Fleet of *52* new F-35A jets tested in first mass exercise in Utah

I came across this while searching for info, and thought it very convenient timing;

The US has conducted its first mass exercise of its new F-35A fighter jets, launching 52 of them from their base in Utah.

However, the air force insisted it was a coincidence that the number of aircraft used echoed Donald Trump’s threat to hit 52 Iranian targets, including cultural sites. “Just like the timing, the number is a coincidence.

This is the most we can get airborne,” Micah Garbarino, a spokesman at the Hill air force base, said.

Source



Coincidence?

I'm doubting it, but I'm just a layman who knows nothing about Airforce operating procedures.

What do our resident aircraft experts think? 🤔

52 is NOT a coincidence in my opinion. This number is quite relevant and is intended as a scare tactic. Military propaganda.

But i love the picture and how those aircraft just look supurb and brand newish. I can almost smell that new aircraft smell heheh

a reply to: MerkabaTribeEntity

This exercise was planned months ago. Hill received their full complement of 78 aircraft late last year. They deployed 12 to the Middle East late in November for a six month deployment, leaving 66. Allowing for mission capable rates, they should have had 50 aircraft available for launch. They were slightly above the current mission capable rate for the F-35 fleet.

Thanks zaph. I still think either they could have had one or two more for this exercise and decided that 52 would be the perfect number 😂 due to recent events...

a reply to: DaRAGE

There's a picture shot from above where you can see at least one aircraft dropped out.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Aha it's a conspiracy or "coincidence" then bwahahah.

I don't know Zaphod58... I'm just taking shots in the dark. But 52 planes with publicity at this time just appears too coincidental. 😋

I could absolutely be wrong....

a reply to: DaRAGE

They increased the mission capable rate of them to 73% in September. That means 73 aircraft out of 100 are capable of flying a mission. That's a pretty significant increase actually.

It's possible that they squeezed one or two more in, but all the aircraft launched after the photo op, and they flew missions as part of the exercise.

a reply to: DaRAGE

Yeah, that's what I thought too, just seemed like good timing,

And that photo, the Missus wouldn't 'allow' it now, but back in he day I'd have shamelessly had it printed out in large format, had it framed, and boshed it on the wall in the lounge, but 'noooo, we're adults now'

a reply to: Zaphod58

Cheers Zaph, I thought there might be some other explanation,

...my conspiracy spidey-senses are still tingling from that one though, lol

I'll check out that other photo, cheers for the heads-up!

a reply to: MerkabaTribeEntity

They've been spending a lot on maintenance on the entire fleet. In October 2018 the entire fleet had a 55% mission capable rate. In September 2019, fleet wide it was 73%. The Marines went from 44% to 68%, the Air Force from 66% to 75%, and the Navy is "over 75%".

a reply to: Zaphod58

Wow.

Compared to back in the day when I heard rumors that the b-2s were somewhere near 30%

a reply to: dashen

They stay somewhere around 55-70% from year to year now. They had a goal of 80% by the end of FY19, but not everything made it.