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Friday, May 22, 2015
U.S. Air Force eyes ways to avert delays in more F-35 capabilities

U.S. Air Force eyes ways to avert delays in more F-35 capabilities
Markets | Thu May 21, 2015 7:55pm EDT
WASHINGTON | By Andrea Shalal
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/21/lockheed-martin-fighter-idUSL1N0YC2VS20150521

WASHINGTON May 21 The U.S. Air Force is concerned that a squadron of F-35
fighter jets scheduled for combat in August 2016 will face delays in getting
some capabilities that are expected to be delivered in a 2018 software
package, a two-star Air Force general said Thursday.

Major General Jeffrey Harrigian, who oversees the F-35 program for the Air
Force, said he would meet with officials from Lockheed Martin Corp and the
Pentagon's F-35 program office in several weeks to discuss ways to mitigate
against any delays.

The squadron would be 12 to 14 F-35 fighter jets.

U.S. officials say the $391 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the
Pentagon's costliest weapons program, has turned the corner after years of
cost overruns and schedule delays. Critics say the new jets' capabilities
will be limited in the early years of operation despite the huge investment.

Harrigian told an event hosted by the Mitchell Institute think tank that the
Air Force was keen to ensure that everything promised in the Block 3F
software due in 2018 was delivered as promised, and that no capabilities
were delayed.

He said issues had arisen during development that could affect certain
capabilities but declined to comment further since those capabilities are
classified.

Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, who runs the F-35 program for the Pentagon,
has insisted that Lockheed must deliver the 3F software with its full,
promised capability.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has proposed legislation that would
restrict some F-35 funding until the Air Force certified that the 3F
software would be delivered as promised.

Defense officials said they saw some risks of delays, but the 3F software
appeared to be on track for now.

Harrigian said the F-35 program was growing quickly, with the 123 jets now
in use in the United States to swell to over 650 jets around the world by
2020.

He said the Air Force was working closely with Marine Corps, which is due to
declare a squadron of 10 F-35 B-model jets ready for initial combat use in
July.

One key issue for both services is training enough technicians to maintain
and repair the stealthy jets.

Harrigian said key issues to work out before the Air Force milestone in 2016
included management of the mission data files required for the jet, training
of pilots to carry out certain missions, retrofits required for the 12 to 14
jets in the first squadron and completion of a smaller automated logistics
system. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Bernard Orr)

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