Boeing JSF

Type (Muster)
Multi-role strike fighter (Jagdbomber)

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Boeing (Military Aircraft and Missile Systems Group)
PO Box 3707
Seattle, Washington 98124-2207
USA

Phone: 001-206/662-0949
Fax: 001-206/662-0660

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1

Weapons (Bewaffnung): The JSF has two side fuselage weapons bays for the carriage of two 450 kg bombs and two AIM-120C AMRAAMS. Growth capability for two 900 kg bombs and the AMRAAMs.
Four external hardpoints are provided for non-stealthy missions. They can take a whole variety of advanced weapons, and two of them are capable of taking tanks.
An internal 27 mm Mauser gun is requested by the USAF.

Power plant (Antrieb): 1 x Pratt & Whitney JSF119-614 turbofan (F119-PW-100 derivative with scaled-up fan and additional low-pressure turbine stage). Rectangular nozzle with pitch vectoring capability.
Thrust (Schub): 1 x ca. 178+ kN (40000+ lbs) maximum, with afterburner. For short take-offs and vertical landings, thrust is redirected through two swivelling nozzles in the center of gravity (à la Harrier)

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 14,3 m (14,0 m for the STOVL variant)
Height (Höhe): 3,95 m (4,05 m for the carrier version)
Span (Spannweite): 11,0 m (9,15 m in the STOVL variant)
Wing area: 52 sq m (47 sq m for STOVL variant

Weights (Massen)
Empty (Leermasse): about 10200 kg (11110 kg for carrier variant)
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 8620+ kg (5895 kg for STOVL version)
Internal weapons load (Waffenzuladung intern): 2270 kg (1270 kg for STOVL version)
Total weapons load (Gesamte Waffenzuladung inkl. Außenlaststationen): 4500+ kg
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 27200+ kg (22680 kg for STOVL version)

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (max. Fluggeschwindigkeit): Mach 1.5+
Range (Reichweite):
- US Navy demands 1100 km combat radius with two 900 kg bombs.
- Interdiction mission profile foresees 830 - 1110 km design radius
g-forces (G-Belastung): 9 g for USAF-version, 7,5 g for naval variant, 7 g for STOVL version

Customers (Kunden)
Two X-32 demonstrators have built under Pentagon contract. According to the Quadrennial Defence Review published by the Pentagon in May 1997, potential customer needs are:

US Air Force: 1763 (instead of 2036) as a low-cost, conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) airplane to replace the F-16 and A-10, and to complement the F-22A Raptor.
US Marine Corps: 609 (instead of 642) of the STOVL version to replace the AV-8B and F/A-18C/D Hornets so that it can transition to an all STOVL strike force.
US Navy: 480 (instead of 250 to 300) of the carrier capable version as a carrier-based strike fighter to complement the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and to replace the A-6, which already has left the inventory. They need a first-day-of-the-war survivable strike aircraft.
Royal Navy/Royal Air Force (UK): 60 + 90 of the STOVL version as a supersonic replacement to the Sea Harrier and Harrier GR.7 Beside these requirements, which of course are far from final contracts, the JSF competitors hope for extensive exports and are already lobbying potential customers.

Costs (Kosten)
A 661,8 million US-Dollar contract for a 51 month concept demonstration programme was awarded on 16 November 1996.
Target unit flyaway costs are 31-38 million US-Dollars for the carrier version, 30-35 million for the STOVL-variant and 28 million Dollars for the conventional JSF without additional lift system (fiscal year 1994 dollars).

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Lockheed Martin X-35 (JSF)

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The JSF-programme (Joint Strike Fighter) aims to produce a common new multi-role fighter-bomber for all the US services and for export. It will be optimized for the air-to-ground role, with improved survivability, precision engagement capability, the mobility necessary for future joint operations and reduced life cycle costs to meet dwindling budgets. JSF will replace a whole spectrum of aircraft like F-16, A-6, F-14, F-18 and Sea Harrier with minimal modifications to one basic type to save costs.
The program started off with a concept demonstration phase, during which two demonstrators (Boeing X-32) were built and technology maturation efforts conducted. Then comes a downselect, based on detailed proposals for a PWSC (Preferred Weapon System Concept). The winning company is subsequently entering an EMD phase, leading to first deliveries later in the decade.
Boeings PWSC design features a high commonality between the various versions. Major features are:

one piece wing, with a very thick section and complex twist. Leading edge sweep is 55 degrees. It holds all the fuel
large forward air intake, which is easy to make. For the STOVL variant, it is fitted with a translating cowl to improve inlet recovery.
Pratt & Whitney JSF119 engine with rectangular thrust vectoring nozzle. For the STOVL version, Boeing uses the direct lift concept with two swivel nozzles right in the center of gravity. There are also control nozzels in the tail and nose, roll-control nozzles in the wing plus a jet screen in the forward lower fuselage to block the intake from hot exhaust air.
cockpit with large displays, no HUD, helmet mounted display and sidestick
weapons bays on the fuselage sides
highly integrated avionics and systems
elecronically scanned array radar with SAR technology
distributed infrared system and targeting forward-looking infrared sensors in a retractable turret

On the industrial side, Boeing has assembled the "One Team" It is comprised of Boeing JSF employees across the U.S., the Defense Department's JSF Joint Program Office, and 34 leading aerospace companies. According to Boeing, each company has earned its way onto the JSF One Team by demonstrating a commitment to quality and affordability:

Aerosystems International; Yeovil, England (logistics support)
BAE SYSTEMS; Fareham, England (fuel system)
BAE SYSTEMS; Rochester, England (vehicle management system and cockpit displays)>
BFGoodrich; Vergennes, Vt. (fuel system)
Cytec Fiberite; Anaheim, Calif. (composite raw material)
Dowty Aerospace; Wolverhampton, England (flight-control actuator)
EDO; North Amityville, N.Y. (weapons bay swing-arm system)
Eldec; Lynnwood, Wash. (electrical power components)
Fokker; The Netherlands (airframe structural details, wire bundles)
FHL, Inc, Claverham, England (attitude control system)
Flight Refuelling, Ltd.; Dorset, England (fuel system)
Hamilton Sundstrand; Rockford, Ill. (subsystems)
Hamilton Sundstrand; Windsor Locks, Conn. (engine subsystems)
Harris; Melbourne, Fla. (pilot-vehicle interface (PVI), network interface cards)
Hexcel; Pleasonton, Calif. (composite raw materials)
Honeywell; Minneapolis, Minn. (prognostics and health management (PHM))
Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal); Torrance, Calif. (subsystems)
Howmet; East Hanford, Conn. (castings)
IBM/Dassault; Seattle, Wash. (information technology)
IFAD; Odense, Denmark (PHM)
Martin-Baker; Middlesex, England (ejection system)
Messier-Dowty, Ltd.; Gloucester, England (main and nose landing gear) ?
Moog; East Aurora, N.Y. (flight control actuators)
Parker Air & Fuel; Irvine, Calif. (fuel system)
Parker Airborne; Elyria, Ohio (fuel system)
Perot Systems; Amersfoort, The Netherlands (supportability systems)
Philips; Eindhoven, The Netherlands (airframe structural details)
Pratt & Whitney; West Palm Beach, Fla. (JSF119 engine and exhaust nozzle)
Raytheon Systems Company; El Segundo, Calif. (select mission systems)
Rolls-Royce, plc.; Bristol, England (vertical lift propulsion system, attitude control system)
Sanders; Nashua, N.H. (electronic warfare)
Stanley Aviation; Aurora, Colo. (fuel system)
Terma (Per Udsen); Grenaa, Denmark (airframe structural parts; PHM)
TRW; San Diego, Calif. (communication/navigation/identification system)

History (Geschichte)
In November 1996, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were downselected over McDonnell Douglas for the further development of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). During the concept demonstration phase, they each built two flying tesbeds (Boeing X-32), conducted technology maturation efforts and refined their PWSC (Preferred Weapon System Concept). In response to the various Joint Interim Requirements Documents of the JSF programme office, Boeing did optimize its design about five to six times.
The major change came at the end of 1998, when the delta wing was changed to a layout with horizontal tails for additional control power; a modification to the wing's trailing edge - while retaining the same high leading-edge sweep of the original delta wing and the related approach speed and stealth advantages; and an aft-swept chin inlet that is lighter and stealthier and that enables better aerodynamic performance at all angles-of-attack.
The final "request for improvements" was relaesed in November 2000, and it is now expected that Boeing and Lockheed Martin will present their detailed PWSC proposals in February 2001. As flight tests of the STOVL variants will not be finished by that time, supporting data will probably be added later. A choice between the two designs is not likely in the spring as at first thought, but more probably in late summer/early fall 2001.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is trying to involve potential foreign customers in the EMD phase. The most likely candidate here is the UK, which should make a decision early in 2001.

Last updated 1 December 2000

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