If he went to war, the Marine F-35B would not return home. This could be summarized as the new report by the head of the operational test section of the Pentagon, Michael Gilmore, issued a few hours ago and which follows the internal memorandum delivered in December to the Department of Defense.
"The tests on the 2B software were completed last May, but the shortcomings are obvious. The Marine Corps declared the Initial Operating Capacity last July, but if this F-35 were to go into battle, it should be supported to avoid the threats, supported in the acquisition of the targets, without considering the only two bombs carried internally, on pain of an invalid radar signature, which today can launch. The deficiencies of the Block 2B are evident even in the main systems. make the current F-2B capable of supporting a confrontation.
The current JSF is not able, without future updates, to be decisive ". According to Gilmore's report, the main problems of the 2B software were so difficult to resolve that they were transferred to the next 3i. The latter was thought to be a simple update, but the inherited shortcomings were so severe that the same Air Force refused to start testing with the new software. "The Air Force has identified five major gaps inherited from Block 2B. On paper, the Air Force should declare the Initial Operating Capacity of the F-35 between August and December of the current year. However, such projections do not There are serious problems in the overall stability of the Block 3i which, almost certainly, will not be resolved by next December. "Gilmore continues." Unlike the Marines, the Air Force does not intend to accept unstable software. Consequently also the final Block 3F software is late and will not be released as scheduled in May of the 2017. To date, a delay of at least seven months has been certified. The development of the 3F Block will not be completed before the 2018 in January. Despite the many problems and a myriad of slips on the roadmap, the Pentagon continues to invest in the program, having already authorized the acquisition of hundreds of fighters before the conclusion of the tests and possible modifications ".
In recent days the Pentagon has ordered a reluctant US Navy to convert its Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike into a tanker: its destiny will be to supply the F-35C.
(Photo: Lockheed Martin)
