Italian F35 cuts.

Hi Guys and Girls,

It appears that Italy is about to kill it's interest in the F35

Linkage:

www.reuters.com...

Makes you wonder what is going to happen to the elements of the Italian maintenance and production.

Best regards

Rich

a reply to: RAB

I doubt they'll cut their existing order because of the hit they'll take.

a reply to: RAB

Well, they've got a populist government now too. Make Italy great again etc...

Sounds like Trenta wants to criticize the existing contract but she doesn't want to cancel it. Because she lists several positives too.

But if they were to cancel all purchases, that could affect other European countries too. The maintenance in Italy is a pretty important factor for Finland, for example, even though its pretty sketchy in the first place to have to maintain the planes so far away from home.

a reply to: moebius

The average life time for Italian governments since WW2 is about 9 months. Whatever Trenta does, may be undone in a couple years before the damage is really noticed.

Good comment anzha and correct. Until the Italians by their own choice change their form of democracy they will continue to have limited effect on the World Stage. Every one realizes what is said today won't be tomorrows policy. My best,

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: moebius

The average life time for Italian governments since WW2 is about 9 months. Whatever Trenta does, may be undone in a couple years before the damage is really noticed.

Crazzzyyy! Thanks for the factoid. Why would the fish eaters (ugh okay Fins) want to do depot maintenance in Italy except for the scenery and females? The Netherlands are also a Level 2 partner that would seem to make more sense to me, but what do I know?

a reply to: BigDave-AR

Because PDM is expensive, and difficult. Italy is home to one of the FACO facilities, which means they're going to have more experience working with the RAM and other components than your average line dog. By sending them to Italy, they're reducing the cost of PDM, lowering the risk of damage or a mistake being made while taking the aircraft apart or putting it back together, and reducing the chance of damaging the skin.

Even with an experienced facility, you'll get aircraft back with mistakes made and things needing fixing. But having it done at a FACO, that already has all the equipment needed to tear the aircraft down and put them back together should reduce that.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: BigDave-AR

Because PDM is expensive, and difficult. Italy is home to one of the FACO facilities, which means they're going to have more experience working with the RAM and other components than your average line dog. By sending them to Italy, they're reducing the cost of PDM, lowering the risk of damage or a mistake being made while taking the aircraft apart or putting it back together, and reducing the chance of damaging the skin.

Even with an experienced facility, you'll get aircraft back with mistakes made and things needing fixing. But having it done at a FACO, that already has all the equipment needed to tear the aircraft down and put them back together should reduce that.

Fair enough just seemed odd with the countries in the "neighborhood" that are also planning on procuring the -35.

a reply to: BigDave-AR

They're doing the same thing with Australia and Japan I believe it was in the Pacific. One will handle airframes the other engines. In the long run it saves a lot of money, since only a few countries have to buy all the jigs and specialized equipment. It's going to make for some interesting times in the Pacific though, since Japan and Korea don't have the best relationship.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: BigDave-AR

They're doing the same thing with Australia and Japan I believe it was in the Pacific. One will handle airframes the other engines. In the long run it saves a lot of money, since only a few countries have to buy all the jigs and specialized equipment. It's going to make for some interesting times in the Pacific though, since Japan and Korea don't have the best relationship.

That's quite the touchy one indeed I don't think the Korean's will ever let Japan slide.

a reply to: BigDave-AR

The current thinking is that Korea will send their aircraft and engines to Australia and just deal with the extra distance and time involved.

a reply to: Zaphod58
So you mean Australia will end up doing both airframe PDM and engine overhaul?

My understanding was that originally we would do the engine overhauls for both the RAAF and JASDF only and Japan would carry out PDM on the airframes. Having said that if Korea decided it wants its airframes done in Aus rather than Japan that makes it more economical to do that, especially if say Singapore decided to as well or if the US ends up stationing F-35's in Australia which is a distinct possibility if the situation in Asia-Pacific continues to deteriorate with reference to Nth Korea and China.

As for Italy, they may cut some numbers due to budget pressures but they have gone too far down the road to kill the entire program.

a reply to: thebozeian

For Korea they might. It would make for interesting times for them to work that closely with Japan.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Politics and history getting in the way again. Frankly though having a second facility in the Asia Pacific region might not be the most efficient but it gives greater depth to cycle more airframes through. And should things get a bit ugly there is at least one line that is out of immediate harms way. Plus it gives two spares pipelines instead of one which is always handy.