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JSF Could be Worth $100 Billion
As a mid-1994 combination of the original U.S. Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) and Common Affordable Lightweight Fighter (CALF) research programs, the Joint Strike Fighter is a potentially $100 billion key program for the American armed forces and industry, possibly for the next 50 years.
Original program targets of about 3,000 JSF aircraft at $30 million each were reduced by the Pentagon's 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review to 2,852 in three different versions, with around 70% commonality. Requirements were then expressed as 2,036 to replace USAF F-15s and F-16s, 642 as U.S. Marine Corps STOVL AV-8Bs replacements, plus 60 similar versions for the UK, leaving only 114 instead of the originally-planned 300 available for the U.S. Navy to re-equip its early F/A-18 units.
Of three original JSF submissions, that from McDonnell Douglas was eliminated in late 1996, leaving the Boeing (and now MDC) and Lockheed Martin (since joined by Northrop Grumman and BAe) teams to receive $718.8 million and $661.8 million contracts, respectively, for four-year development programs, including construction and flight-testing of two prototypes each. These are being built with kits which can alter their configuration to USAF and USN conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) standards, or with lift-fan and thrust-vectoring additions for STOVL capabilities, as required, to fly from 2000 onwards. A fly-off will then determine final JSF choice between the Boeing X-32 and Lockheed Martin X-35 in 2001, for an initial operational capability in about 2008.
After the UK government paid $200 million to join the JSF concept demonstration phase as the only full collaborative technology partner (FCTP) to date, BAe switched its former MDC allegiance to Lockheed Martin in June 1997, to take a 12% share of development and production if its team wins the program.
UK JSF interest was originally in acquiring 60 STOVL versions to replace naval Sea Harriers. But with two larger carriers now planned for the RN and unified RAF Harrier replacement requirements, the USN's CTOL JSF is among several additional contenders being assessed to meet Britain's 100 to 120 Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft requirement.
FCTP status gives the UK complete access to
JSF technology and operational requirement inputs, but the JSF Program Office
has established several other levels of participation. These comprise Limited
Cooperative Associate Partnership, achieved in mid-1997 by Denmark, the
Netherlands and Norway, requiring a 10% investment in R&D costs of the
land-based CTOL JSF to participate in definition and validation of its operational
requirements. JSF interest at this level has also been expressed by Israel
and Spain. Lower-levels of JSF participation and information access are
available for $10 million to Future Interested Customers or observers, of
whom Australia, Canada, Italy and Singapore could be among the first.
As primary designated JSF powerplant, bench-running of the Pratt & Whitney
JSF119 turbofan recently began at P&W's West Palm Beach facility, comprising
the JSF119-611 for the Lockheed Martin X-35 on June 11, and the JSF119-614
for the Boeing X-32 some 10 days later. Initial sea level trials are now
being followed by several months of simulated altitude tests at the USAF's
Arnold Engineering Development Center, in Tennessee. Ground tests have also
started of the F119-611-driven Allison lift-fan for Lockheed Martin's STOVL
JSF version.
In early 1997, GE Aircraft Engines, Rolls-Royce Military Aero Engines and
its Rolls-Royce Allison subsidiary received a $96 million multi-year JSF
Program Office contract for initial development of the YF-120 turbofan as
a back-up alternate engine. A decision on its future full-scale engineering
and manufacturing development expected in 2001 will be dependent on progress
achieved with the P&W F119. By John Fricker
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