JSF contract winner announcement

Hey all. Looks like the winner of the JSF contract is announced today by the Pentagon, @2100 GMT

Lockheed Martin is tipped to win apparently. I hope they do, the Boeing proposal looks like crap. It's also better for the British aerospace industry, since BAE Systems (formerly British Aerospace I believe, but they might just be a subsidiary) has a 15% stake in the Lockheed project compared to 10% in Boeing's.

For the BBC version of the story (it makes a big deal of the British involvement but still has the relevant info), look here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/bus...00/1619856.stm

My bets are on Lockheed....but if Boeing wins that means some of them will be built in the valley which is better for our (California's) economy so I have split loyalties. The Lockheed plane is much better to look at. Either one will be tested here so it doesn't matter much to Edwards but it's much more fun to see the Lockheed plane fly....kinda like watching a jaguar drive past vs. a Volkswagon Beetle.

Are they both verticle take off and landing capable? If so that's pretty damn cool.

SD

Yeah that's all part of the spec they had to work to. Boeing's X-32 looks very harrier-like, but it's a bit bigger I think. Apparently Lockheed's X-35 is huger, which is saying something considering the size of the X-32. I've never seen the X-35 up close so I don't know exactly how big it is.

Pretty cool! Hopefully they will make them somewhat easier to fly than the Harrier.

SD

I have a very cool avi I could send you when I get home if you'd like (X-35B)....it took me about 2 hours to download with my 56K modem though.:rolleyes:

Cool :cool: If you know where you got it (and it's publically accessible) then if you could give me a link I'll download it from there.

If it took so long to download, won't it take even longer to upload? Or do you have broadband now?

If you can't link it, email would be good :) Thanks.

It was emailed to me. I'll try to hunt down the original link.:)

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Originally posted by barrk
I have a very cool avi I could send you when I get home if you'd like (X-35B)....it took me about 2 hours to download with my 56K modem though.:rolleyes:

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Thanks. When you find the link would you send it to me as well. I would like to see it.

Cheers,

SD

http://www.lmtas.com/gallery/videos/...35b/index.html

how come it's taken the americans years to do something the harrier can do?! ;)

Because we are taking the time to do it right!;) :p

They just announced that Lockheed won the contract!:)

Bye Bye Dow (Boeing's on the Dow 30) :D

lol

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Originally posted by barrk
They just announced that Lockheed won the contract!:)

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:) <---- ??? you work for Lockheed ??

I work on the F-22 program which is a Lockheed airplane. I am a DOD contractor at Edwards AFB. We'll end up testing the aircraft here. The X35 is just a much nicer plane than the Boeing JSF so I'm glad Lockheed won!

The other day we had a discussion on
Which is Hot ... F22 Raptor or MIG MFI 1.42 ?

You didn't say a word :confused: :confused: :confused:

May have been during the week I was gone. I'm sure I would have had an opinion.....I usually do!;)

NEW YORK (CNNmoney) -

The U.S. Department of Defense Friday awarded Lockheed-Martin Corp. a contract that could be worth upwards of $200 billion to build its new radar-evading Joint Strike Fighter.

Lockheed, the nation's No. 1 defense contractor, beat out rival Boeing Corp. for the long-coveted deal which is the largest in U.S. military history.

"The Lockheed Martin team is the winner on a best value basis," said Jim Roche, Secretary of the Air Force who announced the contract award along with Undersecretary of Defense Pete Aldridge.

Officials made the announcement at a press conference at the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. Friday.

Aldridge said conditions of the contract do not require Lockheed-Martin (LMT: Research, Estimates) to share any of the work with Boeing (BA: Research, Estimates) , but added that the government would not stop them from doing so.

"While the Boeing team was not selected, they did an excellent job in the process," Aldridge said. "If Lockheed-Martin wishes to use the unique talents of Boeing they may do so."

The Joint Strike Fighter is intended to replace the nation's aging fleet of fighter aircraft including the A-10 and the FA-18. The plane is expected to be the government's primary fighter aircraft beginning in 2008 through 2040, Aldridge said.

And Boeing also duffed out bigtime in recent commercial jet orders with Airbus streaking ahead. boeing are doing good this year in production but forward estimates are not so rosy...

PS Both of those jets are quite ugly with the Boeing one being ugliest. They just don't make beautiful planes/jets anymore eg Hawker Hunter, Me-262 even the Skyhawk... it is becoming like the car industry.. they all look the same - and stealth requirements make them such odd shapes! bah :D :D

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Originally posted by beachbum
it is becoming like the car industry..

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There are some really ugly cars around at the moment

Nissan Micra...god awful thing, thankfully near the end of it's lifetime
New Subaru Impreza WRX...a fat man's arse looks better than that front end
New Caddie (forgotten name)...horrid, way too over the top
Renault Clio...that new front is fowl. I've seen better looking piles of vomit. God awful grill and headlights

Don't diss Micras - they're not that bad (they just look like a dungbeetle)

The new Fiat is awful (Diablo?) - it looks like the sort of car the Munsters would drive

Have a look at the new Ford Falcon it's the most hideous thing i've ever seen!!!

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Originally posted by chrisjk

Renault Clio

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:D We dont have those in Canada (I dont think they're anywhere in North America). One explanation for why it looks so bad may be that...Renault was started as a tank manufacturer i think, in WWI.

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Originally posted by barrk
http://www.lmtas.com/gallery/videos/...35b/index.html

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That link doesn't work for me, it times out :( Maybe Lockheed's server got hosed from too many hits? I can just about get the front page of the site, but it doesn't load completely and there's lots of broken links & pics. Anybody else having more success?

It's weird to think of the JSF doing the job of the FA-18, the A-10 and the F-16. They seem to have such different tactical roles, especially the Warthog.

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Originally posted by nishantp
:D We dont have those in Canada (I dont think they're anywhere in North America). One explanation for why it looks so bad may be that...Renault was started as a tank manufacturer i think, in WWI.

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Strictly european ;)

The old clio wasn't that bad, but it looks like puke on a stick now

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Don't diss Micras - they're not that bad (they just look like a dungbeetle)

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What is it with chicks and the Micra? They all seem to like it! :D

The new Clio may look like crap, but it's pretty nippy apparently.

a case of all go and no show ;)

Yeah but why subject innocent by-standers to it's looks, and that really only applies to the 172, maybe the rsi variant if there is one.

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Originally posted by HarryW
That link doesn't work for me, it times out :( Maybe Lockheed's server got hosed from too many hits? I can just about get the front page of the site, but it doesn't load completely and there's lots of broken links & pics. Anybody else having more success?

It's weird to think of the JSF doing the job of the FA-18, the A-10 and the F-16. They seem to have such different tactical roles, especially the Warthog.

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Aha, the link works now :)

Thanks for the link, thats one seriously cool plane. The only question is, why do they have a British test pilot :D

SD

Being partners they should get the first hand experience whatever that would be :D