F-35B jets are on the way: MCAS Beaufort slated for doubling of aircraft activity
F-35B jets are on the way
Air Station to double aircraft activity
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, currently home to F-18 Hornet fighter jet airplanes, is on track to have its squadrons replaced and increased by F-35B Joint Strike Fighters in 2014 or 2015, according to the U.S. Department of the Navy’s draft environmental impact statement released this week, which will result in a doubling of annual takeoffs and landings. Eighty eight of the new fighters, which is one quarter of the Marine Corps’ entire new fleet of 340 F-35Bs, are planned to be based here.
The Navy is soliciting public comment on the draft impact statement between now and July 12. Favorable approval of the statement is a prerequisite to going forward with planned upgrades to the air station to accommodate the new jet aircraft. The statement is expected to become final later this year with announcement of the station’s upgrade and commencement of construction expected before the end of the year.
The upgrades are expected to cost $351.8 million for infrastructure improvements for a pilot training facility, new hangers and flight simulators. Because F-35B aircraft have the ability to take off and land almost vertically, vertical launching pads will also be constructed.
According to the draft environmental impact statement, these construction activities could bring as many as 4,000 temporary construction jobs to the air station, pumping tens of millions of dollars into the local economy and placing demands on the local housing market.
In total, 88 new F-35B short-take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) fighter jets are slated for deployment at MCAS Beaufort. They are expected to arrive in 2014 or 2015 after the air station’s improvements are completed.
According to Wikipedia, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation, single-seat, single-engine stealth multirole fighter, that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air defense missions. The F-35 has three different models; one is a conventional takeoff and landing variant, the second is a short take off and vertical-landing variant, and the third is a carrier-based variant. It is the second version, the STOVL model, that is slated for Beaufort.
The F-35 is descended from the X-35, the product of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its development is being principally funded by the United States, with the United Kingdom and other partner governments providing additional funding. It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners. Demonstrator aircraft flew in 2000 with the first flight on 15 December 2006.
The F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the aircraft. Similar in size to the A variant, the B sacrifices some fuel volume to make room for the vertical flight system. Takeoffs and landing with vertical flight systems are by far the riskiest, and in the end, a decisive factor in design.
Like the AV-8B Harrier II, the F-35B’s guns will be carried in a ventral pod. Whereas F-35A is stressed to 9 g, the F-35B is stressed to 7 g. Unlike the other variants, the F-35B has no landing hook; the “STOVL/HOOK” button in the cockpit initiates conversion instead of dropping the hook.
The British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy plan to use F-35Bs to replace their Harrier GR7/GR9s. The United States Marine Corps intends to purchase 340 F-35Bs to replace all current inventories of the F/A-18 Hornet (A, B, C and D-models), and AV-8B Harrier II in the fighter and attack roles.The USMC is investigating an electronic warfare role for the F-35B to replace the service’s EA-6B Prowlers.
The F-35B was unveiled at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant on 18 December 2007, and the first test flight was on 11 June 2008. The B variant is expected to be available beginning in 2012 with the inventory of 88 of the new jets coming to Beaufort in 2014 or 2015.
Local concern about the planned conversion of MCAS Beaufort to an F-35 air station appears to be focussed on the noise level produced by the new jets. Measured decibels for F-35s are higher than for the previous F-18 generation of jet aircraft.
A planned doubling of annual takeoffs and landings at the air station will undoubtedly mean more noise in the Beaufort area, “the sound of freedom” to supporters of the air station and “the bane of our existence” to lovers of tranquillity.
Related posts:
- “Talk To Tom” forum slated for Monday
- May 8: Hilton Head Island Airport Open House
- CC Haigh Boat Landing to open Memorial Day weekend
- 3d annual Beaufort River Swim on Saturday
Comments
12 Responses to “F-35B jets are on the way: MCAS Beaufort slated for doubling of aircraft activity”
May I add I do not hear any of the F-35 complainers carping about the dots driving around with loud bass emitting from their automobiles. So loud it shakes all the cars around them. So loud that you and I will get to pay for their future deafness, hearing aids and public housing.
You make an excellent point about selfish people. Many of them are wealthy enough and no longer need to work, inherited their money or are supported by the rest of us who work.
I can’t believe how selfish some people are. They are willing to fight the new jets even though losing the base will put half the town out of work.
Will you people please listen to yourselves! You complain of jet noises in an area we all KNEW had fighter jets. I do not hear a single person griping about Harley’s in our quite neighborhoods, or the cars on Bay street that blast thier music or even the aggravating public cell phone users at the movies! Yet you raise voice over jets that have been hear longer than most of us. Get a grip, stop whining and be proud of that noise. Remeber those jets protect your rights to express your “NIMBY” views.
I absolutely love the sound of jets flying over my house and hope they continue to fly for generations to come.
This is Beaufort.
Interesting comments.
Publicly available maps showing MCAS/Merritt Field have been around for decades. The base has been here sixty-seven years and has been continuously operational since 1956. It’s never been hard for prospective home buyers to determine where one’s home would be relative to the base and runways.
With that in mind, my question to those concerned would be why they chose to move to “Fightertown East” if they don’t like the sound of military aircraft. After all, it’s like moving next to Darlington raceway then complaining about the noise from the cars.
As for noise abatement on engines, it’s costly, adds complexity and degrades overall performance. I’m sure neither the military nor the “less taxation/less debt” folks would want to spend tax money for something that adds complexity, increases operational and maintenance cost and degrades performance of military aircraft.
I’m sick to my stomach knowing these jets will create more noise.
“Measured decibels for F-35s are higher than for the previous F-18 generation of jet aircraft.”
That’s just fantastic, so now when these new jets fly over house, my windows will probably shatter!
What makes me angry is that these jets start flying over at 7am and sometimes won’t stop until after MIDNIGHT. Have some respect for people who actually sleep. I can’t even sleep when these jets are flying over my house. The after burners are so loud it shakes my whole house. The noise you hear is the sound of freedom? Yeah, right.
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Freeman,
The sounds that the new jets make protect the freedom you have to MOVE! Please do!
According to the Federal Bureau Investigation Uniform Crime Reports St. Louis, Missouri, leads the nation in the overall number of violent crimes committed in a U.S. city, as well as topping the charts in aggravated assault and property crime. New Orleans, Louisiana leads the nation in murder. Cleveland, Ohio, is another triple winner with leading numbers in forced rape, robbery and arson.
Perhaps the people of Beaufort complaining about the ‘noise’ resulting from our military aircraft on training maneuvers would prefer to relocate to one of those areas. Instead, the next time one or more of our aircraft fly overhead, say a prayer to protect those brave enough to put their lives on the line to ensure that you have freedom and liberty as well as a safe and secure existence.
Yes! The financial benefits are great. This town and the county need the bases and the Naval hospital. We all live in Beaufort for many reasons and having said that, it is impossible to move here and not know of MCAS. I’d be curious to know how many of the people that are complaining about the noise are transplants verus native to the town. Let’s hope and pray that this plan goes through.
Our administrators are focusing on the financial impact and not the quality of life issues with these aircraft! We have been lulled to sleep for several years of how bad the noise can be because most of our squadrons have been deployed. The only real data so far indicates the F-35′s will be louder and then we will double the number of aircraft along with designated training squadrons flying daily! I think we are asleep at the wheel. How about we wake up before it is too late! The financial benefits are great but that is not why I live in Beaufort.
It boggles my mind that over the years engineers have not bothered, nor evidently have not been challenged, to develop some kind of engine noise suppression system to temporarily quieten down present-day jet fighters as they pass over or near neighboring civilian-settled areas.
This was done many years ago for commercial passenger jets in their take-offs from domestic airports. The noise level of the combat plans is of value, I suppose, in helping to intimidate the enemy in combat area as “the sound of freedom”, but can be quite obnoxious to both Lowcountry natives and newcomers alike.