14 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Update: F-35 test fleet struggles with low readiness rates as key deadline approaches

Pat Host, Washington, DC

Key Points
The F-35 programme's test fleet has a fully mission-capable rating that is roughly 10% of its goal
This could make it difficult for the Pentagon to make an educated decision on whether to enter full-rate production
The Pentagon's Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) test fleet has a fully mission-capable rate of 8.7% compared with an 80% goal, causing one watchdog to question whether the programme can accomplish all of its initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) test points before the phase ends.

Dan Grazier, military fellow with the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) watchdog group in Washington, DC, said the Pentagon plans to make its full-rate production (FRP) decision by the rapidly approaching end of fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) or early FY 2020. The fiscal year changes on 1 October. If the F-35 programme cannot accomplish all its IOT&E test points by this deadline, Grazier said the Pentagon cannot make an informed decision on FRP.

The FY 2016 Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) report called for an 80% availability rate to conduct an efficient IOT&E and support sustained combat operations. According to an F-35 programme briefing slide provided by POGO and dated 19 July 2019, the 8.7% rate is an improvement from 4.7% in May.

https://www.janes.com/article/90429/update-f-35-test-fleet-struggles-with-low-readiness-rates-as-key-deadline-approaches?from_rss=1

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 17, 2019

    18 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 17, 2019

    DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose, California, was awarded a competitive, firm-fixed-price, single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (HC1084-19-D-0004) for Cisco Smart Net Total Care Joint Enterprise License Agreement (JELA) II. The contract ceiling is $724,096,866. The period of performance is for one base year period with a one-year option. The period of performance for the base year is June 18, 2019, through June 17, 2020, and the option year follows consecutively through June 17, 2021. The place of performance will be across the Department of Defense. The solicitation was issued as other competitive action pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code §2304(c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source, and no other supplies or services, will satisfy agency requirements. Four proposals were received. 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    8 septembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Easy Aerial Selected Finalist in USAF AFWERX FUSION Challenge

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    22 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

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