U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James offered a rationale for the absence of the F-35 Lightning II at the Paris Air Show this week, saying the program made a “judgment call” to hold back the fighter as the U.S. Marine Corps moves closer to declaring initial operating capability (IOC) of the F-35B.
Speaking to an industry audience on Tuesday at the U.S. Pavilion, James also outlined the coming long-range strike-bomber (LRS-B) and T-X trainer replacement programs.
The Marines expect to declare IOC of the F-35B short takeoff, vertical landing variant of the fighter this summer, having recently completed a round of shipboard operational tests aboard the USS Wasp amphibious assault ship.
Asked why the fifth-generation fighter, which famously missed last year’s Farnborough Airshow in the UK, is again a no-show, this time at Le Bourget, James said, “We are this close to initial operating capability for the Marines and not far from the initial operating capability for the U.S. Air Force.”
Holding her hands close together, she added, “The thought behind it was that we are kind of at the finish line for the final testing and training and getting all of those details in line before both the Marines and the Air Force declare IOC. It was a judgment call, and we decided to not take away any of the aircraft that needed to continue that testing and training. But the F-35–it’s coming. I’m sorry it’s not here this time.”
Meanwhile, James, who was accompanied by USAF assistant secretary for acquisition Bill LaPlante, said the service expects to select a contractor in August or September for the LRS-B engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase. The agreement it will award will be a “cost-plus incentive contract with a firm fixed-price production piece associated with it.”
Northrop Grumman and the team of Boeing and Lockheed Martin are contending for the LRS-B selection. But there will be ample opportunity for subsystem suppliers to participate in the program, James assured the audience.
“Modular and interoperable subsystems are vital when we think about strategic agility,” she said. “That is why we are pushing so hard for a robust subsystem competition for the LRS-B program. We intend to compete the subsystems, which are not already associated with the EMD contract, the part that is now in source selection. We are going to compete the subsystems to the maximum extent possible.”
The Air Force expects to release a request for proposals (RFP) for the T-X trainer replacement program in the “late fall” of 2016, James said. The service should make a contract award within eight to 12 months of issuing the RFP, LaPlante added.
It is also nearing a Milestone A decision on the Joint Target Attack Radar System recapitalization program to replace its Boeing 707-based E-8Cs. The decision would lead to the next phase of technology maturation and risk reduction.
