Latest news with #Franken-bird
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
See the US Air Force's 'Franken-bird' F-35 made from wrecked stealth fighters take its first flight
A salvaged F-35 fighter made from two wrecked aircraft is set to return to the US Air Force's fleet. The restoration began in 2023. The jet took its maiden flight in January less than two years later. The "Franken-bird" cost about $6 million to repair, whereas a new F-35 costs over $80 million. A one-of-a-kind F-35 stealth fighter built from two wrecked aircraft is set to make an unprecedented return to the US Air Force's operational fleet. The so-called "Franken-bird" was restored through a collaboration between airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, the F-35A Lightning II Joint Program Office, and Lockheed Martin. The F-35 JPO first assessed the feasibility of the restoration project in January 2020, and work on a pieced-together stealth fighter began in late 2023 at the Ogden Air Logistics Complex. "All of the aircraft sections can be de-mated and re-mated theoretically, but it's just never been done before," Scott Taylor, Lockheed Martin's lead mechanical engineer on the project, said in a press release announcing the project in 2023. "This is the first F-35 'Frankin-bird' to date. This is history." Less than two years later, the "Franken-bird" jet made its maiden flight on January 16. Following the successful functional check flight, the salvaged F-35 is set to undergo final tests and work before returning to combat status. Scrap to salvage In 2014, an F-35, tail number AF-27, was severely damaged at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida after an engine fire burned the rear two-thirds of the aircraft. The cost of damage was estimated to be over $50 million, according to the Air Education and Training Command. The airframe was recycled as a damage and repair trainer for maintenance crews In 2020, a landing gear malfunction caused an F-35, tail number AF-211, to crash, severely damaging its nose. The damaged airframe and its engine were preserved at Hill Air Force Base in Utah since the landing gear collapse. Dave Myers, the lead engineer at the F-35 Joint Program Office Lightning Support Team, told Air & Space Forces Magazine that there was "no degradation" to the airframes, so splicing them together into the "Franken-bird" wouldn't impact its capabilities. The first 'Franken-bird' Hangared in the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, maintainers created unique tools and equipment to support and join the nose section of the AF-27 and the rear section of the AF-211 since it was the first attempt at the ambitious repair job. "When we received the aircraft, it was pretty much a shell," Senior Airman Jaguar Arnold, the aircraft's crew chief from the 4th FGS, said in a statement released last month. "There were a lot of tasks to complete that we hadn't done before at the unit level." The repair process also incorporated some technical updates and new components, including reinforcement structures on its outer shell. Technicians reinstalled the landing gear, rewired the avionics systems, and rebuilt the cockpit. "The F-35 program is still young compared to all legacy airframes," Myers said. "We are doing this for the first time, and organizationally for the future, we are creating a process we can move forward with." A $6 million refurbished aircraft The resounding success of the F-35 restoration efforts provided valuable technical experience for maintainers to improve installation and inspection processes. "When we took responsibility for this project, we were taking on something unprecedented at the field level, and it wasn't easy," 1st Lt. Ryan Bare, Sortie Generation Flight commander for the 4th FGS, said. "That can't be overstated." "But we were also taking on an opportunity for our maintainers to gain proficiency in this type of work and build experience at the unit level," Bare added. "As a program, and as a unit, we've benefited greatly from this." The "Franken-bird" also had the added benefit of growing the Air Force's operational fleet — at a fraction of the cost. The aircraft restoration project cost an estimated $6 million, whereas a new F-35 jet costs over $80 million. While the F-35 is the Defense Department's most advanced and costliest weapon system, Congress has questioned whether the stealth fighter's capabilities justify its steep price tag, especially as the program continues to be plagued by cost overruns, production delays, and maintenance and performance issues. The DoD extended the F-35's projected operational life from 2077 to 2088, prompting the total estimated cost of the program to exceed $2 trillion. The US military operates about 630 F-35 variants with plans to procure over 1,800 more jets for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy by the mid-2040s. Return to the fleet After the "Franken-bird" completed its functional check flights in January, the aircraft was transported to a Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, where it will complete final certifications to restore its combat-ready status. The section behind the jet's nose, which is only covered with anti-corrosion primer, will also be finished by applying low-observable materials. The aircraft is set to return to combat status with the 4th Fighter Squadron around March, though it could be fully operational well before then, according to Dan Santos, the F-35 JPO heavy maintenance manager. "Not only will this project return a combat asset back to the warfighter," Santos said in a 2023 statement, "but it opens the door for repairing future mishap aircraft using tooling, equipment, techniques, and knowledge that has been developed." Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Air Force ‘Frankensteins' Two Wrecked Aircraft Into Working F-35
More than a year ago, the U.S. Air Force took on the unique task of taking two wrecked aircraft and Frankensteining them together into one operational F-35A Lightning II. Now, after a whole lot of weird science, it's alive! In late 2023, the F-35 Joint Program Office assembled a 'dream team' consisting of the 388th Fighter Wing, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex and Lockheed Martin. The mission: rebuild an AF-211 that lost its nose cone in 2021 using the front end of an F-35 that suffered a severe engine fire in 2014. The endeavor was affectionately called the 'Franken-bird' project. Most Read on IEN: South Carolina Law Would Prevent Purchases from In-State Auto Plant Small 3D-Printed Piece Could Save Air Force Millions in Fuel Costs Honeywell, One of the Few Remaining U.S. Industrial Conglomerates, Will Split into Three Companies PODCAST: Master Lock Leaves; GM's Quick Caddy; Bridgestone Plant Closes Scott Taylor, a lead mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin, said his team was already looking into feasibility since it has already pulled off a restoration project on an F-22 with significant damage. But this was the first time trying something like this with an F-35. 'All of the aircraft sections can be de-mated and re-mated theoretically, but it's just never been done before,' Taylor told the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 'This is the first F-35 'Franken-bird' to date. This is history.' The work involved re-installing landing gear, rewiring the aircraft, rebuilding the cockpit, and installing several components that don't often pop up in flight line maintenance shops. It involved completing several tasks that had never occurred at the field level, resulting in valuable updates to the technical data used by all F-35 maintainers. On top of all that new proficiency, the project is estimated to have cost under $6 million dollars, way less than the typical $80 million shelled out for a new F-35A. After completing a successful functional flight, the 'Franken-bird' is off to Texas for final certifications before returning to service. Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter featuring breaking manufacturing industry news.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
US Air Force builds $80M F-35A for just $6M by merging parts from two crashed jets
In a notable achievement, Airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing have successfully restored an F-35A Lightning II aircraft, merging the remnants of two damaged jets into a single operational unit. This marks the first instance of maintainers creating an airworthy F-35A by combining components from separate aircraft. The restoration project stemmed from the need to salvage an aircraft damaged in a nose gear collapse in 2020 at Hill Air Force Base, while the other had suffered an engine fire at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in 2014. The endeavor has been locally dubbed the 'Franken-bird' due to its unique origins. This interagency initiative involved collaboration among key entities, including the F-35 Joint Program Office, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, the 388th Fighter Wing, and Lockheed Martin. Throughout the restoration process, teams at Hill developed specialized tools, stands, and equipment to aid in merging various aircraft sections, with much of the initial work accomplished at the Ogden Air Logistics Complex. The aircraft was returned to the 388th Fighter Wing in November 2023. Scott Taylor, Lockheed Martin's lead mechanical engineer for the project, noted that the methods and resources implemented during this phase could be valuable for aircraft repairs in combat settings. For the past year, the restored aircraft has been housed within the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, where maintainers have been focused on completing its restoration. Senior Airman Jaguar Arnold, serving as the crew chief for the aircraft, acknowledged the extensive challenges faced during the rebuilding process. 'When we received the aircraft, it was essentially just a shell,' Arnold stated, highlighting the wide range of tasks they were required to tackle, many of which were new to their unit. The restoration involved critical tasks such as re-installing landing gear with attention to the aircraft's center of gravity and procuring and implementing various components, including 'belly bands' and flight controls. The Airmen collaborated closely with engineers and technicians from Lockheed Martin to rewire the systems, rebuild the cockpit, overhaul avionics, and install components typically uncommon in routine maintenance environments. Additionally, the team was responsible for fabricating and applying coatings to restore the aircraft's low-observable features. 1st Lt. Ryan Bare, Sortie Generation Flight commander for the 4th FGS, noted the team's dedication. "We put in long hours, often working nights and weekends," Bare remarked. Balancing the demands of this ambitious restoration with the regular maintenance needs of an active fighter squadron posed logistical challenges for squadron leadership. However, the team successfully navigated these obstacles, reaping rewards from the experience gained. Bare added, 'Taking on this project at the field level was unprecedented and came with its difficulties, but it also made for an invaluable opportunity for our maintainers to enhance their skills.' The lessons learned from this unique project are expected to influence updates to the Joint Technical Data used by F-35 maintainers, promising improved safety for aircraft, maintainers, and pilots. Financially, the Air Force stands to benefit significantly from this endeavor. The project's estimated cost was nearly $6 million, starkly contrasting to the expense of a new F-35A, which exceeds $80 million. Upon successful functional check flight, the aircraft will undergo final certification at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas. Afterward, it is set to return to Hill Air Force Base, where it will rejoin the 4th Fighter Squadron fleet.
