F-35: $1 Trillion Fighter Has Had A bumpy Ride
29 April 2019
F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER: GOA
Action Needed to Improve Reliability and Prepare for Modernization Efforts.
DOD plans to spend over $270 billion to buy more than 2,000 F-35 aircraft over the next 26 years.
In this year’s review, among other things, we found the F-35 program:
Made slow, consistent progress on reliability and maintainability. But, it has not met 4 of 8 targets, which suggests the aircraft will be less reliable and more costly to maintain.
Will start a modernization effort—now estimated at $10.5 billion—without a complete business case and while still developing key technologies. This increases the risk of cost increases and delays.
We made 5 recommendations, including that the program clarify and improve its reliability plans.
F-35 Aircraft
25 April 2019
F-35 AIRCRAFT SUSTAINMENT: GOA
DOD Needs to Address Substantial Supply Chain Challenges
DOD needs to address supply chain issues with the F-35 advanced fighter jet, the country’s most expensive weapons system with projected operating costs of more than $1 trillion.
The U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy share a pool of spare parts with partners around the world. But shortages, repair backlogs, and mismatched parts are keeping F-35s on the ground. For example, F-35 aircraft were unable to fly nearly 30% of the time from May through November 2018 because they didn’t have the parts they needed.
While DOD has taken steps to address these challenges and others, we’ve made 8 recommendations that address these specific issues.
F-35 Lightning II aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER:
Development Is Nearly Complete, but Deficiencies Found in Testing Need to Be Resolved [Reissued with Revisions Jun. 13, 2018] GOA
Since the beginning, the F-35s Have had a sorted history with several groundings.
Feb 2013
F-35s grounded as precaution after crack found in engine blade
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service / Published February 22, 2013
Officials shipped the engine and its associated hardware to Pratt & Whitney’s engine facility in Middletown, Conn., to conduct more thorough evaluation and root cause analysis.
A Department of Defense spokesman announced the temporary grounding of the F-35 fleet based upon a recent runway incident.
Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary, stated that the technical air worthiness authorities of the Department of the Air Force and Department of the Navy issued a directive to ground the F-35 fleet based on initial findings from the runway fire incident that occurred at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on Monday, June 23.
23 Sept 2016. A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing experienced a ground emergency at about 12:20 p.m. EDT Sept. 23 at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
The aircraft was preparing to conduct a training mission at Mountain Home AFB at the time of the incident. However, the pilot had to egress the aircraft during engine start due to a fire from the aft section of the aircraft. The fire was extinguished quickly. As a precautionary measure, four 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit airmen, three airmen from the 366th Maintenance Group and the 61st Fighter Squadron pilot were transported to the base medical center for evaluation and have since been released.
Seven Luke F-35s are at Mountain Home Sept. 10-24 utilizing the base’s range for surface-to-air training.
23 Aug 2018. An F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron, experienced a ground mishap at on the flightline here August 22.
The F-35A experienced an in-flight emergency and returned to base. The aircraft landed safely and parked when the front nose gear collapsed. There was one person on board. Fire crews responded immediately and the pilot suffered no injuries as a result of the incident.