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Bombshell report finds some F35 fighter jets will only fly for a QUARTER of their expected life because of 'major structural issues'
By Mark Prigg For Dailymail.com19:42, 01 Feb 2019, updated 21:51, 01 Feb 2019
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According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, known as 'early block F' and bought by the Marine Corps, could fly for just 2,100 flight hours, which the report says is 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours.
The plane has been hit by a huge list of issues, and is over a decade late, with final cost estimates for the US military expected to reach $1.5 trillion.
It is being tested by military forces around the globe, with the Royal Air Force already having taken delivery of its test planes, known as the Lightning.
Although the structural issues are believed to affect only a small number of planes, the Pentagon test office 2018 annual report obtained by Bloomberg also found a huge host of flaws in all versions of the fighter, ranging from cybersecurity issues to 'unacceptable' problems with the accuracy of guns fitted to the Air Force's A version of the plane.
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The F35-B. According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, bought by the Marine Corps, could fly for just 2,100 flight hours, which the report says is 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours.
THE PROBLEMS PLAGUING THE F35
The latest Pentagon report uncovered a host of problems with all three versions of the F35
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F-35 FACT SHEET
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An Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet
Role: Stealth multirole fighter
First flight: December 15, 2006
Unit cost (not including engine):
F-35A - $98million
F-35B - $104million
F-35C - $116million
Number built: 115 (as of November 2014)
Length: 15.67m
Wingspan: 10.7m
Height: 4.33m
Max speed (F-35A): 1,930kph
The Drive, 'The appalling low durability of early F-35Bs is also something that DOT&E reports have highlighted in the past, but this is the first time there has been any concrete information on how bad the problem actually is.
It says the flaws, which have not been revealed, could be related to a 2004 project where Lockheed Martin tasked a group of engineers, known as STOVL (Short Take Off/Vertical Landing) Weight Attack Team, or SWAT, with cutting 2,700 pounds off the weight of the B model.
Proponents tout the F-35's radar-dodging stealth technology, supersonic speeds, close air support capabilities, airborne agility and a massive array of sensors giving pilots unparalleled access to information.
+10
The unveiling of the first F-35 fighter plane to be delivered to the Netherlands, which is partnering with the United States in the fighter program
+10
FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, file photo, an F-35 jet arrives at its new operational base at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. Airbus and Boeing will again hog the spotlight at the Paris Air Show with their battle for ever-larger slices of the lucrative pie in the sky. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
But the program has faced numerous delays, cost overruns and setbacks, including an engine fire in 2014 that led commanders to temporarily ground the planes.
Other problems include software bugs, technical glitches and even a faulty eject system that risked killing pilots who weighed less than 136 pounds (62 kilograms).
The plane was most recently hit with worries of pilot health.
Since May 2 2018, F-35 pilots on five occasions reported symptoms of hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation.
The Air Force says the F-35's backup oxygen system worked in each instance, and the pilot was able to land the plane safely.
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'It could range to anything from headaches, to nausea, to color-blindness,' he told the AP.
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After roaring off the Le Bourget airport tarmac into a vertical climb with its afterburner, the F-35 wows with a series of loops and gravity defying moves, showing maneuverability so catlike it can turn corners so sharp that it seems to carve squares in the sky.
+10
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II flies during a flight demonstration on the opening day of the 52nd Paris Air Show held at Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, 19 June 2017. The 2017 International Paris Air Show runs from 23 to 25 June
Planes were subsequently grounded at Luke, and only began flying again a few days ago, even though the cause of the fault has not been found.
A team of engineers, test pilots, medics and others experts are 'digging into this problem 24 hours a day,' to try to identify the cause, Canterbury said.
'It could be lack of oxygen. It could be too much oxygen, too much carbon dioxide.'
There have been similar incidents 'across a number of bases, but not in clusters like we saw at Luke.'
The local commander at Luke will decide when the planes can fly again, he said. Canterbury said the pilots will 'start flying as soon as they can. They are ready.'
Luke is a training base for F-35 pilots. Operational units have not had such issues, he said.
'It's still too early to tell the root cause,' he said. 'An airplane in development, such as this, will have teething problems.'
THE INCREDIBLE F-35 PARIS SHOW
The flight demonstration starts with an afterburner takeoff, almost immediately pointing the nose to the sky and letting the aircraft climb away essentially vertically.
This impressive move is unique to the F-22 and the F-35, the pilot says.
F-35 performs first public aerial demonstration at Paris Air Show
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Next, the F35 will reverse back in front of the crowd, and perform a 'square loop' to show the aircraft's instantaneous pitch capability and high angle-of-attack (AOA) maneuverability.
It then turns around, reverses back in front of the crowd, and perform a slow-speed pass.
+10
Afterwards, it lights up the afterburner and fly straight up into the sky once again.
It then pulls up vertically in front of the crowd to execute a 'power loop,' where the aircraft flips on its back.
Next is a spiral at 50 degrees AOA, called a 'pedal turn.'
After reversing again in front of the crowd, the last move is a maximum-G, 360-deg. turn, which highlights the maximum-rate, minimum-radius-turn capability of the aircraft.
F-35B Airborne gunfire and flying test makes naval aviation history
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By Mark Prigg For Dailymail.com19:42, 01 Feb 2019, updated 21:51, 01 Feb 2019
+10
- Pentagon test report says plane will fly for just 2,100 flight hours, 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours
- The plane has been hit by a huge list of issues, and is over a decade late
- Final cost estimates for the US military alone are expected to reach $1.5 trillion
- Also being tested by forces around the globe, including UK Royal Air Force
ADVERTISEMENT
According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, known as 'early block F' and bought by the Marine Corps, could fly for just 2,100 flight hours, which the report says is 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours.
The plane has been hit by a huge list of issues, and is over a decade late, with final cost estimates for the US military expected to reach $1.5 trillion.
It is being tested by military forces around the globe, with the Royal Air Force already having taken delivery of its test planes, known as the Lightning.
Although the structural issues are believed to affect only a small number of planes, the Pentagon test office 2018 annual report obtained by Bloomberg also found a huge host of flaws in all versions of the fighter, ranging from cybersecurity issues to 'unacceptable' problems with the accuracy of guns fitted to the Air Force's A version of the plane.
ADVERTISING
Scroll down for video
+10
The F35-B. According to Bloomberg one early version of the jet, bought by the Marine Corps, could fly for just 2,100 flight hours, which the report says is 'well under' the expected service life of 8,000 hours.
THE PROBLEMS PLAGUING THE F35
The latest Pentagon report uncovered a host of problems with all three versions of the F35
- Serious structural problems that cuts the lifespan of the B variant
- Cybersecurity issues
- 'Unacceptable' problems with the accuracy of guns fitted to the Air Force's A version of the plane
- Computerized maintenance tool known as 'ALIS' doesn't 'yet perform as intended'
- Maintenance personnel, pilots 'must deal w pervasive problems w data integrity, completeness on a daily basis'
ADVERTISEMENT
F-35 FACT SHEET
+10
An Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet
Role: Stealth multirole fighter
First flight: December 15, 2006
Unit cost (not including engine):
F-35A - $98million
F-35B - $104million
F-35C - $116million
Number built: 115 (as of November 2014)
Length: 15.67m
Wingspan: 10.7m
Height: 4.33m
Max speed (F-35A): 1,930kph
The Drive, 'The appalling low durability of early F-35Bs is also something that DOT&E reports have highlighted in the past, but this is the first time there has been any concrete information on how bad the problem actually is.
It says the flaws, which have not been revealed, could be related to a 2004 project where Lockheed Martin tasked a group of engineers, known as STOVL (Short Take Off/Vertical Landing) Weight Attack Team, or SWAT, with cutting 2,700 pounds off the weight of the B model.
Proponents tout the F-35's radar-dodging stealth technology, supersonic speeds, close air support capabilities, airborne agility and a massive array of sensors giving pilots unparalleled access to information.
+10
The unveiling of the first F-35 fighter plane to be delivered to the Netherlands, which is partnering with the United States in the fighter program
+10
FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, file photo, an F-35 jet arrives at its new operational base at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. Airbus and Boeing will again hog the spotlight at the Paris Air Show with their battle for ever-larger slices of the lucrative pie in the sky. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
But the program has faced numerous delays, cost overruns and setbacks, including an engine fire in 2014 that led commanders to temporarily ground the planes.
Other problems include software bugs, technical glitches and even a faulty eject system that risked killing pilots who weighed less than 136 pounds (62 kilograms).
The plane was most recently hit with worries of pilot health.
Since May 2 2018, F-35 pilots on five occasions reported symptoms of hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation.
The Air Force says the F-35's backup oxygen system worked in each instance, and the pilot was able to land the plane safely.
ADVERTISEMENT
'It could range to anything from headaches, to nausea, to color-blindness,' he told the AP.
+10
After roaring off the Le Bourget airport tarmac into a vertical climb with its afterburner, the F-35 wows with a series of loops and gravity defying moves, showing maneuverability so catlike it can turn corners so sharp that it seems to carve squares in the sky.
+10
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II flies during a flight demonstration on the opening day of the 52nd Paris Air Show held at Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, 19 June 2017. The 2017 International Paris Air Show runs from 23 to 25 June
Planes were subsequently grounded at Luke, and only began flying again a few days ago, even though the cause of the fault has not been found.
A team of engineers, test pilots, medics and others experts are 'digging into this problem 24 hours a day,' to try to identify the cause, Canterbury said.
'It could be lack of oxygen. It could be too much oxygen, too much carbon dioxide.'
There have been similar incidents 'across a number of bases, but not in clusters like we saw at Luke.'
The local commander at Luke will decide when the planes can fly again, he said. Canterbury said the pilots will 'start flying as soon as they can. They are ready.'
Luke is a training base for F-35 pilots. Operational units have not had such issues, he said.
'It's still too early to tell the root cause,' he said. 'An airplane in development, such as this, will have teething problems.'
THE INCREDIBLE F-35 PARIS SHOW
The flight demonstration starts with an afterburner takeoff, almost immediately pointing the nose to the sky and letting the aircraft climb away essentially vertically.
This impressive move is unique to the F-22 and the F-35, the pilot says.
F-35 performs first public aerial demonstration at Paris Air Show
Progress: 0%
00:00
Play
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time6:24
Fullscreen
Next, the F35 will reverse back in front of the crowd, and perform a 'square loop' to show the aircraft's instantaneous pitch capability and high angle-of-attack (AOA) maneuverability.
It then turns around, reverses back in front of the crowd, and perform a slow-speed pass.
+10
Afterwards, it lights up the afterburner and fly straight up into the sky once again.
It then pulls up vertically in front of the crowd to execute a 'power loop,' where the aircraft flips on its back.
Next is a spiral at 50 degrees AOA, called a 'pedal turn.'
After reversing again in front of the crowd, the last move is a maximum-G, 360-deg. turn, which highlights the maximum-rate, minimum-radius-turn capability of the aircraft.
F-35B Airborne gunfire and flying test makes naval aviation history
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
00:00
Play
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time0:45
Fullscreen
READ MORE
