Autolandings

[SpazSinbad]

Well at least you have acknowledged the B/S now. There are several instances over the years of news reports of 'export stealth' which is a phrase that means 'stealth which can be exported' and all the F-35s will have this same stealth. Anyone misinterpreting this aspect has had senior F-35 officials correct them on these several occasions. Firstly stop frequenting B/S forums and go to F-16.net. You will see me there  and can argue with me there. References (from the PDF online) to these (many - not all cited here) B/S refutations/corrections are:

Random 10 List: Things I learned on the F-35 factory tour
By Stephen Trimble on May 22, 2009

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2009/05/random-10-list-things-i-learne.html

“3. Frontal-aspect radar cross section on F-35 will be no different for international variant, whatever Boeing may claim”
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F-35 Partners Get Equal Stealth: Le Bourget, France — John A. Tirpak 6/24/2011

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/DRArchive/Pages/2011/June%202011/June%2024%202011/F-35PartnersGetEqualStealth.aspx

“International partners on the F-35 will enjoy a stealth capability on the fighter equal to that of the US versions, according to F-35 program office officials. Maj. Gen. C.D. Moore, deputy director of the F-35 program office, gave a non-committal answer during a press conference here this week at the Paris Air Show when a reporter asked about the level of stealth available to foreign users.
       International reporters have long hinted that the United States would hold back some capability. However in a subsequent statement issued by the F-35 program office, officials said "the quick answer to the statement regarding partners being less stealthy than the US is 'no.' (Partners will have same capability)." The program officials noted that the stealth aspects of some partner versions will vary slightly due to their inclusion of some unique gear, such as drag chutes, but it is "a program objective to not impact [low-observable] characteristics. It is our intent to produce a common solution to ensure interoperability for coalition operations as well as production affordability.”
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And I'll not respond further on this thread. See you on F-16.net F-35 forum.

[SUBS17]

That information was years ago and it was one of many things people didn't like about the F35, yes I do visit F-16.net occassionally and yes the information you just put up was released after the RCS and other stuff was mentioned on other forums.

Firstly stop frequenting B/S forums

You know although I cannot dig up the actual link to where that export stealth information came from, don't you think that there is a reason why it is mentioned at all on the links you just posted? Perhaps it was in response to something mentioned elsewhere .

Like the B/S forums I visit, well I wonder where that rumour originated? 

[SpazSinbad]

Years ago? How about a few months ago. Usually the rumour starts with the gaggle of journalists at the Paris Airshow. See above

F-35 Partners Get Equal Stealth: Le Bourget, France — John A. Tirpak 6/24/2011

Again - take this discussion somewhere else. Thanks. OUT.

[SpazSinbad]

Flight Control Software to Help Pilots Stick Landings Aboard Carrier Decks
(NAVY NEWS SERVICE 20 OCT 11) ... Grace Jean, Office of Naval Research

www.physorg.com/pdf238342703.pdf  (29Kb)
OR
http://hrana.org/news.asp#FlightControlSoftware

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Select pilots in early 2012 will commence testing new flight control software, funded in part by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), intended to facilitate aircraft landings on Navy carrier decks with unprecedented accuracy.

"The precision that we can bring to carrier landings in the future will be substantial," said Michael Deitchman, deputy chief of naval research for naval air warfare and weapons. "The flight control algorithm has the potential to alter the next 50 years of how pilots land on carrier decks."

Navy and Marine Corps aviators conducting carrier landings today line up with a moving flight deck in a complicated process. They must constantly adjust their speed and manipulate the aircraft's flight control surfaces-ailerons, rudders and elevators-to maintain the proper glide path and alignment to the flight deck for an arrested landing. Throughout their approach, pilots eye a set of lights-known as the Fresnel lens-located on the left side of the ship. It signals whether they are coming in too high or too low.

The new algorithm embedded in the flight control software augments the landing approach. Coupled with an experimental shipboard light system called a Bedford Array and accompanying cockpit heads-up display symbols, the software ties the movement of the pilot's control stick directly to the aircraft's flight path. Instead of constantly adjusting the plane's trajectory indirectly through attitude changes, the pilot maneuvers the aircraft to project a dotted green line in the heads-up display over a target light shining in the landing area.

"It is almost like a video game," said James "Buddy" Denham, the senior engineer who has been leading the research and development efforts at Naval Air Systems Command. "You're tracking a shipboard stabilized visual target with a flight path reference, and the airplane knows what it needs to do to stay there."

ONR funded the project as part of its focus on sea-based aviation, one of five Navy and Marine Corps research areas designated as a national naval responsibility.

The software has been incorporated into an F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet flight simulator. Researchers plan to conduct a study with U.S. Navy pilots and British Royal Navy pilots who will fly the simulator to obtain data on workload reduction and touchdown performance. Once the results are tabulated, the engineers plan to integrate the refined algorithm onto an actual aircraft for flight tests and demonstrations.

If the tests are successful, the software could be integrated aboard current and future aircraft to change the way carrier-based aviators have landed aboard ships for more than half a century-controlled crash landings. Increasing the precision of landings will boost pilot safety and reduce training requirements necessary to perfect carrier-landing skills. It could lower aircraft life cycle costs by reducing maintenance and avoiding repairs caused by hard landings."
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If anyone interested in the 'Bedford Array' and supporting info it can be posted here (in another separate thread?) or in the dreaded PDF format. You choose. If no interest then no post. I wonder if there is potential for 'retro-fitting' to Hornets?

[Addition] Subsequently I've made this list of links to what is relevant to conventional carrier ops (there is a lot of preceding info about F-35B SRVL ops but not really relevant except to help explain the concept). Anyway:

"...the 'Bedford Array' concept was developed for the RN (and perhaps USMC) use with F-35Bs if / when using the SRVL (Shipboard Rolling Vertical Landing) technique (instead of a 'more usual' vertical landing). A recent USN LSO newsletter gave an overview of the concept also, which is now being developed for current USN aircraft as well as future:

http://www.hrana.org/documents/PaddlesMonthlyJuly2011.pdf  (2.2Mb)
&
http://www.hrana.org/documents/PaddlesMonthlyAugust2011.pdf  (1.7Mb)
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[Patent application PDF for concept here:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20110121997.pdf]
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Recent news story:
Flight Control Software to Help Pilots Stick Landings Aboard Carrier Decks
(NAVY NEWS SERVICE 20 OCT 11) ... Grace Jean, Office of Naval Research

http://hrana.org/news.asp#FlightControlSoftware

[SpazSinbad]

Trials Ahead for Navy Carrier Landing Software by Armed Forces International's Defence Correspondent 21/10/2011

http://www.armedforces-int.com/news/trials-ahead-for-navy-carrier-landing-software.html

Slightly different explanation of the new way of doing things: (more or less same press release as first one though)

"..."The flight control algorithm has the potential to alter the next 50 years of how pilots land on carrier decks."

The algorithm is designed to work in tandem with a so-called Bedford Array lighting system positioned on the aircraft carrier and a series of symbols presented in the pilot's HUD (Heads-Up Display). It connects the control stick straight to the aircraft's trajectory with the result that, rather than have to make minute shifts, the pilot directs the aircraft so it beams a fragmented green line in the HUD.

"You're tracking a shipboard stabilized visual target with a flight path reference, and the airplane knows what it needs to do to stay there", Naval Air Systems Command representative James Denham stated, in explanation...."