Boeing X-32 and Lockheed Martin X-35

[fragsta]

Two similar planes, because they were competing against each other to be the newest plane of the century. Check out the sites about them. You may have seen them on british TV a couple of weeks back. The Lockheed Martin won! But they r both pretty cool. The FLK harrier VTOL script could be used in them, and a script to make it go really fast.

Boeing - http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/usa/boeing/x-32/X-32.htm

Lockheed Martin - http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/usa/lockheed_martin/x-35/X-35.htm

[Messiah]

before i sound dumb (lol) these are the ones fighting to replace the Harrier?

[Eviscerator]

before i sound dumb (lol) these are the ones fighting to replace the Harrier?

Not anymore, Lockheed won.

[fragsta]

Correct, but the Harrier still rocks! It's not as fast as the X planes though. It's still a good fighter....poor harrier, being thrown away like all the other good planes. Planes like concorde, and....umm.....no thats all I can think of!

[Vyper]

The harrier is good but is getting old now....yes its nice but then the F-35 is nicer...hence its replacement!

Vyper

[Fulcrum]

They were actually competeing for the F-16 replacement as a multi-role fighter aircraft.  Though, with VTOL capabilities I can see why they would be considered a Harrier replacement.

They had a special on Discovery some time back showing them actually testing them through the various trials.  The Boeing couldn't even try out for the VTOL test because it weighed too much, so had to strip it beforehand and this limited it's air speed due to exposed areas.  When they landed, they just did a standard runway landing.  The Lockheed on the otherhand did a vertical take-off, broke the sound barrier, came back and did a vertical landing no problems.  Needless to say, they were the clear winners and got the contract.

[fragsta]

exactly. The reason the harrier needed replacement was bcus it couldn't break the sound barrier. So is anyone willing to do it? are you up for the challenge? I can't bcuz my computer wont run o2!  :'(

[Eviscerator]

They were actually competeing for the F-16 replacement as a multi-role fighter aircraft.  Though, with VTOL capabilities I can see why they would be considered a Harrier replacement.

Actually the Royal Navy/Airforce also had orders for the aircraft, which is why the manufacturers had to have a VTOL version, the marines also probably wanted a replacement for their harrier, the JSF will end up replacing a lot more aircraft than just the F-16.

The Air Force's F-35A version of the craft is a conventional takeoff and landing airplane to replace the F- 16 Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II. It will partner with the F-22 Raptor. The Air Force plans to buy 1,763 of the aircraft. The Air Force JSF version is expected to cost about $37 million.

The Navy's F-35B version of the plane is a carrier-based strike fighter to complement the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. It will replace earlier versions of the F/A-18 as well as the A-6 Intruder, which already has left the inventory. The Navy plans to purchase 480 JSF aircraft.

The Marine Corps, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force need and want a short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft, dubbed the F-35C. The Marines want 609 of the new aircraft to replace their AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18 Hornets. The British want 150 to replace Sea Harriers and GR.7 Tornado fighters.

[Vyper]

Actually i gotta disagree with you there Eviserator....VTOL was NOT a requirment however they included it, STOL WAS a requirement but they obviously wanted to win so VTOL seemed like a good crowd pleaser.

Vyper

[Eviscerator]

Actually i gotta disagree with you there Eviserator....VTOL was NOT a requirment however they included it, STOL WAS a requirement but they obviously wanted to win so VTOL seemed like a good crowd pleaser.

Vyper

Ive actually got to disagree with you, it wasnt STOL, it wasnt VTOL either (I actually meant STOVL), which is needed for both the marine corp and the RN, otherwise we (the UK) would have shiny F-35's sat in storage for 3-5 years while we waited to get the large carriers, however, as you mentioned VTOL is always a pretty thing so thats probably why they added it.

Anyhoo, a part of the Milestone I Acquisition Decision Memorandum for JSF:

The JSF program will demonstrate two competing weapon system concepts for a tri-service family of aircraft to affordably meet these service needs:

USAF-Multi-role aircraft (primarily air-to-ground) to replace F-16 and A-10 and to complement F-22. The Air Force JSF variant poses the smallest relative engineering challenge. The aircraft has no hover criteria to satisfy, and the characteristics and handling qualities associated with carrier operations do not come into play. As the biggest customer for the JSF, the service will not accept a multirole F-16 fighter replacement that doesn't significantly improve on the original.

USN-Multi-role, stealthy strike fighter to complement F/A-18E/F. Carrier operations account for most of the differences between the Navy version and the other JSF variants. The aircraft has larger wing and tail control surfaces to better manage low-speed approaches. The internal structure of the Navy variant is strengthened up to handle the loads associated with catapult launches and arrested landings. The aircraft has a carrier-suitable tailhook. Its landing gear has a longer stroke and higher load capacity. The aircraft has almost twice the range of an F-18C on internal fuel. The design is also optimized for survivability.

USMC-Multi-role Short Take-Off & Vertical Landing (STOVL) strike fighter to replace AV-8B and F/A-18A/C/D. The Marine variant distinguishes itself from the other variants with its short takeoff/vertical landing capability.

UK-STOVL (supersonic) aircraft to replace the Sea Harrier. Britain's Royal Navy JSF will be very similar to the U.S. Marine variant.

[swift88]

the x-35 was created, because a few US marine pilots where killed in a number of av-8b, (the us marine version of d harrier) so the us wanted a safe plane in comparision to harrier which could go from the speed of sound to vtol in one flight, because the harrier went slower.
But if u wanted the x-35 (f-35) you would have a really hard time animating the engine at the back when the aircraft came into VTOL . because it  bends to compensate for the sink of the aircraft making the aircraft level unlike the harrier

[Fulcrum]

swift, read what I said and Eviscerator quoted in his last post.  It was mainly an F16 replacement.

Beyond the main exhaust nozzle rotating down, it also has a center section containing another vertical exhaust fan that opens.  This gives it balanced life without resorting to the direction type nozzles on the harrier that limit air speed.

[DeLiltMon]

Those fan units are made by Rolls Royce (I used to walk past the assembly bays everyday while I was working there, along with the EF2000 engine assembly bays) and if I remember correctly all JSFs will have the capability of being converted to VTOL.

[kikill]

i've just seen in ofp.info that maddogx is doing one x35. It needs texturing...

[fragsta]

YES! NICE ONE MADDOG!