In response to operational needs, the Pentagon has lifted a year-long freeze on accepting new F-35 stealth fighters, despite the underlying issue that led to the halt not being completely resolved.
„On July 3, Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office, in collaboration with various stakeholders, decided to proceed with the truncation plan for TR-3 software,” stated F-35 Joint Program Office spokesman Russ Goemaere. He mentioned that deliveries will recommence „in the near future,” with inside sources indicating this could happen sometime next week.
Following the publication of an article, Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35, expressed that the imminent resumption of deliveries signifies a significant step in advancing TR-3 capabilities and anticipates delivering the first TR-3 F-35s with combat training features shortly.
The freeze on F-35 deliveries initiated in July 2023 due to issues with the TR-3 software upgrade. These persistent difficulties eventually led to the acceptance of an interim software fix that will allow deliveries to resume. This interim software will facilitate training capabilities, while the full combat-capable software upgrade may still be a year away.
TR-3 software, integral to future upgrades under Block 4, has faced delays and cost overruns. Originally slated for completion in April 2023, TR-3’s budget has exceeded by around $1 billion. Despite the halt in deliveries, Lockheed has continued production; however, approximately 120 jets may remain undelivered this year, causing a backlog that could take nearly a year to clear, as per a previous Government Accountability Office report.
During the delivery freeze, the Pentagon withheld $7 million for each new F-35. The unresolved deliveries have posed challenges for F-35 customers, such as Denmark considering the relocation of F-35s for pilot training and the US Air Force experiencing setbacks due to the lack of new stealth fighters.
The decision to resume deliveries amid ongoing software issues reflects the balance between industry accountability and the operational necessity for enhanced capabilities in the F-35 program.
