America's most expensive weapons system ever just hit another snag. Unexpectedly. Again.
The F-35 Lighting II, Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation fighter jet, is expected to miss a crucial deadline for successfully deploying its sixth and final software release -- referred to as Block 3F.
Maybe we could just go straight to Block 4F?
Block 3F is part of the 8 million lines of sophisticated software code that underpin the F-35.
What could possibly go wrong?
In short, if the code fails, the F-35 fails.
Not entirely. They make great hanger doorstops.
The latest setback for the F-35 stems from a 48-paged December 11 report from Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's top weapons tester.
According to Gilmore, the stealth fighter jet won't be ready by its July 2017 deadline.
And even if it does, I wouldn't want to be the first to fly it into battle.
As first reported by Aviation Week, the DoD report states that "... the rate of deficiency correction has not kept pace with the discovery rate" meaning, there are more problems quickly arising from the F-35 program than solutions.
"Examples of well-known significant problems include the immaturity of the Autonomic Logistics Information System (aka the IT backbone of the F-35), Block 3F avionics instability, and several reliability and maintainability problems with the aircraft and engine."
Have the Israelis work on it.
One recommendation Gilmore gives for the F-35's latest woes is to triple the weapons delivery accuracy (WDA) tests, which are currently executed once a month.
I read something about the F-35 being used as a "standoff ground support" platform. Combined with the need for tripling the weapons delivery accuracy, I think I may have spotted another problem that will unexpectedly show itself in the next few
Adding more tests to the troubled warplane will likely add to the cost overruns and schedule delays, however, Gilmore warns that decreasing testing in order to meet deadlines will put "readiness for operational testing and employment in combat at significant risk."
Otherwise I'm sure the testing would be adequate and guarantee the plane's readiness for combat. For sure. Yep. That's the ticket. It's the testing schedule's fault.
According to the DoD report, the Block 3F software testing began in March 2015, 11 months later than the planned date.
The now nearly $400 billion weapons program was developed in 2001 to replace the US military's legacy F-15, F-16 and F-18 aircraft.
Until the F-35 is fully operational, I don't know if we should be labeling them as "legacy" yet.
Lockheed Martin's "jack-of-all-trades" F-35's were developed to dogfight, provide close-air support, execute long-range bombing attacks, take-off and land on aircraft carriers -- all the while utilizing the most advanced stealth capabilities.
Maybe we could use it as a troop transport and refueling tanker, too.
Adding to the complexity, Lockheed Martin agreed to design and manufacture three variant F-35's for a particular sister service branch.
The Air Force has the agile F-35A, the F-35B can take-off and land without a runway, ideal for the amphibious Marine Corps, and the F-35C is meant to serve on the Navy's aircraft carriers.
The Marine Corps was the first sister service branch to declare an initial squadron of F-35's ready for combat.
Ah, they have been "declared" ready. Maybe "deemed" would be more accurate.
In July 2015, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the commandant of the Marine Corps, declared initial operational capability (IOC) for 10 F-35B fighter jets.
The enemy is shaking in their boots.
The Air Force is expected to declare IOC for its F-35As later this year and the Navy plans to announce IOC for the F-35Cs in 2018.
Maybe "Initial Order Placeholder" would be a better term. Where the programming is replaced by cables and levers.
Even so, America's most expensive warplane's turbulent march to combat readiness is far from over.