F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Faces Delays and Costs

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft was grounded after a generator failure last week, with seven out of 10 aircraft returning to flight operations as the investigation into the incident continues. The Pentagon has suspended operations as a precaution, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, the Air Force and Navy System Commands, and prime contractor Lockheed Martin have collaborated to determine the root cause of the failure. Meanwhile, software development for the program is significantly behind schedule, with each of the remaining three software blocks projected to slip more than three years, according to congressional auditors.

Key Takeaways:

• Seven out of 10 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft have returned to flight operations after a generator failure.
• The grounding was suspended on March 14 for aircraft flying the older generator configuration.
• The failure was attributed to a design artifact unique to a newer configuration of the generator.
• The F-35 fleet has two generator configurations, with the newer generator in place on test aircraft AF-4, BF-5, and CF-1.
• Software development for the program is significantly behind schedule, with each of the remaining three software blocks projected to slip more than three years.
• The program to buy 2,457 aircraft by 2035 will cost some $11 billion annually.
• Defense Secretary Robert Gates delayed purchases of 242 aircraft over the five-year development period remaining and shifted $4.6 billion into that effort under a massive program restructure.
• Engineering drawings are still being released to the manufacturing floor, and design changes continue at higher rates than desired.

Statistics:

• 7 out of 10 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft returned to flight operations after a generator failure.
• 3 out of 10 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft remain grounded due to the generator failure.
• 242 aircraft purchases were delayed over a five-year development period.
• $4.6 billion was shifted into the program restructure.
• $11 billion will be spent annually to buy 2,457 aircraft by 2035.
• Software development is projected to slip more than 3 years for each of the remaining 3 software blocks.

Sources:

• Defense Daily, March 14
• Defense Daily, March 8
• House Armed Services Committee testimony
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) annual report on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program
• Defense Daily copyright 2006 Access Intelligence, LLC