Sunday, December 17, 2023

Lockheed Martin Facing A Problem To Deliver F-35s Due To A Shortage Of A 'Handful Of Key Components'

Crew chiefs assigned to the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, perform a pre-flight check for an F-35A Lightning II aircraft at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Feb. 13, 2023. U.S. Air Force / Senior Airman Joshua Hastings 

EurAsian Times: Not Enough F-35s With The US To Fight A War; Lockheed Faces Huge Task Of Supplying Upgraded Jets 

At a time when it is argued that US “Air Force readiness and capacity levels are at all-time lows” and American fighter pilots are flying fewer hours compared to their counterparts in China, the Pentagon and the US lawmakers are worried that Lockheed Martin is not meeting its contractual agreements to supply enough upgraded fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets. 

Pentagon officials say that hardware for the Technology Refresh-3 upgrade is not being produced fast enough, and these shortages are slowing deliveries of the F-35’s latest upgrade, which, as a result, would cost “almost US$1 billion more than expected”. 

Read more .... 

Lockheed Martin Facing A Problem To Deliver F-35s Due To A Shortage Of A 'Handful Of Key Components' 

Newest F-35s stalled by slow production of key parts -- Defense News  

Industry isn’t building enough parts for upgraded F-35s, DOD says -- Defense One  

Lockheed F-35’s Upgrade Overrun Risks Topping $1 Billion, Top Lawmaker Says -- BNN Bloomberg  

'Handful of key components' creates F-35 fighter jet shortage -- Bulgarian Military  

Wittman Criticizes F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Program Delays -- USNI News

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The M.I.C. has really become a shell of its former self.

Anonymous said...

Time to call Maytag

Anonymous said...

Key components are made in China.

Anonymous said...

Fluoridated water has befouled our precious supply chain.

Mr Nobody said...

First important part

The anguish of the US lawmakers is understandable as the fleet of F-35 fighter jets can only fly a little over half the time since maintenance issues keep the aircraft on the ground despite the US and its allies’ growing reliance on the planes.

Reportedly, the fleet’s mission-capable rate — or the percentage of time a plane can perform one of its assigned missions — was 55 percent as of March 2023, far below the Pentagon’s goal of 85 percent to 90 percent. This ratio seems to have not improved in the subsequent months.

Second important part

However, “today, US fighter pilots are getting fewer than 130 hours a year while flying the oldest and smallest fighter fleet in US Air Force history. On the other hand, Chinese fighter pilots are getting more than 200 hours a year in much newer fighter aircraft.


Add to this, you have a small army, You are extremely low on Ammunition of all types.



And you are ramping up tensions with the Russians and Chinese?


Sounds like the leadership of America is suicidal and wants a "death by COP scenario"

Anonymous said...

The Maytag Man has them

Anonymous said...

You ever notice that things worked a lot better when Jessie White was the Maytag Repairman?

Anonymous said...

Good post mr. nobody