Program Leader Says High Costs Pose ‘Existential Threat’ to F-35
Summary
Current Pentagon plans call for procuring more than 2,400 of the platforms — including the A, B and C variants operated by the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, respectively — at a cost of about $400 billion. And that cost happens not just in development, not just in production, but in sustainment as well.”Problems associated with technology refresh 3, or TR3, are impacting the move to Block 4 capabilities which are needed for the jet to be effective in a future high-end fight against advanced adversaries, Fick noted. While a handful of the new capabilities have already been delivered, the tech refresh is needed to enable the remainder of the 70 or so upgrades planned for Block 4, which includes 14 new weapons and a number of software-enabled systems.“Now we have a cost overrun and weve got some schedule slips on TR3,” Fick said. He noted that the Joint Program Office is working with F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin and subcontractor L3Harris to address the issues and try to keep the initiative on track.The new hardware was slated to be added during Lot 15 production beginning in 2023. “Driving cost out of that piece is really the next lever” for making sustainment more affordable.That goal “is really kind of at the heart of the conversation that weve had about a performance-based logistics contract with Lockheed Martin,” he added.Fick’s comments came at a time when the program is under fire from key lawmakers and other observers for cost overruns and technology problems, and the Air Force is conducting a tac-air study of its fighter portfolio.Air Force leaders are considering what mix of platforms will be needed to compete against advanced adversaries such as China in the 2030s.