Paris 2011: F-35 Will Be Affordable, Says USAF Program Officer

By: Bill Carey

June 22, 2011
Military Aircraft

 

 

The deputy program officer of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighterprogram office said Tuesday that predictions over escalating costs of the next-generation multi-role fighter will be proven wrong because of built-in reliability and maintainability aspects. With the program facing renewed scrutiny by the U.S. Congress and Department of Defense (DoDDOD), Air Force Maj. Gen. C.D. Moore described long-term cost projections as uncertain, and said the program is making progress in its 10thtenth year of development.

Moore was followed on stage during a Paris Air Show press briefing by a representative of the defense ministry of Norway, the latest partner nation to order F-35s, who said the ministry “expects the (F-35) price will be close to the price we anticipated and forwarded to Parliament.”

 

Rear Adm. Arne Roksund, head of the department for defense policy and long-term planning, also linked further procurement of F-35s by Norway to support of that nation’s Joint Strike Missile (JSM) development.

Looking to stem cost and schedule overruns, the U.S. DoD DOD earlier this year restructured the F-35 production timeline, adding 13 months and $4.6 billion to the development phase. Yet another restructuring is planned this year, reportedly this fall, after the Pentagon projected a near doubling of the F-35 unit cost to $133 million, a cost trajectory called “unacceptable” by Ashton Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition.

 

On June 17,And most recently on Friday last week, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved language in the fiscal 2012 Defense Authorization Bill requiring that low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 5 aircraft funded in FY2011 be procured by fixed-price contract, and that the contractor, Lockheed Martin, “absorb 100 percent of costs above the target cost.”

Asked if the F-35 is affordable over the long term, given the assessment by DoD DOD acquisition executives and another analyses, Moore said, “There’s a lot of uncertainty in what goes into those levels of predictions. We’ve been challenged by our leadership to understand what we call the ‘ground rules and assumptions’ and the estimating process, and to aggressively go after those areas that we know we can affect, so that what was called an unaffordable cost estimate is not a reality.

“When we look at repair estimates that run out for 50 years, manpower estimates for 50 years, we have to, in working closely with the contractor, ensure that this weapons system is reliable, and it’s maintainable,” Moore added. “The predictions that are put in place now could be changed based on the reality of what we demonstrate.”

 

“No More Surprises”

The Norwegian pParliament on June 16 authorized the acquisition of four F-35s for training purposes, with delivery in 2016. Roksund said the restructuring of the F-35 program under U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates earlier this year convinced the Norwegian defense ministry the program has stabilized, although he expressed hope of “no more surprises in the coming years.”

 

But Roksund also linked further F-35 procurement—–the defense ministry has expressed a requirement for 56 aircraft—to– selection of the precision-guided, high sub-sonic JSM, under development by Kongsberg, of Norway, as well as to next-generation “armor-piercing explosive” ammunition, another development funded by the ministry.

The JSM is designed to fit into the internal weapons bay of the F-35A and C versions, and can also be carried on external stations. The missile passed preliminary design review last year and further development has begun since the pParliamentary decision last week, Roksund said. The aim is to pass a critical design review in mid-2013.

“The Norwegian political objective to achieve an industrial return of value equal to the purchase” of F-35s, Roksund said. ““… The size and complexity of the process to complete development and integration of the weapon on the F-35 is a major undertaking for a small nation. Active support from relevant F-35 partner nations in this matter is therefore vital.”

Moore said the F-35 program is conducting a technical evaluation of missile candidates and “JSM will be one of those candidates.”

 

Eight Partner Countries

The F-35 is the Pentagon’s largest international co-operative program. Eight partner countries are collectively contributing $4.9 billion to the system design and development phase (SDD). They have projected a total buy of 705 aircraft as follows: Australia 100, Canada 65, Denmark 30, Italy 131, the Netherlands 85, Norway 56, Turkey 100 and the UK 138. Those totals likely won’t survive defense budget pressures, especially in the UK.

Only Denmark has yet to confirm its choice of the F-35. It will decide next year, after holding a competition in which the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is the main challenger. In Australia, the Netherlands, Norway and especially Canada, there has been political controversy over the choice of the F-35, especially when while the final acquisition cost is still uncertain.

In theory, the international partners will pay the same price for their aircraft as negotiated by the U.S. services for each lot, be whether it is it in low-rate initial productionLRIP or in the subsequently planned multi-year procurement. In previously published schedules, the partners were due to buy 223 LRIP aircraft costing an expensive $24.1 billion, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. However, Lockheed Martin admits that plan is now defunct.

To date, the partners have ordered just nine production aircraft: four for Norway in LRIP 8 (Fiscal 2014); two for the UK and one for the Netherlands in LRIP Lot 3, and one more for each country in LRIP 4.

 

Australia and Turkey are expected to be the next to commit, taking two and four aircraft, respectively, from LRIP 6 in fiscal 2012. Turkey plans to take seven aircraft in LRIP 7 (Fiscal 2013) with a further seven for the UK and five for Italy in this lot. Italy last year committed to a final assembly and checkout facility at Cemeri airbase. That facility may also assemble F-35s for the Netherlands.

Israel could eventually take 75 F-35s, and negotiations continue with Singapore, the other second-level F-35 partner country.

 

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin expects the U.S. government to respond to a request for proposals from Japan in September, and for that country to take a decision on the F-35 versus competing fighters as early as December. South Korea could follow in 2012. Spain has given Lockheed Martin a contract to explore how the F-35B might be integrated with its small aircraft carriers, as an AV-8B replacement.

article courtesy of http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/paris-2011-f-35-will-be-affordable-says-usaf-program-officer-30199/

Is metal fabrication/welding a good career choice?

Yes. Metal fabrication and welding is ideally suited to people who like to use their hands to build and construct metal structures from engineering specifications. People who enter into this trade normally develop specialised talents in structural fabrication or pressure related construction and/or welding.

What employment and career opportunities are available in fabrication/welding?

Metal fabrication and welding tradespersons are in great demand due to the amount of construction and general manufacturing taking place.

Because of the high level of skill required, good quality welding operators are in great demand and are able to command very high wages.

Metal fabricator welders have the opportunity to:-

• Contract themselves out to companies
• Start their own business
• Specialize in underwater welding
• Become fabrication/welding inspectors or supervisors for medium to large companies

What skills must a fabricator/welder develop?

• Metal fabrication and welding tradespersons must :-
• have an understanding of building metal structures
• read and interpret engineering drawings
• fabricate shapes using geometric development techniques
• be able to use a range of welding processes.
• They must develop artistic welding skills to join a wide range of metals in all positions.

What training and qualifications are available for fabricator/welders?

Depending on their level of training and experience, a metal fabricator welders may be considered to be either a tradesperson at Certificate III qualification level, or engineering technician up to Certificate IV level of qualification. Training is gained by way of a 4-year apprenticeship or traineeship under the New Apprenticeship Scheme. Both options provide paid employment while skills are being learned.

Whilst you are an apprentice (4 year term) your wages are usually set as a percentage of the qualified trades person.

As a guide, in: -

1. First year     42%

2. Second year            55%

3. Third year    75%

4. Fourth year  88%

When you have finished your base trade training, your classification will also be at tradesperson level. With over-award payments you could expect to earn much more then this and you can also apply for higher grading when you get more qualifications.

Employers would normally seek job applicants who have at least completed the School Certificate. Job seekers who have undertaken the Higher School Certificate, are often highly regarded, and so may be given advanced standing/exemptions in their studies at TAFE. Once completed, the Trade Certificate III qualification can be used for advanced standing toward a relevant TAFE Certificate IV or Diploma qualification.

Information courtesy of http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/metals_engineering/careers/2341/Fabricator.html

biz talk, better business from a fabricator’s perspective

by Tim Heston, senior editor of The FABRICATOR

Managing people as people, not assets
Company president gets a crash course in succession planning

Elizabeth Miller made up her mind on the drive home from dinner. She was ready for a career change. Who cared that the situation was  forced upon her it was the right thing to do. Her husband, Myles Miller, founded Miller Mechanical Services in 1988 after spending years as a boilermaker and construction superintendent in the pulp and paper industry. The business launched as a mechanical contracting firm that installed and repaired hoppers, bins. storage tanks, pressure vessels, and other large components for pulp and paper plants. His mantra: Install it right, on time.

The work required plant shutdowns that left only narrow windows of time for Miller Mechanical to get the job done. Unfortunately, the company’s installers often were left waiting for the vessels and other heavy fabrications they were hired to install, and when they finally arrived, they sometimes weren’t up to spec.

So in 1992 Miller launched a fabrication shop in Glens Falls,N.Y., that today employs 28, many of whom are skilled fabricators and welders certified to the ASME boiler code and trained in multiple arc welding processes. Such in-house talent helped the company establish an unusual niche as an installer and fabricator. If a plant needed a storage tank, hopper, or other heavy fabrication, Miller could bid not just on the installation, but also the fabrication.

When it won both contracts, the company managed multiple stages of the project, including design (working closely with local pulp and paper design engineers), fabrication, and installation. Then the unthinkable happened. Myles had heart trouble, and four years ago his heart gave out entirely. At the time Elizabeth had an 18-year-old son in the house, a 96-year-old father up the street, and a hard decision to make. She and Myles had separate working lives. so it wasn’t a given that Elizabeth would take over. She had spent more than 30 years as a language therapist and teacher working with learning-disabled children. On the surface her career couldn’t have been more unlike metal fabrication. Moreover:. succession plans were.never discussed As Elizabeth recalled. I think Myles didn’t want to think anything would ever happen to him. So nothing formal was in place. There was no plan, so I had to make a plan quickly:’

Not long after Myles died ,Elizabeth got a call from a multinational pulp and paper firm that wanted to buy the company. They took her out to dinner, discussed their plans, and made an offer. “They basically said, ‘We’ll give you X amount of money. Why don’t you hand the whole thing over?”’ On her drive home she had her revelation. “We’ve got too many valuable, talented people here, and I won’t turn my back on them.” She felt the company was being treated like anything else bought and sold: a cold, hard asset. She didn’t blame her dinner companions. They wanted to make a deal.

In their eyes, acquiring the asset would maximize share- holder value. It would be good business. But after three decades of communicating with students, Elizabeth absorbed a lot by talking with Miller employees. They weren’t assets to be transferred from one corporate entity to another. like her they were people with mortgages, young children, and elderly parents. She knew there was a good chance the multinational would absorb the parts of Miller it wanted, probably a portion of its field services-and discard the rest, including administration, accounting and metal fabrication. “They would have kept a few of our field support staff members;’ she said. “But I knew that 80 percent of the people working here probably would be gone. I knew that if I didn’t take over, there would be a lot of guys out of work.” That’s why, during that drive home from dinner, she decided to turn down the offer.

During the weeks after Myles’ passing the company’s key managers-Bill Batkay, controller; Mick Braynan, field operations manager; Griff Thomas, shop operations manager; and Ken Loften, field operations superintendent-kept things moving. The world didn’t stop. At their principal customer’s plant. a shutdown was fast approaching, and that meant workers on the Roar had to finish their fabrications so that the field service workers could install them. ‘After 31 years of teaching, I understood that a lot of learning comes from listening intently,” she said. “Before I made any changes at all, I watched and I listened for about the first six months. Without those four gentlemen, I couldn’t do my job:’

Since then Elizabeth has carried on her husband’s focused, get-it-done-on-time approach. But she has left her own mark too. Elizabeth is a natural communicator, which is what initially drew her to teaching. Those skills come in handy when running a business too. “Respect and communication: I live by those words,” she said. “You need to respect each other, and you need to communicate. Without communication, I don’t know how you get anything done:’ She has no secrets about long-term plans. At present diversification is top of mind, and this is why the company hired its first direct salesperson this year. Like many contract fabricators, Miller Mechanical has grown on the back of a few large customers, but its core competency of making and installing heavy fabrications can apply to various processing industry applications-not just pulp and paper. Earlier this year, for instance, Miller landed its first account in the food processing business.

Diversification also was top of mind when she decided to invest in a multiaxis waterjet system capable of slicing bevels and contoured edges in various materials. The machine may cut thick copper plate one day, granite and glass the next. ‘The profit margin is there for this work:’Elizabethsaid, “especially when we can offer the five-axis beveling. Not many  can offer that capability:’

Elizabeth hasn’t forgotten what happened four years ago and knows it could happen again, which is why she has a succession plan. But the plan is mutable. Her son isn’t directly involved in the business yet, which is fine by Elizabeth. She wants him to follow his own path, which currently doesn’t involve metal fabrication. She’s keeping the door open for him but not forcing him through it. Doing so, she said, would be detrimental not only for her son but also the business. “He isn’t passionate about the business now, but there are people here who are:’ Next she said some-thing that pretty much describes the result of any successful succession plan.

“The management team and I have worked together over the past four years. They invested in me and I invested in them.”

FAB Miller Mechanical Services lne .• S5~S7 Walnut St.. Glens

Falls, NY 12801, 518~792•0430, www.millermech.com

Reprinted with permission from the FABRICATOR• http://www.thefabricator.com/  May 2011

VRTEX 360 simulates real welding experiences

Industry professionals will get several chances this year to simulate real welding experiences in virtual environments with Lincoln Electric’s VRTEX 360 Virtual Reality Arc Welding training solution.

The company will feature this realistic welder training system at seven global conferences and trade shows throughout the year to better acquaint welders with the benefits of virtual hands-on training.

The VRTEX 360 is an educational training tool that is designed to accelerate welding training through the utilisation of virtual reality.

It can be used to simulate: SMAW (stick), GMAW (MIG) and FCAW (flux-cored) welding processes; multiple weld joint configurations and welding positions; a variety of welding environments, including construction sites and welding school booths.

It offers a combination of realistic puddle simulation and arc-welding sound tied to a welder’s movements.

The system assists in training skilled welders faster with lower training costs and allows shops to easily integrate high-tech training tools into their in-house curriculum.

It also provides a way to recruit new welders.

The VRTEX will be on display at the following conferences in 2011: Conexpo-Con/AGG, 22-26 March, Las Vegas; Offshore Technology Conference, 2-5 May, Houston; NASCC – The Steel Conference, 11-15 May, Pittsburgh; World Skills 2011, 5-8 October, London; SEMA, 1-4 November, Las Vegas; Fabtech, 14-17 November, Chicago; PRI – Performance Racing Industry, 1-4 December, Orlando; Power-GEN International, 13-15 December, Las Vegas.

Beyond the obvious training benefits, the VRTEX 360 VRAW solution also gives welding shops the chance to easily turn their operations green.

Information courtesy of http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/lie/lie212.html

**The VRTEX® 360, Lincoln Electric’s pioneering virtual reality welding system, has been recognized by the International Institute of Welding (IIW) with its 2011 Heinz Sossenheimer Award. This accolade is conferred every two years in recognition of innovative software solutions making a decisive contribution to improving the long-term quality and/or safety of applications in the fields of joining, cutting or coating.

New Book Analyses the Processes that Cause Fatigue and Fracture of Welded Joints

A search of recent news for welding failure generates stories of failure in a number of industries from railways to pipelines, publicized as industry examples of potential malfunction. The failure of any welded joint is at best inconvenient but at worse can be hugely costly in terms of both lives and repair.

Fracture and fatigue of welded joints and structures from Woodhead Publishing analyses the processes and causes of fracture and fatigue, focusing on how the failure of welded joints and structures can be predicted and minimized in the design process. An overview of fracture assessment methods provides an evaluation of the development of

Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA), Single Edge Notch Tension (SENT) and the Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD).The focus on analyzing fracture includes constraint-based fracture mechanics in predicting the failure of welded joints and explores established test methods. Practical examples illustrate the use of fracture mechanics in fatigue analysis with particular reference to technical applications. The presentation of fatigue design rules further reiterates the key features of welded joints influencing fatigue.

With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Fracture and fatigue of welded joints and structures is an essential reference for mechanical, structural and welding engineers, as well as those in the academic sector with a research interest in the field.

Information courtesy of http://www.azom.com/news.asp?NewsID=27867

The book is available for purchase online at

http://www.woodheadpublishing.com/en/book.aspx?bookID=1535

Connecticut Section of the American Welding Society meeting at Acceleron

On April 19, 2011, Acceleron, Inc. hosted a meeting of the Connecticut Section of the American Welding Society. Twenty-three members of the section attended along with several of Acceleron’s staff.

Acceleron, Inc. is a local company that specializes in high energy beam welding. They provide laser beam and electron beam welding as well as drilling services for clients engaged in aerospace and defense, medical, semi conductor, commercial, and petrochemical industries.

The meeting began with a tour of Acceleron’s facilities, showcasing 15 electron beam welding machines, 2 high speed drilling machines, and several GTAW stations. Of interest to many was the electron beam drilling capabilities that allows Acceleron to drill up to 2000 holes per second in materials as thin as 0.002 inch and up to 0.200 inches thick. Typical drilling speeds are 50-150 holes per/sec in material .060”-.134” thick. The holes are usually perpendicular to the drilled surface and are held +/-.001”

Don Christensen, Manager of Account Development for Acceleron, gave a presentation on the overall capabilities of their services and gave a brief overview on the mechanics of laser processing, electron beam welding and electron beam drilling. Don and Rory Montano, President of Acceleron, also fielded questions about EBW and LBW. Don then presented background and technical information on a collection of welded and drilled components that Acceleron keeps on display at their plant.

A quote from Albert Moore, Chairperson of the Connecticut Section of the AWS, on Don Christensen’s presentation

“Your presentation was dead on. It covered the subject in sufficient detail to tell us what you do and what the equipment can do without burying us with too many technical details. The tour was fascinating. Most welders never get to see the machines at work, nor do they get to see the type of welds the equipment are capable of making. I’m sure everyone was as amazed as I was at the drilling operation! I would like to say on behalf of the Connecticut Section of AWS that we really appreciated the tour and your hospitality.“

A few key notes about Albert Moore, Chairperson of the Connecticut Section of the AWS:

Albert is an adjunct instructor for ASME and AWS. He developed the course titled Practical Welding Technology offered by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and he is instructs the AWS Certified Welding Inspector Seminar offered by the American Welding Society. A course tailored to the needs of welders and visual inspectors has been developed and approved to meet the requirements of Navy welding (NAVSEA S9074-AQ-GIB-010/248) and inspection (NAVSEA T9074-AS-GIB-010/271) standards.

He has presented papers on the subjects of structural steel inspection, visual welding inspection, and nondestructive testing at the University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts, University of New Haven and local sections of AWS, ASNT, and Connecticut Engineers in Private Practice.

He is also a member of the AWS Certification Committee, the Committee on Methods of Inspection, and the Standing Task Group on the Welding Inspection Handbook. He is the Chairman of the Subcommittees on Visual Examination of Welds, Certification of Welding Educators, Certification of Welding Technicians, and Vice Chairman of the Subcommittees on Accredited Test Facilities and Certification of Structural Inspectors.

Albert is a NOCTI certified welding instructor, an AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector, and currently holds ASNT ACCP Professional NDT Level III certificates in four NDT test methods; RT, UT, MT, and PT, and is certified in accordance with SNT-TC-1A for VT. He holds an Associate of Science Degree in Civil Technology (Structural Design) from the Hartford State Technical College, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology (Welding Technology) from Charter Oak College, a Masters in Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Certificate of Professional Development from the Department of Welding Engineering of Ohio State University.

As a NDT Level III for RT, UT, MT, PT, and VT, Albert provides training and (certification) examinations for NDT technicians employed by many industrial sectors. The NDT courses developed include visual inspection, dye penetrant, magnetic particle, ultrasonics, and radiographic testing.

He has been certified to weld with the SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, and SAW processes on various base metals including aluminum, carbon steel, nickel alloys, stainless steel, and titanium. He has been a member of the Ironworkers Local 15 for 45 years.

What Is a CO2 Laser and Advantages of CO2 Laser Beam Cutting

What Is a CO2 Laser?

The carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is the most powerful type of industrial laser presently available. It is in general use for contour cutting and deep penetration welding. The long wavelength of CO2 light, 10.6um, is absorbed by most solids. This allows CO2 lasers to process a wide variety of materials.

Advantages of CO2 Laser Beam Cutting

• Low heat input to the work piece, hence low distortion or warping of the cut components
• Very thin (as thin as 0.025mm / .001″) and flexible materials can be cut without distortion
• Cut edges are relatively smooth and approximately perpendicular to the surface and frequently need no
• further shaping or cleaning prior to further fabrication
• Because of narrow kerf width and heat-affected zones, patterns can be closely nested, resulting in material
• savings
• The process is easily automated and can be interfaced other automatic equipment
• Limited fixturing is required for many cutting jobs
• There is no tool wear as in cutting with a saw milling tool or punch press operation
• Tool changes are “soft” software changes rather then hardware changes as in the use of punches and dies, for example
• “Blind” or partial cuts can be made in some materials, particularly those with volatilized such as wood and acrylic, resulting in decoration patterns
• Difficult-to-cut materials, including very soft material, such as foam rubber, and very hard material, such as ceramics, can be cut
• Composites can be cut without tearing of edges
• There is considerably less noise than in water jet or plasma cutting