Latest news with #TR-3
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
F-35s to get new capabilities with summer software update
AURORA, Colo. — Lockheed Martin hopes to begin rolling out early Block 4 capabilities to the F-35 this summer, a senior company official said Monday. Chauncey McIntosh, vice president and general manager of Lockheed's F-35 program, said at the Air and Space Forces Association's AFA Warfare Symposium here that the company plans to drop an update to the F-35′s Technology Refresh 3 software, which will enable new features. The TR-3 software update will bring the aircraft type closer to being able to fly in combat, he said. 'Our warfighters are going to see a much higher increase of stability in that software' once the update is in place, McIntosh said. TR-3 is a series of upgrades to the F-35′s computer memory, processing power, and displays, which are intended to make the jet more capable and pave the way for a subsequent series of more substantial improvements known as Block 4. McIntosh said in a briefing with reporters Monday that Block 4 will bring the F-35 improved sensors, better sensor fusion, and an expanded array of weapons the fighter can carry. In an interview with Defense News after the briefing, McIntosh declined to specify which Block 4 upgrades are on their way later this year, saying the details are secret. 'There are some things coming that the warfighter is going to be excited to receive,' he said. A previous Block 4 capability that was dramatically accelerated in the F-35 was the adoption of the automatic ground collision avoidance system, or auto-GCAS. That life-saving technology automatically pulls a jet up if the pilot is unresponsive and the jet senses it is diving into the ground. Officials began installing the capability in 2019. TR-3′s rollout was snarled by lingering software and hardware problems that caused the government to refuse deliveries of dozens of new F-35s for about a year. The delivery halt was lifted in July 2024, after Lockheed Martin developed an interim version of the TR-3 software that would allow pilots to fly training missions, and then combat training. But the jets are still not able to fly in combat, and the government is withholding millions of dollars from Lockheed until the jets are certified to be combat capable. The F-35 Joint Program Office said earlier this year that it hopes the TR-3 jets will be combat capable by the end of 2025, but Lockheed's chief financial officer said in a January earnings call that it might slip to early 2026. It remains unclear whether F-35s will reach full combat capability this year. McIntosh said it will be up to the military services and international partners flying the jets to decide whether they are ready for combat. He did not directly answer when asked whether Lockheed will be able to deliver all the elements needed for a combat-ready designation by the end of this year. Lockheed expects to deliver between 170 and 190 F-35s this year, as it works through the backlog from the TR-3 delays. That would be up from the roughly 110 it delivered in 2024. McIntosh told reporters Lockheed and the government expect to define the terms of the next F-35 contract, for Lot 18 of the jets, in the second quarter of 2025. Although that contract has not yet been definitized, he said, the company is keeping the rising costs of the jet under inflation. He highlighted the price of steel as one example of a material that goes into an F-35 that has seen significant inflation in recent years. When asked how the Trump administration's 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum might affect the F-35 program, McIntosh said Lockheed is monitoring their economic effects. He declined to speculate on how Lockheed might respond to tariff-driven increases in the supply chain, but said in the past the company has sought to find new ways to get cheaper materials, such as hunting for alternative vendors or adopting different buying techniques.
Asia Times
17-02-2025
- Business
- Asia Times
Why the F-35 is on DOGE's chopping block
Plagued by delays, software glitches and cybersecurity flaws, the US$2 trillion F-35 stealth jet fighter program is expected to come under fire when the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) launches its probe into the Pentagon's books. Musk has referred to the crucial defense program as a 'flop' and its builders 'idiots', even before his DOGE investigators have dug in. That assessment collides with at least one US Air Force leader who says Musk is overestimating the capability of drones to replace fighter jets in actual warfighting. To be sure, Musk's criticisms have merit. A declassified February 2024 assessment by the US Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) revealed that the F-35 program faces significant challenges despite its promise of tech-driven, cutting-edge capabilities. The F-35's so-called 'Block 4' development and operational testing has highlighted several critical issues that have hindered the program's effectiveness and operational suitability, according to the publicly available assessment report. For one, the Continuous Capability Development and Delivery (C2D2) process intended to deliver incremental Block 4 capabilities every six months has not met expectations, resulting in significant delays, the report said. The Tech Refresh 3 (TR-3) avionics upgrade aims to provide enough computing power for Block 4 capabilities, including new sensor suites, long-range weapons, electronic warfare, data fusion and cross-platform interoperability. However, the TR-3 software version 30R08 remains incomplete after over two years of development, with deficiencies introduced into previously delivered capabilities. Due to insufficient modeling and simulation resources, the developmental process relies heavily on a fly-fix-fly approach, which has exacerbated delays. Those setbacks mean dedicated operational testing of TR-3 upgraded F-35s may not happen until 2026, two years after TR-3 was initially delivered. Cybersecurity testing of updated software versions of the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) has revealed unresolved vulnerabilities, while the transition to a new cloud-based Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN) has yet to resolve many persistent issues. ODIN's hardware deployment has improved speed but still runs on ALIS software, delaying the expected benefits of containerized applications and frequent updates. Maintenance metrics for all F-35 variants remain below Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Operational Requirements Document (ORD) thresholds, with critical failures requiring twice the expected repair time. Reliability indicators, such as Mean Flight Hours Between Critical Failures, are consistently below standards. Operational availability rates for the F-35 fleet are also below target, driven by spare parts shortages and high maintenance demands. These issues have delayed full-rate production and compromised the aircraft's readiness for combat scenarios at a time when China is massively upgrading its air fleet. These issues may explain Musk's pre-emptive criticism of the F-35, including the billionaire tech tycoon's berating of its designers, lambasting its design, and questioning of its stealth capabilities and utility compared to drones. However, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall argues that Musk's perspective is that of an engineer, not a warfighter, saying that his vision of drone superiority is still many years away. While Kendall says his vision for the F-35 is that the aircraft should work in tandem with drones, it will not be replaced soon. He stresses that the F-35 is superior to 4th-generation fighter aircraft in every way and will stay in service until the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform is operational. Considering the F-35's myriad issues, Musk isn't off the mark in his critiques. A December 2024 US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report highlights that C2D2's software changes frequently introduced stability issues and disrupted other system functionalities. Further, in a May 2024 Air & Space Forces Magazine article, John Tirpak says that F-35 pilots rebooted the TR-3 program multiple times in the air and on the ground during tests. According to Tirpak, even if the TR-3 upgrade is fully approved, an F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) spokesperson mentions that frequent patches and updates may still be needed to correct deficiencies. In a November 2024 Project for Government Oversight (POGO) article, Greg William points out ALIS shortcomings. The software, supposed to be the backbone of F-35 maintenance, has shown poor reliability and high false alarm rates due to new aircraft hardware or software updates, impeding rather than facilitating maintenance. In an article for Global Defense Technology, Grant Turnbull discusses ALIS' vulnerability to cyberattack. Turnbull says the system's global interconnectedness and reliance on data sharing across various nodes create multiple entry points for hackers, posing significant risks. Turnbull mentions that successful cyberattacks could disrupt maintenance schedules by preventing essential software updates or parts ordering, effectively grounding aircraft. Moreover, he notes that malware could insert false information into ALIS, leading to the unnecessary grounding of serviceable aircraft. He points out that ALIS's complexity, compounded by single points of failure, such as Central Points of Entry (CPE) and the Autonomous Logistics Operating Unit (ALOU), further exacerbates the vulnerability. Additionally, he states that cyber adversaries could potentially extract critical performance data, compromising operational security. Compounding the F-35's software woes, a September 2023 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report mentions that the aircraft suffers from multiple maintenance issues, such as overreliance on contractors limiting government influence and decision-making ability, inadequate training for F-35 maintenance, lack of access to technical data, deprioritized funding for maintenance facilities, and lack of spare parts. The F-35's operational readiness rates have also plummeted. A January 2024 DOT&E report mentions that the F-35 fleet's average availability stood at 51%, far below the 65% target. The Full Mission Capable (FMC) rate was only 30% across the US fleet and 9% for the operational test fleet, the report said. Combat-coded aircraft fared better, achieving 61% availability and 48% FMC, though are still short of expectations. Critical reliability and maintainability metrics are also unmet – particularly for the F-35C, which failed to achieve any Operational Requirements Document (ORD) thresholds. The F-35A and F-35B met some reliability targets but faced corrective maintenance times exceeding thresholds by up to 278%. Rising Not Mission Capable for Supply (NMC-S) rates at 27% indicate worsening logistics. Persistent software instability and shortages in engine parts compound these issues. The report says that despite improvements in maintenance and supply chains, these readiness gaps undermine the F-35's ability to meet operational demands and require immediate corrective measures. Military Watch mentions in an article this month that, in contrast, China's J-20 stealth fighter has integrated more stable software and its development seems to be progressing with few signs of any issues. However, China's military modernization is opaque compared to the US, so such matters may not be made public. Still, the implications for the air balance of power in the Pacific may be significant, where the F-22 and F-35 may be the only aircraft capable of matching China's growing fleet of 5th-generation stealth aircraft in a conflict in the Taiwan Strait or South China Sea.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Key tests for latest F-35s will begin in 2026, two years after rollout
An important series of tests for the latest upgrades to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will likely not begin until two years after these jets started hitting the field — and at least three years following their original due date. The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation said in its annual report, submitted to Congress on Jan. 31, that dedicated operational tests for the F-35's Technology Refresh 3, or TR-3, upgrades will probably start in mid to late fiscal 2026, or around next summer. Those tests are intended to determine whether TR-3 is operationally effective. Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt, the military's F-35 program executive officer, said in a statement to Defense News that as of January, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 100 TR-3 equipped fighters. All of those jets have software allowing its pilots to conduct training flights, including combat training. 'We are aggressively implementing comprehensive test plans to ensure this critical upgrade delivers cutting-edge capabilities to the warfighter,' Schmidt said. 'The F-35 [Joint Program Office] remains focused on working through known risks to deliver TR-3 combat capability in 2025. The capability will continue to be improved in future lots to ensure warfighters have what they need to win in future conflicts.' An official with knowledge of the operational test program for the F-35, who spoke about the program on the condition of anonymity, said that starting operational testing next year would not delay the fielding of the newest jets. 'It is not uncommon for fielding decisions to come before operational testing is complete,' the official said. The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation said the TR-3 tests can't begin until its software is stable and aircraft modifications, flight test instruments and open-air battle shaping capabilities are in place. But if those systems and software are matured and in place sooner than expected, testing could start earlier, the office said. Pentagon to accept deliveries of Lockheed F-35s after yearlong pause The delayed launch of the TR-3 tests is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Lockheed Martin-made fighter, which have caused efforts to modernize the program to slip further behind. TR-3 is a set of improvements to the F-35′s hardware and software, which include better displays, computer memory and processing power. TR-3 was originally set to be released in April 2023, but software problems and integration difficulties stalled the program. The Pentagon refused to accept deliveries of the newest F-35s until July 2024, when an interim version of the TR-3 software that allows the jets to conduct training flights was completed. But the TR-3-enabled F-35s can't yet carry out combat missions. And while the F-35 Joint Program Office still hopes to have the jets combat ready in 2025, the timeline might slip further. In a January earnings call, Lockheed Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave said the work might not be finished until early 2026. The delays in TR-3 are also having cascading effects on subsequent improvements to the F-35 – particularly another modernization program called Block 4 – which is intended to allow the jet to carry more weapons, better recognize targets and improve its electronic warfare capabilities. The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation criticized the F-35 program's lack of progress in rolling out necessary software. 'The F-35 program has shown no improvement in meeting schedule and performance timelines for developing and testing software designed to address deficiencies and add new capabilities,' the office's annual report said.
