F-35 Squadrons

Mission — F-35 Squadrons source

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program will develop and field an affordable, highly common family of next generation strike aircraft for the United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and International Partners countries. There are three variants: the F-35A Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) variant; the F-35B Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant; and the F-35C Carrier Variant (CV). Maximum commonality among the variants, consistent with National Disclosure Policy, will minimize total air system life cycle costs. PE 0207142F funding supports USAF-unique on-going SEEK EAGLE, Quick Reaction Instrumentation Package (QRIP), and Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) requirements. These continuing efforts are not new starts. The Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO) delivers warfighting capability through aircraft/store compatibility testing and evaluation while providing accurate combat weapon delivery and mission planning software. Beginning in FY 2020, the USAF supported Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI) wiring and weapons integration tasks related to SEEK EAGLE requests. These tasks include, but are not limited to, envelope expansion, mixed loads testing, adding additional stores, and F-35A specific risk reduction efforts and studies. The QRIP/CSFD program enables the F-35 fleet to rapidly transport and leverage post-flight data—collected from both test and operational environments—to enhance Mission Data Files (MDF) and the onboard Software Data Load (SDL). The program aims to increase data-ingest capable systems and networks that will be utilized to support the processing, storage, and transmission of all F-35 generated CSFD sources. The program will also look to increase the operational viability of CSFD, including the use of data science teams, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) algorithms. The F-35 JSF Operational Requirements Document (ORD) calls for the F-35A to have the capabilities and provisions for DCA operations in the first post-System Development and Demonstration (SDD) block upgrade. DCA is a NATO and US priority which is a critical capability in our collective defense and credible deterrence. The USAF F-35A achieved operational certification on October 12, 2023, earlier than the need date of January 2024. DCA refers to the capability to carry and deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons. DCA operations for the F-35A is internal carriage of up to two B61-12s. Due to extensive certification requirements, the DCA capability planning and design, testing and certification will continue throughout Block 4. Funding in this PE will resource the following F-35A DCA activities: development, analysis, test, integration, certification and risk-reduction activities necessary to field and maintain F-35A DCA capabilities throughout post-SDD block upgrades; assessment of DCA weapon integration and certification impacts on the F-35 aircraft; identification and mitigation of potential technical and cost risks; definition of integration and certification trade-space to field the DCA capability with the B61-12 weapon; follow-on risk reduction efforts to ensure future integration alignment with the earliest feasible post-SDD block upgrade; and full integration efforts pending Service decisions. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY 2024 0.0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2025 0.0M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. The FY 2026 request was reduced by 0.5M for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative.” This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Mission — F-35 source

The AFSEO delivers warfighting capability through aircraft/store compatibility testing and evaluation and provides accurate combat weapon delivery and mission planning software. Beginning in FY 2020, the USAF supported FTI wiring and weapons integration tasks related to SEEK EAGLE requests. These tasks include, but are not limited to, envelope expansion, mixed loads testing, adding additional stores, and F-35A specific risk reduction efforts and studies. The QRIP / CSFD system is a government-owned, off-the-shelf solution from the 59 TES for F-35 high-capacity data recording needs. Designed for operational test and evaluation, the system serves multiple emerging needs for data collection. By capturing Crowd Sourced Flight Data (CSFD) from operational aircraft, QRIP reduces the need for deliberate regression flight testing and allows the test enterprise to focus on Block 4 and future capability development. Working with F-35 Joint Program Office Combat Data Systems, the 59 TES will increase data ingest capable systems that will be utilized to support the data processing, storage, and transmission of all F-35 generated CSFD sources. The 59 TES will continue studying means to increase the operational viability of CSFD, including the use of data science teams, artificial intelligence, and machine learning algorithms.

Mission — JSF DUAL CAPABLE AIRCRAFT source

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Operational Requirements Document (ORD) calls for the F-35A variant to have the capabilities and provisions for Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) operations in the first post System Development and Demonstration (SDD) block upgrade. DCA refers to the capability to carry and deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons. DCA operation for the F-35A is internal carriage of up to two (2) B61-12 weapons.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (5)