F-35 PEO--aircraft and engine durability, reliability rates lagging

Via Inside Defense (subscription).

PEO: F-35 Short On Prognostics And Durability Goals, But Testing Well
The Joint Strike Fighter's program executive officer gave a somewhat mixed review of the F-35 this week, saying that flight, helmet and tailhook test progress has been excellent, but that engine and aircraft durability, reliability rates and especially prognostic capabilities are lagging.

The F-35 hook and helmet are extreme risk items. And it is odd that the hook problem was identified in 2011 and 3 years later, (over 12 years after contract award) there has been no F-35 trapping aboard ship.

The helmet is needed for lots of things, including firing the gun.

It is bad.


Yet, the boss of the DOD F-35 project thinks that test progress in this area has been "excellent".

But, he thinks that engine and aircraft durability, reliability rates and especially prognostic capabilities are lagging.

For those that have invested time in observing this program for awhile, stop and think about that.

Not counting all of the associated LRIP contracts, DOD wants to order $8.3B worth of mistake-jets in the 2015 budget.