The F-35 Joint Program Office has temporarily halted flight operations for a number of F-35s with higher flight hours after finding two new parts that will require inspection on older models of the jets. (MC3 Matthew Freeman/Navy)
Defense News: Some F-35s grounded again for new round of inspections
WASHINGTON — The F-35 Joint Program Office temporarily has halted flight operations for a number of F-35s with higher flight hours after finding two new parts that will require inspection on older models of the jets.
A spokesman for the F-35 JPO, who confirmed the issue exclusively to Defense News and Marine Corps Times, declined to detail exactly how many jets may possibly be grounded as a result of the inspections. However, one source close to the program said that only a couple dozen F-35Bs meet the criteria where an operational pause would be necessary.
“The joint government and industry technical team has completed their assessment of the fuel supply tubes within the Pratt & Whitney engine on F-35 aircraft,” the F-35 Joint Program Office announced in a statement. “In addition to the previously identified failed tube, the analysis has identified two additional fuel supply tubes that require inspection.”
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Update: Some F-35 jets grounded over new fuel systems problem (Washington Examiner)
WNU Editor: Even with these "problems" Belgium has decided to buy a lot of F-35s .... Belgium picks Lockheed's F-35 over Eurofighter on price (Reuters).
1 comment:
The safety agencies with in the services are at work.
Bugs are being ironed out.
IT would be alarming if there were losses and nothing was done and no one was curious or attempted the staunch the flow.
These stand downs are heartening, so long as uptime continues to increase.
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