A TR3B topic on Military.com?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks for the clarification, Zaph. And yes, the Pentagon is being very selective of who gets the next-gen F-35B with fan-float capabilities:

www.marines.mil...
U.S. MARINES' VMX-22 RECEIVES FIRST F-35B JETS
"Previously, VMX-22 only consisted of MV-22 and CH-53 aircraft, but the arrival of the F-35B marks the start of VMX-22 fixed wing flight operations. This is the first of four F-35B aircraft that will arrive over the upcoming months at Edwards Air Force Base.

“Operational testing will be held at Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division China Lake, California; Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California; Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona; and aboard the USS Wasp."

a reply to: MKMoniker

VMX-22 is the Marines test and evaluation squadron. It's only natural for them to get them. Yuma has received the first aircraft, and they've already flown at least two or three times off the Wasp. They are also flying at China Lake, and Eglin AFB in Florida, where all three variants are undergoing testing and training.

a reply to: Zaphod58

As far as foreign partners, interesting that U.K. and Italy will also be getting this cutting-edge new fighter jet, F-35B:

www.military.com...
F-35B LIGHTNING II
"F-35B aircraft have been delivered to the U.S. Marines and the U.K., whose forces are training together at the Integrated Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base. STOVL aircraft are also stationed at the first operational F-35 base, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and are completing flight test at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The Italian Air Force will also operate the B-variant."

originally posted by: MKMoniker
a reply to: Zaphod58

This is still a HIGHLY-advanced fighter jet,that can even fly in close formation while performing a short takeoff/vertical landing:

www.lockheedmartin.com...
(Feb.2014) F-35B CAN TAKEOFF/LAND IN CLOSE FORMATION
"The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries."

(THREE distinct variants, huh? Methinks the "B" model might be a little more than just "lift-fans," which is why it was chosen for the side-by-side lift-off/landing Demo.)

Many things about the F-35 are classified and will remain classified for some time. The reason the Bravo model seems so stable is the fact its flight controls are a more sophisticated system than the AV-8. Now if you took a B model and removed the VTOL setup you are left with some room to add some things still in the classified or semi-classified stage.

And Its not called the TR3B, if any thing I believe its safe to say that "Aurora" and "TR3B" are programs instead of individual aircraft. "Phantasm" is a nickname for just one of the crafts and when I asked what they are really called I received a politely blunt "its called the XR-none of your GD business."

a reply to: MKMoniker

Quite a few nations are getting them. Norway, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Italy, the UK are all confirmed buys, with it being offered to a number of other nations as well.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I thought there might be more selectivity in who gets the F-35B with "hover/vertical take-off" capabilities. But according to this, Lockheed-Martin intends it for sale on the world market:

acecombat.wikia.com...
F-35B LIGHTNING II

(Even the gamers love it!)

a reply to: MKMoniker

Nations that used to use the Harrier, or have a need for a STOVL platform are being offered the B model, such as the UK. They don't have a launch or recovery system on their carriers that would allow a conventional aircraft to take off or land, so they require a STOVL platform, such as the F-35B. They previously used the Harrier, known as the AV-8B in the US.

a reply to: StratosFear

"Many things about the F-35 are classified and will remain classified for some time. The reason the Bravo model seems so stable is the fact its flight controls are a more sophisticated system than the AV-8. Now if you took a B model and removed the VTOL setup you are left with some room to add some things STILL IN THE CLASSIFIED OR SEMI-CLASSIFIED STAGE."

My point exactly! Thank you! There is some interesting discussion in the AceCombat.Wikia about the curious design of the F-35B:

"Yeah, I did some research last night, and both the B and C-variants have the external gunpods. The Charlie has a larger wingspan than the Alpha or Bravo to facilitate it's STOL ability. The Alpha is the only one of the three that has an internal gun. In light of this, I now wish they'd used the A-variant in AC:AH. At the very least, the devs could have used the "stealthy" versions of the external weapon pylons. If those are the stealth pylons, then the Bravo probably has the largest radar signature of the family."

*************************************************************************************

Pratt & Whitney do the engines:

www.bga-aeroweb.com...
PRATT & WHITNEY'S "F135" ENGINES
"The more complex (and almost twice as expensive) F135-PW-600 system is used on the Marine Corps F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant. The system is basically an F135 engine coupled to a lift system manufactured by Rolls-Royce (Rolls-Royce LiftSystem).

"The Rolls-Royce LiftSystem is comprised of a lift fan, a driveshaft, the 3 Bearing Swivel Module (3BSM), and two roll posts. The driveshaft connects the F135 engine to the lift fan and delivers as much as 29,000 shp. The lift fan provides the forward vertical lift."

a reply to: MKMoniker

Classified electronics and systems are in the lift bay, as well as non-classified electronics, on the A and C. The B uses an external gun pod because there's no room, thanks to the lift fan. The C uses one, because the Navy chose to go that route with both their airframes. The Air Force learned the hard way that fighters need guns, during Vietnam, and they elected to go with an internal gun. That takes up some of the area used for the lift fan on the B model.

Still no gravity cancelling generator, or anything of the sort. There WAS talk of using the lift bay area on the A and C to put a laser, but it was just talk.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I think the great advantage the f35 will have is here communication and coordinating skills amongst other F35s and aircraft in the area. When they all coordinate together like that they can probably be extremely formidable. I envision them operating like a wolf pack that gangs up on their prey. While their big sisters the f22 guard the door and don't let anybody in the room while the f35's gang up and thug out on their victim. If stuff gets out of hand then the f22's can come in as the enforcers kinda like the big henchmen in the movies. When you see him enter the fight you know some bad stuff is about to happen.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

They're working on an NPI datalink for the F-35, that will do precisely that, without risk of anyone detecting them. That's the reason that the F-22 went with the LPI link, and now has to have an interlink to talk to anyone else.

Fascinating thread, and so civil (which is a rarity these days) Sadly all I can do is read in quiet, since I do not have the expertise in technology nor the luck of seeing anything like that with my own eyes. I wish I wasn't living in a backward country like Poland and could actually have the potential of seeing some of those amazing crafts. Oh well another lifetime I guess

I do wonder when some version of the triangles will be declassified to the public ? I wonder why somebody did not thing of doing some kind of rudimentary civilian version just to be able to say "well of course you saw a black triangle, its that Delta or Virgin transport craft". This would be a great way to keep any other classified projects in this line secret with a plausible story every time

a reply to: Zaphod58

Right on. Thug life for realz wit da F35. It'll be like a street gang with the F22 as the mini boss who rolls in with his crew. "ISIS Warrior's come out to pla-ay!!!!" Not sure if you get that reference. It's from a movie. The warriors. Anyways.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Well, no gravity cancelling generator specifically -- but what about an inertia cancelling device?

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Don't have that one either.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yeah, I would imagine even if they did have either one of those things they wouldn't be widely deployed in operational craft. That's just to advanced for all those pilots -- to many eyes/mouths. The deployment of such technology would have be incremental so it doesn't seem like some huge leap.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Dude don't tell me it doesn't have a deflector shield hidden in that compartment either!!!! I was hoping laser beams would bounce right off of her like in star trek or something.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yes, there is work going on continually with anti-gravity, gravity-cancelling, gravity-mitigation, levitation, hovering, floating - or any of the other stealth-names that all basically mean ANTI-GRAVITY. According to this article, the science is proven, the problem comes in getting it translated to the hardware - which is where experimentation with the TR-3B and F-35B comes in.

ufoevidence.org...
ANTI-GRAVITY PROPULSION FINALLY APPEARS
By Nick Cook in 'Jane's Defense Weekly'
"Boeing, the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer, has admitted it is working on experimental anti-gravity projects that could overturn a century of conventional aerospace propulsion technology if the science underpinning them can be engineered into hardware.

"As part of the effort, which is being run out of Boeing’s Phantom Works advanced research and development facility in Seattle, the company is trying to solicit the services of a Russian scientist who claims he has developed anti-gravity devices in Russia and Finland. The approach, however, has been thwarted by Russian officialdom.

"The Boeing drive to develop a collaborative relationship with the scientist in question, Dr Evgeny Podkletnov, has its own internal project name: ‘GRASP’ — Gravity Research for Advanced Space Propulsion.

"The GRASP briefing document reveals that BAE SYSTEMS AND LOCKHEED MARTIN have also contacted Podkletnov "and have some activity in this area".

Hmmmmm ..... The plot thickens!

a reply to: MKMoniker

The F-35 has NOTHING to do with any kind of exotic propulsion system. A lift fan has been used in the past, and will probably be used again in the future, it's not exotic by any means, except as compared to a conventional turbofan.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: MKMoniker


There WAS talk of using the lift bay area on the A and C to put a laser, but it was just talk.

They are doing more than just talking about it.