Just read that the Joint Strike Fighters new name is Lightning II.

Officially renamed today in Texas.

 

Damn, that's right- it was supposed to be revealed today.
This was announced yesterday, as Lockheed announced the layoff of 130 workers at the Fort Worth plant, due to reduced orders of the F-16.

Now that the F-35 is out (If we're dumb enough to sell it), they can expect F-16 orders to dwindle significantly.

 

Here's the video:
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/9482037/de...s=dfw&psp=news

Personally: I think the Navy is being FORCED to take the F-35. Either that or the new twin seat Super-Hornet is going to take on the role of Air-Superiority and the F-35 pick up the current F-18's role as Fighter/Attack, of F/A-35.



The reason the navy took the "looser" of the F-16 vs F-17 (which became the F-18), is because the Navy didn't want a single-engined aircraft; no matter how good the F-16 is...

I'm surprised they haven't asked for/made plans to purchase (at least publicly) the F-22 Raptor or the F-23 (that lost to the F-22, barely), as a Tomcat replacement (again, unless the new 2-seat F-18's are going to) which is an already built, with little or no R&D dollars needed, design that's ready to go.



Oh well, the JSF looks like it will be a bad boy. While I think the F-22 beat the F-23 because it looked similiar to the F-15 (prettier); I'm glad pretty won agains the Boeing contender for the JSF... Sheesh! I wouldn't want our pilots flying anything that, well, ugly...

 

Yeah, I work at Lockheed in FTW and missed the ceremony because I'm on vacation. I may begin to sweat if the layoffs come any closer to my seniority date. I think I'll make it through though. I work on the f-16 line and we're supposed to be getting more orders from Pakistan (18 with optional 18 more) and India who are in the market for 126 birds. Our reputation should get us the deal over the f-18 superhornet.