The U.S. Department of Defense has accepted 36 upgraded F-35 fighter jets since lifting a yearlong delivery pause in July 2024. The Pentagon halted the acceptance of enhanced F-35s in July 2023 due to issues with the aircraft’s upgraded Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) hardware and software. Lockheed Martin developed an interim software solution that allowed the jets to be delivered and used for combat training missions. Lt. Gen.
Michael Schmidt, the F-35 program executive officer, said these aircraft are now being safely deployed from Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The exact number of F-35s built and stored during the delivery pause is not known, but it is believed to be in the dozens. Determining the delivery order has been complex, with multiple nations and three branches of the U.S. military waiting for their overdue aircraft.
The newly delivered F-35s are not yet combat-capable. Lt. Gen. Schmidt hopes these aircraft will be ready for combat by 2025, but acknowledged ongoing work to ensure similar delays do not occur again.
Pentagon receives upgraded F-35 jets
He emphasized the need for improved industry accountability and better investment in laboratory infrastructure. The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has taken steps to improve software development. They brought in an independent review team to analyze the program’s software status and pushed Lockheed Martin to invest more in this area.
The JPO is also withholding about $5 million per aircraft from Lockheed Martin until TR-3’s combat capability is fully validated. The delays with TR-3 have had broader impacts on the F-35 program. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall acknowledged that Block 4 upgrades have been substantially delayed.
The program is reassessing each Block 4 capability to determine their technical maturity, feasibility, and cost, with the aim of finalizing a plan by next spring. “This is the best fighter in the world,” Schmidt said. “We need to continue to keep it the best fighter in the world.”
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