The Pentagon testing office has described the introduction of the F35 as “stagnant” and beset by a multitude of problems. The F35 has promised amazing capabilities, such as being a modular fighter that can be used by each branch of the military, advanced sensors that can identify and engage targets farther than any other fighter, and the ability to network with less advanced fighters and even ships. But the most expensive fighter in history is entering a critical combat testing phase where it must show more results than issues.
After ending the 16-year development phase, the availability of F-35s has remained at about 50% despite receiving dozens of additional aircraft. There is a bottleneck of spare parts that leaves many fighters grounded, and the mechanical sensors on the planes are overly sensitive, which result in parts being labelled as malfunctioning although actually performing to standards.
The software needed to run all of the systems has gone through 31 iterations and still has numerous remaining deficiencies. Overall, the Pentagon report calculates there are over 1,000 unresolved problems for the aircraft. Some of these problems include substandard tires on the F-35B, the primary flight maintenance system called ALIS, aerial refueling systems (which are critical for a gas-hungry plane), the pilot’s helmet display, air to air missiles, and the aforementioned bottleneck of parts.
Overall, the Pentagon report calculates there are over 1,000 unresolved problems for the aircraft.
Officials plan to address these issues and run the necessary tests by 2019. Considering the aggressive China in the South China Sea, the new missiles from Russia, and continuing tension across the Middle East, South Asia, and North Korea, it’s important for the new platforms to deliver on their promises. On top of that, the taxpayers, who fund these programs at the cost of more schools, hospitals, and better roads, deserve to receive what they paid for: an amazing fighter that better protects the country and advances American interests at a decent cost.
The jury is still out on the overall effectiveness, but this report is very concerning and hopefully acts as a diagnosis for getting the F-35 back on track for delivering an advanced air superiority fighter.
