By Dan Lamothe February 4, 2016 The Pentagon’s top weapons tester has condemned aspects of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in a new report, raising questions about the $1.5-trillion effort’s ability to meet its already slipped production schedule, synthesize information on the battlefield and keep aircraft available to fly. The 82-page report was distributed […]
By Ian Greenhalgh April 19, 2016 You’ve heard what the critics have to say, now let’s see what the pilots think You must have heard about the F-35 debacle by now, a sad tale of huge cost overruns and an aircraft that has been called ‘the worst thing the USA ever procured’ by some commentators. Aside from […]
By Dan Grazier April 20, 2016 Last summer, F-35 program officer Lt. Gen. Bogdan said the F-35’s logistics systemwas “the brains and blood of operating this weapons system.” Despite many fixes, the aircraft’s Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) is so flawed that government auditors believe the computer system may not be deployable. These problems may […]
By Tyler Dumont April 25,2016 The F-35 is called the most ambitious and expensive weapon system in the Department of Defense’s history, costing hundreds of billions. Eighteen of the planes are set to land in Vermont in just three years. At the core of the F-35 is a software system known as ALIS, essentially, the […]
By Ryan Browne April 27, 2016 Sen. John McCain slammed the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s troubled history Tuesday, saying it “has been both a scandal and a tragedy with respect to cost, schedule and performance.” The development of the Joint Strike Fighter, a fifth-generation stealth jet, has been beset by spiraling costs and schedule delays. […]
Apr 26, 2016 Development of New Capabilities Requires Continued Oversight What GAO Found Although the estimated F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) program acquisition costs have decreased since 2014, the program continues to face significant affordability challenges. The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to begin increasing production and expects to spend more than $14 billion annually […]
By Clay Dillow April 28, 2016 Software glitches continue to dog the nation’s newest fighter jet. Five of six Air Force F-35 fighter jets were unable to take off during a recent exercise due to software bugs that continue to hamstring the world’s most sophisticated—and most expensive—warplane. During a mock deployment at Mountain Home Air […]
By David Axe March 17, 2016 Officials are finally admitting the F-35 fighter has turned into a nightmare—but it’s too late to stop the $400 billion program now. Way back in the early 2000s, the U.S. military had a dream. To develop a new “universal” jet fighter that could do, well, pretty much everything that […]
March 23, 2016 U.S. military officials reportedly are considering alternatives that include restarting the F-22 advanced tactical fighter line or developing advanced versions of the F-15 or F/A-18 combat aircraft if the F-35 joint strike fighter program fails. The National Interest reports. [FULL ARTICLE]
By Anthony Capaccio March 31, 2016 United Technologies Corp.’s performance building engines for the F-35 fighter has been beset by “recurring manufacturing quality issues,” according to the Defense Department’s annual report on its costliest weapons program. The contractor’s Pratt & Whitney military aircraft unit met the goal for delivering engines last year, but quality deficiencies […]