August 30, 2018 | International, Aerospace
The Pentagon is trying to paper over serious problems with the F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft that could endanger troops, according to an investigation released Wednesday by the Project On Government Oversight.
An oversight board looking at development of the high-tech fighter made by Lockheed Martin decided in June to downgrade 19 of the aircraft's most severe deficiencies without a plan for fixes, the watchdog group found.
The moves could help speed up the F-35 program, the most expensive in Pentagon history, as it moves into a critical phase of development, said Dan Grazier, a military fellow at POGO and long-time program watcher.
“They want to be able to go up to Capitol Hill and say, ‘Nope, we don't have any more Category 1 deficiencies,'” Grazier said.
Those types of deficiencies can lead to death and injury, loss of the aircraft or a halt to the F-35 production line. The 19 Category 1 deficiencies downgraded by the F-35 Deficiency Review Board on June 4 included an emergency alert system for when pilots eject and a system for bombing coordinates that could protect troops on the ground from friendly fire.
The issues were moved to Category II status, which can impede a military mission, according to board meeting minutes obtained by POGO. Overall, the Government Accountability Office found the F-35 has 111 of the most severe Category 1 problems and 855 deficiencies classified as Category II.
“This is not how the development process is supposed to work,” according to the watchdog's investigation.
The Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin did not immediately comment on the POGO investigation.
The next big hurdle for the F-35 comes on Sept. 15, which is the deadline for initial test and evaluation of the aircraft. The tri-service fighters are billed as the most advanced in the world and are chock full of new military technology. The Air Force and Marine Corps variants are already in operational use. The Navy's version is expected to be deemed ready to deploy next year.
“We are obviously just three weeks away from that, so the big rush to kind of clear up these paperwork issues is to try to meet that deadline,” Grazier said. “Having these deficiencies, it actually increases the likelihood that the program will not pass IOT&E.”
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RESPONSES DUE BY JULY 2ND AT 4 PM EASTERN PLEASE NOTE THE SHORT DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS TO THE BELOW The TCS and the Defence Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC, would like to make you, your clients, and your contacts aware of a broad call by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for prototype and mature technology related to 10 different topic areas, all aimed at improving the efficacy of first responders (police, fire, emergency medical technicians, etc.) All information can be found in the attachments here: https://sam.gov/opp/ccbc46b2d28241bab3eedea6dc7932d3/view Before making a submission, the TCS encourages firms to speak with DHS to have their questions answered and ensure their submission covers the appropriate information. Once a submission is made, DHS can no longer speak with potential applicants. Companies can contact Trade Commissioner Bobby Tate for an introduction to DHS if needed – Robert.tate@international.gc.ca Applicants will also need to register on the DHS's portal - https://baa2.st.dhs.gov/ DHS is targeting technologies at either TRL 3-4 or TRL 5-6, with the goal of raising them to TRL 7+ through this program. Initial submissions are in the form of a white paper, maximum of 10 single-sided pages. These will be rated within 30 days, and those of interest to DHS will be asked to make a more detailed full proposal. The 10 topic areas are listed here for easy reference, but companies should check the above SAM.gov site for full information: 1. Updated Law Enforcement Duty Uniform 2. Low Profile Riot Protection Gear 3. Riot Protection Helmet 4. Less-Lethal Chemical Irritant (CI) For Crowd Control 5. Less-Lethal Options for Crowd Environments 6. Tracking Criminal Actors in Large Crowds 7. Multi-spectrum Laser Detection 8. Multi-spectrum Laser Eyewear Protection 9. Rapidly Deployed Physical Barriers for Area Denial 10. Threat Characterization and Research and Development Solutions General questions on working with DHS should be referred to Trade Commissioner Bobby Tate at the above email address. TCS colleagues, please link referrals to opportunity # 1-1NL3E1 for tracking. Bobby Tate Trade Commissioner, Defence and Aerospace | Délégué commercial, défense et aérospatiale Robert.Tate@international.gc.ca Telephone | Téléphone (202) 682-7744 Facsimile | Télécopieur (202) 682-7618 Embassy of Canada 501 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada