The most recent F-35 Joint Strike Fighters at the moment are capable of perform extra elaborate coaching missions, however the authorities is withholding thousands and thousands of {dollars} in cost to Lockheed Martin till the jets can combat in fight.
Lockheed Martin has upgraded the software program in its newest batch of F-35s to deal with “extra strong fight coaching functionality,” the F-35 Joint Program Workplace and Lockheed stated in a joint assertion Thursday. Beforehand, these F-35s might solely perform “preliminary coaching functionality” utilizing a partial model of the upgrades often known as Know-how Refresh 3.
The federal government refused to just accept supply of the brand new TR-3 fighters from Lockheed beginning in July 2023 as a consequence of software program integration issues and a few {hardware} shortfalls. Lockheed continued to construct F-35s whereas trying to find an answer to the TR-3 downside and saved them at its Fort Value, Texas, facility.
Lockheed developed a partial model of the TR-3 software program it known as “truncated,” which might permit the jets to fly fundamental coaching missions — however not in fight. The federal government concluded the truncated software program labored properly sufficient to start out accepting the jets and deliveries resumed in July 2024.
TR-3 upgrades embody higher shows, laptop reminiscence and processing energy, that are mandatory for a extra expansive improve often known as Block 4. Along with permitting the F-35 to hold extra weapons, the Block 4 upgrades will permit the jets to higher establish targets and conduct digital warfare.
Prime Air Power officers and Lockheed Martin final month promised additional enhancements to the F-35 will come.
However the brand new jets will possible not be capable to fly into fight till 2025, and that can price Lockheed within the meantime.
The JPO and Lockheed stated Thursday that till TR-3′s fight functionality is certified and delivered, the federal government is withholding about $5 million per jet in funds to Lockheed Martin. These withholdings had been negotiated as a part of the federal government’s settlement with Lockheed to just accept and ship F-35s with fight coaching functionality.
The most recent F-35A fighters, which the U.S. Air Power flies, price about $82.5 million. New F-35Bs — the short-takeoff and vertical touchdown variants flown by the U.S. Marine Corps — price about $109 million, and the F-35Cs the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps use on plane carriers will price about $102.1 million.
The JPO and Lockheed additionally stated the corporate and its trade companions “are making vital investments in growth labs and digital infrastructure that profit the F-35 enterprise’s pace and agility in fielding capabilities to essentially the most superior and related fighter jet.”
The yearlong delays in delivering an unspecified variety of F-35s have prompted ripple results all through the Air Power and the Joint Strike Fighter program.
Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, stated in July the TR-3 delays had led to a “slowdown” within the variety of F-35s arriving at RAF Lakenheath in England, the house of the service’s two European-based F-35 squadrons. He stated fewer than a dozen jets had been delayed.
“Don’t suppose that the TR-3 issues are over,” Hecker stated on the Royal Worldwide Air Tattoo air present at RAF Fairford in England. “We do have a working software program in TR-3 that’s positively adequate for coaching. … However there’s extra to go.”
Newly delivered TR-3 jets would possible be despatched to coaching bases, in response to Hecker. Fight-capable jets flying coaching missions at these bases would then in all probability be transferred to Lakenheath.
And since TR-3 is important to place Block 4 upgrades within the jets, the delays have slowed down the following collection of F-35 modernizations.
Andrew Hunter, the Air Power’s acquisition chief, additionally informed reporters on the RIAT air present that the service was not paying full worth for the unfinished jets.
“We won’t pay for that which we now have not but acquired,” Hunter stated.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Protection Information. He beforehand coated management and personnel points at Air Power Instances, and the Pentagon, particular operations and air warfare at Army.com. He has traveled to the Center East to cowl U.S. Air Power operations.
