DOD F-35 program office, breaking the law

The U.S. Government Account Office has released two reports on the troubled F-35 program.

One on the program and "new capabilities". Another, on the F-35s faulty total logistics management system called ALIS.

The one on ALIS has no surprises. The problems have been ongoing for years and, it was years ago that fixes were promised.

The other report? Billions needed to work on Block 4 of the F-35. The problem with this is it is blue-sky marketing. The F-35 program is still in DOD procurement milestone B. That is, after all these years: early development. The primary goal of the F-35 program currently in its system design and demonstration (SDD) stage is to show a fully functional Block 3 capability. Key word: 'demonstration.'

You can look at this 2006, DOD F-35 program office briefing to get an idea of the magic that was supposed to be a complete, Block 3, F-35 SDD.

Here is what the GAO thinks of the nonsense of Block 4 today:

What GAO Recommends

Congress should consider directing DOD to manage F-35 follow-on modernization, Block 4, as a separate and distinct acquisition program with its own baseline and regular cost, schedule and performance reporting. GAO included this matter for consideration because DOD did not concur with GAO's recommendation to manage Block 4 as a separate acquisition program. GAO continues to believe this recommendation is valid as discussed in this report.

This is true. Block 4 has nothing to do with the SDD program and a finished F-35. The DOD F-35 fan-base (with the chief of the F-35 fan club being General Bogdan) has been using Block 4 as a dumping ground for all of the deferred capability  they promised, but could not do in Block 3.

No funding should be let for Block 4 until we have a final, working F-35 in finished SDD Block 3 form. None. The end of SDD signifies there is a workable product. Or, not.

The program has already broken U.S. DOD procurement law several times. It is still in DOD procurement milestone B yet it is making low-rate initial production (LRIP) aircraft. LRIP can only be performed in DOD procurement milestone C, which signifies the design of the weapon system and production methods are stable.

Initial operating capability cannot be declared with LRIP jets.

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