Marine F-35B pilot Maj. Aric Liberman delivered the first F-35B, BF-19, to MCAS Yuma at 1:05 p.m. MST. This aircraft will be used to conduct a full spectrum of aviation operations in support of combat missions and maritime readiness worldwide.

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/video/191080/marine-corps-welcomes-first-f-35b-aircraft-yuma-ariz#.UKhJUGeWxiU#ixzz2Cf29TMOL

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An F-35B Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, steadies during an aerial refueling above Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Nov. 20. This F-35B is the second aircraft to join the newly-designated Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121. The aircraft later landed at MCAS Yuma during a re-designation ceremony for the squadron.
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An F-35B Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, breaks away from a KC-130 after an aerial refueling above Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Nov. 20. This F-35B is the second aircraft to join the newly- designated Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121. The aircraft later landed at MCAS Yuma during a re-designation ceremony for the squadron.
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Yuma's second F-35B, BF-20, arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma's flightline following the re-designation ceremony for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Nov. 20. The Green Knights, formerly an F/A-18 Hornet squadron, is the Marine Corps' first operational F-35 squadron. The F-35 marks the next generation of tactical aviation dominance in the Marine Corps.
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Arizona Sen. John McCain sits in an F-35B simulator cockpit during a reception prior to the re-designation ceremony for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Nov. 20. The senator, a former Naval aviator, attended to ceremony along with several other distinguished visitors, marking the commencement of the Marine Corps' first operational F-35B squadron.

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MOSCOW, November 23 (RIA Novosti) - US and Japanese officials have agreed to move some exercises involving US Osprey transport aircraft from Okinawa to the Pacific island of Guam, the NHK public broadcaster reported.

US military aircraft based in Japan, including four Ospreys from the Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, will take part in a three-week drill starting November 29.
Twelve Ospreys were deployed in Okinawa last month despite concerns among local residents over the aircraft's safety.

US officials have decided to conduct Osprey flight training across Japan to reduce the burden on people in Okinawa.

About 140 people living near the Kadena Airbase allege that noise created by US warplanes has caused hearing impairment and insomnia in many of the residents, and they plan to seek $2.7 million in compensation, Japanese media reported on Thursday.

A Japanese court rejected a similar suit in 2000, noting that foreign governments are beyond Japanese jurisdiction, in accordance with international laws.

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Every Clime and Place, Home Included

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Marines establish first operational squad of F-35 fighters


Third Marine Aircraft Wing's first F-35B taxis after arriving on the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma flightline, in Yuma, Arizona, in this U.S. Marine Corps handout photo taken November 16, 2012. The arrival highlights the official re-designation of Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 121, an F/A-18 Hornet Squadron, as the world's first operational F-35 squadron at MCAS Yuma, which took place November 20, 2012. Known as the F-35 Lightning II, the F-35B will eventually replace the Corps' aging legacy tactical fleet of AV-8B Harriers, F/A-18 Hornets and EA-6B Prowlers

The U.S. Marine Corps on Tuesday established its first operational squadron of F-35 fighter jets at an air station in Yuma, Arizona, a move that officials said showed progress on the Pentagon's biggest and most scrutinized weapons program.

Three F-35B fighters built by Lockheed Martin Corp have already arrived at the base, with 13 more to come over the next year. The service has also spent about half a billion dollars to build new hangars for the planes, a high-end flight simulator for training pilots, and maintenance facilities, according to Captain Staci Reidinger, a spokeswoman for the base.

The new squadron, which is slated to start initial flights later this year or early next, was formally unveiled at a ceremony at the Arizona air base that included top Pentagon and Lockheed executives, as well as Senator John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

It marked good news for the radar-evading Lockheed fighter program, which has been restructured three times in recent years to save money and allow more time to work out technical kinks.

Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos said it was a historic day for the smallest of the U.S. military services, which urgently needs to replace its aging fleet of older model F/A-18 fighters built by Boeing Co, and AV-8B Harrier jets, which are growing expensive to maintain.

"This squadron will be the first, not only in the Marine Corps or the United States, but the first in the world to bring a fifth-generation, multi-role, (short takeoff vertical landing) stealth fighter ... into an operational status," he said in a speech at the base. A copy of the speech was made available to Reuters.

Amos, who flew the F-4 Phantom fighters that were used extensively during the Vietnam war, said the new plane had "eye-watering" capabilities, although he said he could not discuss most of them since they are classified.

He said establishment of the squadron at the Yuma air base, coupled with testing and training going on elsewhere, showed "tangible progress" on the F-35B model, which can take off from shorter runways and land vertically like a Harrier jump jet.

Just two years ago, the Pentagon had threatened to cancel the F-35B program unless it made significant technical progress.

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma will eventually have five operational squadrons of the B-model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Lockheed is developing three variants of the fighter for the U.S. military and eight international partners -- Britain, Italy, Norway, Australia, Canada, Turkey, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Defense consultant Robbin Laird said the F-35 would be a key asset in the Pentagon's increased focus on Asia since its ability to operate with other allies such as Australia and Japan would allow the U.S. military to maintain a persistent presence in the region.

MCCAIN "ENCOURAGED" BY PROGRESS AFTER YEARS OF SETBACKS

McCain, who has been critical of the F-35 program after years of cost increases and technical challenges, lauded recent progress on what he called an "enormously challenging program."

"I am -- after many years of frustration and setbacks -- encouraged that the overall program is moving in the right direction," McCain said in a speech at the base, a copy of which was emailed to Reuters.

But he cautioned that much work was still needed before the program could be called a success, including better cooperation among various Pentagon agencies, and between the government and the defense companies that are building the plane.

Air Force Major General Christopher Bogdan, who will become the Pentagon F-35 program executive officer on December 6, in September said ties between the company and the government were the worst he had ever seen. {ID:nL1E8KA3OG]

"It's a big milestone," said Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Scott, who has been flying Harrier jets for 14 years and commands the new squadron, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121.

"There's something to be said for walking into a new hangar and seeing it all in person. Airplane landing, people getting out, Marines working on it," he told Reuters. "Yep, it exists. It's not just a distant unicorn far away."

The squadron Scott leads was first activated in 1941, and was also the first to fly the Boeing F/A-18D fighter in 1989.

Yuma will carry out the operational evaluation of the F-35B plane, which is needed before it can be cleared for operational use, something that Marines hope to achieve in 2015.

First local area flights are likely to begin just before Christmas, or early in January, after some additional conditions have been met, Colonel Kevin Killea, who oversees aviation requirements for the Marine Corps, told Reuters.

Killea said the military and Lockheed were continuing to work through technical challenges on the new fighter, including a sophisticated new helmet and software development, but said the start up of the squadron was a step forward and should also reassure international partners on the program.

"We're not trying to kid anybody about these guys being operational in six months and deploying. That's a long way off. But the airplane is maturing, it's moving along ... and we're happy to have it in the hands of operators," he said.

Killea said some modifications would be made to the F-35 planes that had been ferried to the base, including changes to strengthen the air inlet door used for vertical landings, but the changes should be completed over the next few months.

Lockheed said in a statement that the three F-35Bs delivered to Yuma brought the total number of all F-35 planes delivered in 2012 to 20.

reuters

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Press Releases


Sikorsky Delivers First CH-53K Prototype Heavy Lift Helicopter to Flight Test Team



December 04, 2012

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida - The Sikorsky team developing the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter for the U.S. Marine Corps has delivered the first prototype aircraft — the Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) — from the assembly line to the flight test team. The move will enable Sikorsky, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), to prepare and test the GTV aircraft for hundreds of hours of powered ground checks ahead of the four follow-on flight test helicopters that will take to the skies during 2014-15.

“The primary purpose of the GTV is to shake out the CH-53K helicopter’s dynamic systems by thoroughly testing and measuring the performance of the rotor blades, transmission, and engines while the aircraft is tied to the ground,” said Michael Torok, Sikorsky’s CH-53K Program Vice President. “Extensive ground-based flight checks with Sikorsky and NAVAIR test pilots at the cockpit controls will confirm whether these dynamic systems, as well as hydraulic, electrical, and avionics systems, can meet the requirements established by the Marines for their next-generation heavy lift helicopter.”

Though designed to the same footprint size as the CH-53E Super Stallion^™ helicopters they will begin to replace in 2019, CH-53K helicopters will triple the external load carrying capacity to more than 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles under “high hot” ambient conditions. Technology enablers for increased lift include 7,500-shaft-horsepower GE38-1B engines; a split torque transmission design that more efficiently distributes engine power to the main rotors; fourth-generation composite rotor blades for enhanced lift; and a composite airframe structure.

Flight test engineers will spend the coming months performing preliminary acceptance tests that include calibrating the GTV’s fuel system and attaching measuring devices at more than 1,300 test locations on the aircraft to record temperature, aerodynamic loads, pressure and vibrations. By mid 2013, the GTV will be attached to a specially built outdoor platform to hold the aircraft in place when its three engines are powered on — a process known as a “light-off.” Initial light-off test events will be performed without rotor blades, followed by more rigorous tests with the blades attached.

“This is an important point of transition for the CH-53K program,” said Col. Robert Pridgen, program manager for the heavy lift helicopters. “I am encouraged by the initial results of our testing at the component and subsystem level. Now we bring it all together. The GTV is our first dynamic system-level integration of those same components. We are looking forward to the sights and sounds these next heavy lifters will bring to the Marine Corps.”

Sikorsky is designing, building and testing the GTV and the four flight aircraft — designated Engineering Development Models — as part of a $3.5 billion System Development and Demonstration contract. Two additional ground test articles are undergoing airframe structural testing at Sikorsky’s main manufacturing plant in Stratford, Conn., as part of the same contract. The aircraft’s major fuselage sections are supplied by Aurora Flight Sciences, ITT Excelis, GKN Aerospace and Spirit Aerosystems.

The prototype assembly line is located at Sikorsky’s Florida Assembly and Flight Operations facility in West Palm Beach. Ground and flight testing will occur at the Developmental Flight Center on the same Florida campus.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in aircraft design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

View related photo - Sikorsky has delivered the first CH-53K prototype heavy lift helicopter for ground-based flight tests. The aircraft will triple the U.S. Marine Corps’ external load carrying capacity to more than 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles in hot/high conditions.

sikorsky

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Presidential V-22s On Schedule for Delivery in 2013


(Source: US Naval Air Systems Command; issued Dec 7, 2012)



Aircraft 209, the fourth MV-22 to be assigned to the Presidential Support Squadron awaits attachment of the tail empennage (painted the iconic dark green of the squadron) on the Bell V-22 assembly plant production floor in Amarillo, Texas, Dec. 1.

The first MV-22 is on schedule to be delivered to Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), the Marine squadron that provides executive level logistics and passenger support to the president, in early 2013.
The MV-22s will replace the CH-46Es currently operating with the squadron


http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/140887/presidential-v_22s-on-schedule-for-2013-delivery.html

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Latest F-35B Photo..


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PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (Dec. 7, 2012) Maj. C. R. Clift, a Marine Corps test pilot, flies BF-1, an F-35B Lightning II, on a short take off and vertical landing mode mission. The flight marked the 1000th developmental test flight for the F-35B Lightning II in the program's program's system development and demonstration phase. The F-35B is the variant of the Lightning II designed for use by the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy. The F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings to enable air power projection from amphibious ships, ski-jump aircraft carriers and expeditionary airfields. The F-35B is undergoing flight test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River, Md., prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo by Dane Wiedmann/Released)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 5, 2007) - Two KC-130J Hercules aircraft, assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352, stagger themselves during a refueling training exercise off the coast of Southern California. VMGR-352 frequently conducts these exercises to keep themselves proficient in their duties.

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Panetta says first F-35 overseas deployment planned for Iwakuni

Plans call for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to get its first overseas deployment in 2017 to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in line with the military’s “Pacific pivot,” according to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

The F-35B Lightning II — the Navy and Marine Corps variant featuring short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities — has been billed as the next-generation stealth fighter despite complaints about noise and cost overruns. It can travel at speeds of Mach 1.6 — about 1,200 mph — and can land on ships or damaged runways, according to the web site for developer Lockheed Martin Corp.

Panetta’s comments came Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington during a speech on defense strategy, including the shift of resources to the Pacific.

“We are also enhancing our presence and capabilities in the region,” Panetta said. “That includes reallocating the naval fleet to achieve in these next few years a 60/40 split between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans — hopefully, we will do that by 2020 — increasing Army and Marine presence in the region after Iraq and Afghanistan, locating our most advanced aircraft in the Pacific, including new deployments of F-22s and the MV-22 Ospreys to Japan, and laying the groundwork for the first overseas deployment of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Iwakuni in 2017.”

Marine Corps officials at MCAS Iwakuni said they had not yet heard about the plans.

www.stripes.com

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Boeing, Textron win $1.4 billion deal for 21 V-22 Opreys: Pentagon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Boeing Co and Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc , have won a contract valued at $ 1.4 billion for 21 V-22 tiltrotor Osprey aircraft, the U.S. Defense Department said on Friday. In a daily digest of major weapons contracts, the Pentagon said it had modified an existing advanced procurement contract with the Bell-Boeing joint venture to cover production of the additional aircraft. The contract also includes funding for advanced procurement of materials for 22 additional aircraft to be funded in fiscal year 2014, which begins next October. …
Business News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Rolls-Royce wins $52.2 million services contract for AE 1107C engines for US Marine Corps and US Air Force V-22 aircraft

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won a $52.2 million contract to support AE 1107C engines for V-22 aircraft operated by the US Marine Corps and Air Force.

The contract, a modification of a prior agreement, includes repair and support services, with work carried out at Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Oakland, California, as well as fleet support at customer bases. The contract for work in 2012-13 was awarded through the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland.

Paul Craig, Rolls-Royce, President – Defence Services, said, “This contract represents another vote of confidence in the support and services offered by Rolls-Royce to our US military customers. We are focused on enabling our customers to keep their aircraft flying and supporting them every day to allow their missions to go forward.”

The Rolls-Royce AE 1107C turboshaft is part of the AE product family, which has over 5,000 engines in service and more than 53 million flight hours, and exclusively powers the growing V-22 fleet for the US Marine Corps and Air Force. In addition to a dedicated team of Field Service Representatives, Rolls-Royce also supports the AE 1107C engine fleet through the new Defense Operations Center in Indianapolis, providing 24/7 real-time engineering support for V-22 operators.

www.rolls-royce.com

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More Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System Rockets Headed to U.S. Marines in Theater


U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua S. Martinez conducts operations over Helmand province, Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Keonaona C. Paulo/Released, Courtesy of U.S. Navy)


As a result of its continued success in theater, the U.S. Navy is buying more BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS^®) rockets.



The company recently signed a $28 million full-rate production contract with options to produce more APKWS rockets for the Navy. The latest award increases the total full-rate production contract value to $69 million and extends production through 2014.

“With this additional Navy order, our Marines in combat will have a continuous supply of APKWS units at their disposal, enhancing their ability to reliably and cost-effectively engage a variety of targets while minimizing collateral damage,” said Joseph Tiano, APKWS program manager at BAE Systems. “The option was exercised quickly, meaning more systems will go directly to the Marines, who are already using the proven precision-strike capability in theater.”

The recent Navy order caps off an impressive year for the APKWS rocket, which completed 10 live-fire tests over water against stationary and moving floating targets off Naval Air Station Point Mugu in California earlier this year. Also in 2012, the system was fired from a Beechcraft AT-6 light attack/trainer aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base as part of an industry-funded demonstration.

The APKWS rocket is one-third of the cost and one-third of the weight of the existing inventory of laser-guided weapons, and is the only Department of Defense fully qualified guided 2.75-inch rocket that uses semi-active laser guidance technology to strike soft and lightly armored targets in built-up and confined areas. BAE Systems designed the APKWS technology to fill the gap between the Hellfire missile and unguided rockets. The company produces the mid-body guidance kit, which changes a standard unguided rocket into a precision laser-guided missile.

More than 100 of the APKWS rockets have been fired in action in Afghanistan since the Marines first deployed the weapon in March 2012. None of the APKWS rockets fired has missed its target due to failure after launch.

The APKWS rocket is qualified on the AH-1W and UH-1Y helicopters, and is expected to be similarly qualified for use on several other rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft. The system is available to allied forces through foreign military sales.

www.baesystems.com

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By Bell Helicopter on Friday, January 18th, 2013
Bell Helicopter today delivered the 100th of a planned total of 349 H-1 helicopters during a ceremony at its Amarillo Assembly Center. The US Marine Corps H-1 helicopter program is comprised of both the UH-1Y utility helicopter and the AH-1Z attack helicopter.

John Garrison, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter said, “We are deeply proud to be the Marine Corp’s partner in these aircraft. They are among the most advanced, capable and affordable attack and utility helicopters serving today.”

The UH-1A story began back in 1959 with the U.S. Army and it progressed through various versions ending with the M model. The “Huey”, as it was affectionately known, also served as the foundation for the Cobra attack gun ship. These helicopters also have a long Marine Corps lineage going back to the original basic Huey helicopter, first deployed during the Vietnam War in 1963 as the UH-1E. Later the E model was upgraded to a twin engine N model. The Cobra attack helicopter traces its history back to 1968 and the AH-1G model.

Although the exterior look may have remained the same, each new model introduced new performance and capability upgrades such as new rotor systems, gear boxes and materials, and ultimately achieving the capable and lethal versions the Marines fly today.

Major suppliers for these latest H-1 models include: Northrop Grumman supplying the Integrated Avionics Suite, Thales providing the Helmet Mounted Sight and Display System, Lockheed Martin Orlando supplying the AH-1Z Target Sight System (TSS), FLIR Inc. with the UH-1Y BRITE Star II forward-looking infrared sensor, L-3 Crestview Aerospace providing the UH-1Y cabin structure, and General Electric Aviation supplying the T700 engines.

Previous models achieved considerable international sales success and the current models are beginning to attract foreign interest as well. The AH-1Z is in competition to supply 36 new attack helicopters to South Korea with a decision sometime this year.

Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell’s global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.



Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/bell-helicopter-delivers-100th-h-1-helicopter-to-the-us-marine-corps-46396/#ixzz2IJVoezVs

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Reserves receive first MV-22 Osprey squadron; looking for good Marines

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --

Marine Forces Reserve has never had a V-22 Osprey squadron—until now. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764 (HMM-764) transitioned into the Reserve’s first Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM-764) during a three-part ceremony here Jan 12, 2013.

“It was kind of one big last event to say goodbye,” said Lt. Col David A. Weinstein, commanding officer of VMM-764.

The event started with a change of command where Lt. Col. Scott A. Craig, a CH-46E Sea Knight pilot, relinquished command of HMM-764 to Weinstein, an Osprey pilot.

“It has been a busy two years supporting operations and executing the transition plan of action,” said Craig, about the tiltrotor transition. “But it’s opening doors with the Osprey and we did our best to set those guys up at Miramar.”

Weinstein gladly accepted the torch, and said he is very eager to demonstrate the capability the Osprey can provide for the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. After Weinstein took command, the re-designation ceremony began.



RE-DESIGNATED
“Over the past 48 years, the CH-46 has flown every clime and place around the world,” said Brig. Gen. William Collins, commanding general of the 4th MAW. “It has supported our Marines literally everywhere. It served a mark in our legacy. It has been tested under fire in countless conditions. It’s delivered combat troops, supplies, MEDEVACs and has earned the title of the ‘battle frog.’ We will never forget.”

The CH-46 was flown in Vietnam … to Iraq to Afghanistan. It’s hardworking. It has saved a lot of Marine and sailor lives, said Navy Capt. Josh M. Lieberman, a Reserve flight surgeon.

The ceremony reflected on the history of the CH-46 and the future of aviation with the tiltrotor capability.

“This last year marked a significant milestone… as we just past 100 years of Marine aviation,” Collins said. “How fitting it is to go into this 101st year with another milestone, and that milestone is for this squadron to transition to a new aircraft.”

The Marines of the squadron agree.

“We were the last to fly on the CH-46 in the Reserves and the first to transition to a new aircraft,” said Sgt. Jacob L. Anthony, an Active Reserve aviation operations Marine. “It feels historical.”

According to Boeing, the Osprey is the first aircraft designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the Defense Department's four U.S. armed services. The tiltrotor aircraft takes off and lands like a helicopter. Once airborne, its engine nacelles can be rotated to convert the aircraft to a conventional airplane configuration capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight.

Marines will get to see that the amazing capability the V-22 brings will revolutionize 4th MAW, Weinstein said. “We’re headed in the right direction.”

Sgt. Maj. David M. Dyess, sergeant major of VMM-764, said the transition has been a little tough, but the change opens a new door for a new generation of Marines.

“I had a Marine who is going to school to be a V-22 crew chief come up to me yesterday and say that he enjoyed the school and is looking forward to working on the Osprey,” Dyess said. “It is a learning curve for the Marines but once they get in, it will be an excellent opportunity to carry grunts around.”

RELOCATED

After the re-designation ceremony came the official relocation of VMM-764 from Edwards, AFB to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, also in California. But they couldn’t leave without a thank you and goodbye to their brothers and sisters in the Air Force.

For over 13 years, the airmen here have provided Marines with outstanding overall support, said Collins. “We have established relationships that, at this point, we are sad to see go. But as always we will remain friends, and we look forward to seeing you all in the future.”

Weinstein said the Marines of the squadron are very excited to relocate, get started, get airplanes and get flying.

Although VMM-764 is officially a tiltrotor squadron, the unit has to establish programs, obtain qualifications and pass inspections before it can receive the V-22 Osprey -- the first delivery is expected in November 2013. The unit plans to be a fully operational tiltrotor squadron by mid-2014. The Marine Corps will transition the one remaining Reserve CH-46 squadron, HMM-774, to a tiltrotor squadron by 2017.

“As we transition to the V-22, the airplane itself has a new capability…. that has taken us to the next chapter of Marine Corps history,” Collins said. “It, right now, is providing our commanders across the globe … an unprecedented level of performance in the tactical, strategic … and operational options for our commanders. We look forward to the transition of this capability within 4th MAW.”

MARINES NEEDED

The Marines that stayed with the squadron are Active Reserve Marines that lateral moved from CH-46 to V-22.

That only left VMM-764 with a fraction of what the unit needed. The tiltrotor unit now needs to fill 70 percent of their enlisted Selected Marine Corps Reserve slots.

Marine recruiters are looking for V-22 specialists for airframes, avionics, general support equipment, flight equipment and the seat shop to send to school over the next couple years, he said.

Marines interested in affiliating with VMM-764 should contact the prior service recruiter at Site Support Miramar at 858-577-8345.

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F-35B Flights Suspended Following Fueldraulic Failure




A U.S. Marine F-35B taxis last year at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. (U.S. Marines)






The DoD office in charge of the Joint Strike Fighter suspended flight operations on the F-35B (STOVL) variant Friday for precautionary reasons after a problem was discovered with the fueldraulic system in the jet, officials confirmed for Defense News.

All STOVL variant aircraft operating at Eglin Air Force base, Fla., Marine Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and Lockheed’s production factory in Fort Worth, Texas, have been grounded while engineer teams review data on the jet.

The office made the decision after a 10:00 a.m. CST test flight at Eglin was aborted by the pilot during a conventional takeoff roll. There were no injuries to the pilot or the crew.

The abort occurred because of a failure to a propulsion fueldraulic line, which enables movement in the actuators for the STOVL’s exhaust system.

The F-35A (conventional) and F-35C (carrier) variants are unaffected.

“Implementing a precautionary suspension of flight operations is a prudent response until F-35B engineering, technical and system safety teams fully understand the cause of the failure,” wrote JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova in an emailed statement.

“Once the causal and contributing factors are understood, a determination will be made when to lift the suspension and reinstate F-35B flight operations,” DellaVedova wrote. He added that impact on flight test operations are being assessed, and ground operations on the F-35B will continue.

A spokesman for Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor on the 5th generation fighter, directed questions to Pratt & Whitney, which designed the engine on the JSF. Pratt & Whitney has delivered 87 F-35 engines, including 40 of the STOVL variety.

“An initial inspection discovered a detached fueldraulic line in the aft portion of the engine compartment near the bearing swivel module,” spokesman Matthew Bates wrote in an emailed statement. “This component is not used in the CTOL or CV variant aircraft. A team of Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce engineers is investigating the cause of the incident and working closely with Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office to resolve the matter.”

Bates also noted that P&W engines have successfully completed almost 25,000 hours of testing, including 4,270 flight hours.

The fueldraulic system was highlighted as a potential issue in the annual report to Congress released this week by the Pentagon’s Operational Test and Evaluation office (OT&E). The report noted that part of the fueldraulic system was removed in 2008 to save 9 pounds.

The testers warned that the fueldraulic system leaves open the chance of a sustained fire if exposed, but noted that the program office “is accepting the increased vulnerability associated with the fueldraulic system and is currently not considering reinstating the fueldraulic fuses in the production aircraft configuration.”

www.defensenews.com

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F-35C CF-1 and CF-2 take on fuel from a KC-130 tanker during a test flight on 18 January 2013 from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. This was the first time two F-35Cs aerial refueled at the same time. US Navy test pilot Chris Tabert was at the controls of CF-1 for the mission. Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin was at the controls of CF-2.

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A F-35B is attached to a crane in support of a aircraft lift training exercise with Marine Corps Air Station Yuma’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Feb. 8.

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F-35B jets cleared for Yuma takeoff
The Joint Strike Fighter Program Office has cleared the F-35B variant of the Joint Strike Fighter to resume flight operations, clearing the way for the three Lightnings at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma to finally take to the skies.
The order restoring flight clearance was issued Tuesday, roughly a month after the planes were grounded as a precaution after a fueldraulic hose failure was discovered in the jet. The short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the jets were grounded after a Jan. 16 test flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., had to be aborted.
According to the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, it and engineering teams from engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney conducted a root cause investigation of the problem and determined the fueldraulic hose that caused the problem had been improperly crimped. In all, the fueldraulic hose was found to have been improperly crimped on six jets.
"All affected hoses have been inspected, and those out of tolerances will be replaced," said Joe DellaVedova, public affairs director for the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office.
Flight operations for F-35A or F-35C model of the aircraft were unaffected by the suspension.
Capt. Staci Reidinger, public affairs director for MCAS Yuma, said the air station is waiting to receive the parts the mechanics in VMFA-121 need to conduct repairs.
"We are looking at getting those in by early next week. Then we will start doing those modifications."
MCAS Yuma was scheduled to receive its fourth F-35B in late January, but delivery was canceled due to the grounding. Now that flight clearance has officially been restored, Reidinger said the jet should be arriving within the next seven to 10 days.
Reidinger said MCAS Yuma also had been awaiting its final certification to fly from the Federal Aviation Administration. It has since been approved, clearing the way for the air station to begin conducting flight operations with the new jet as soon as the end of the month.
The F-35B fleet of 25 aircraft stationed at Eglin Air Force base, MCAS Yuma and Lockheed’s production factory in Fort Worth, Texas, will be cleared for return to flight upon reinstallation of compliant hoses by air worthiness authorities at Naval Air Systems Command and the F-35 program office.
The F-35B is the variant of the Lightning II designed for use by the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy. The F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings to enable air power projection from amphibious ships, ski-jump aircraft carriers and expeditionary airfields.


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Marines with Alpha Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, load tanks into a Landing Craft Utility, at Onslow Beach, March 1, 2013. The Marines practiced loading and unloading tanks onto the LCU with the help of sailors with Naval Beach Party Team 3, Beach Master Unit 2 to keep up their skills as an amphibious force in readiness