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Exclusive: Pentagon report faults F-35 on software, reliability
BY ANDREA SHALAL-ESA
WASHINGTON Thu Jan 23, 2014 3:36pm EST
(Reuters) - A new U.S. Defense Department report warns that ongoing software, maintenance and reliability problems with Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 stealth fighter could delay the Marine Corps' plans to start using its F-35 jets by mid-2015.
The latest report by the Pentagon's chief weapons tester, Michael Gilmore, provides a detailed critique of the F-35's technical challenges, and focuses heavily on what it calls the "unacceptable" performance of the plane's software, according to a 25-page draft obtained by Reuters.
The report forecast a possible 13-month delay in completing testing of the Block 2B software needed for the Marine Corps to clear the jets for initial combat use next year, a priority given the high cost of maintaining current aging warplanes.
Gilmore, director of operational test and evaluation for the U.S. Defense Department, has long been critical of the $392 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Pentagon's costliest weapons program, and the latest report is no exception.
The report, due to be sent to Congress this week, said the aircraft is proving less reliable and harder to maintain than expected, and remains vulnerable to propellant fires sparked by missile strikes.
Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, the Pentagon's F-35 program chief, said in a statement to Reuters that Gilmore's report was factually accurate but did not reflect concerted efforts under way by his office and industry to address software, reliability and maintenance issues.
"The basic design of the F-35 is sound, and test results underscore our confidence in the ultimate performance that the United States and its international partners and allies value so highly," Bogdan said. "Of course, we recognize risks still exist in the program, but they are understood and manageable."
Bogdan said he remained confident that the F-35's initial combat capability would be ready in time for the U.S. Marine Corps next year, and cited a series of successful weapons tests done late last year. He said the program was about halfway through developmental testing after completing 1,153 flights and accomplishing more than 9,000 test objectives in 2013.
Lockheed is developing the F-35 for the Marines, Air Force and Navy, and eight countries that helped fund its development: Britain, Canada, Australia, Norway, Italy, Turkey, Denmark and the Netherlands. Israel and Japan have also ordered the jet.
The program, which began in 2001, is 70 percent over initial cost estimates, and years behind schedule, but top U.S. officials say it is now making progress. They have vowed to safeguard funding for the program to keep it on track.
OTHER CRITIQUES
Earlier this week, the nonprofit Center for International Policy said Lockheed had greatly exaggerated its estimate that the F-35 program sustained 125,000 U.S. jobs to shore up support for the program.
Both reports could provide fresh fodder for critics of the F-35 program, including backers of Boeing Co, which is hoping to sell the U.S. Navy more of its F/A-18 fighter jets.
But Lockheed Chief Executive Marillyn Hewson told reporters on Thursday that she saw continued support for the F-35 from the U.S. government, Congress and foreign allies.
"There's no question ... that we need the F-35. It brings a very important, unique capability for our nation," she said.
Lockheed spokesman Michael Rein said Gilmore's report confirmed the F-35 was meeting or exceeding flight test goals, and the company would continue to tackle issues as they arose.
"The challenges identified are known items and the normal discoveries found in a test program of this size and complexity," he said.
Gilmore's report acknowledged the F-35's progress in 2013 on flight testing, despite government furloughs and two fleet-wide groundings. But it said the program was still struggling to integrate the plane's "mission systems," or sensors, weapons and other equipment needed for use in military operations.
The current software generated too many nuisance warnings and resulted in poor sensor performance. Further work on software had been slowed by testing required to validate earlier fixes, the report said.
It said Lockheed had delivered F-35 jets with 50 percent or less of the software capabilities required by its production contracts with the Pentagon.
The computer-based logistics system known as ALIS was fielded with "serious deficiencies" and remained behind schedule, which affected servicing of existing jets needed for flight testing, the report said. It said the ALIS diagnostic system failed to meet even basic requirements.
But the most immediate concern involved the Block 2B version of the software that must be completed in order for the Marines to start using the jets from July 2015.
"Initial results with the new increment of Block 2B software indicate deficiencies still exist in fusion, radar, electronic warfare, navigation, electro-optical target system, distributed aperture system, helmet-mounted display system, and datalink," the report said, noting the problems could delay efforts to complete Block 2B development and flight test.
The report cited projections that the 2B software would not be completed until November 2015, 13 months later than planned. This would delay release to the F-35 fleet until July 2016, a year after the Marines want to start using the jets.
It said there is also little margin for any weight growth, and the airplane's increased use of electrical systems makes it vulnerable to lightning and missile strikes.
Bogdan said extensive studies had showed the plane's radar-evading capabilities, advanced sensors, ability to fuse data, advanced countermeasures and electronic attack equipment greatly reduced the chance that it would be hit by enemy fire.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Doina Chiacu and David Gregorio)
That's €3 billion / $4.1 billion for 14 jetsUK to spend £2.5bn on F-35 fighters
The UK is about to commit to the F-35 fighter project, a US-led effort to produce 3,000 aircraft which is set to cost more than £600bn globally.
The initial UK order for 14 F-35Bs will, with support costs added, cost about £2.5bn, Newsnight has learned.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the F-35B was an expensive plane, but one with an "incredible capability".
But critics have questioned Ministry of Defence suggestions that the jets will be combat capable by 2018.
The F35-B will be known as Lightning II in UK active service and is going to replace the already retired Harrier.
The aircraft - capable of vertical landing - will eventually be able to fly from new carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The F-35 programme is central to the future of the Royal Navy and the military aerospace sector of the economy, but it has been plagued by development problems, is years late into service and the true cost to the UK is only just becoming clear.
An F-35B Lightning II in flight
The F-35B will be known as Lightning II when it is in UK service
At one stage, the US Marines had hoped to bring the F-35 into service in 2010, but they now hope to do so late in 2015. Many industry experts say this is hopelessly optimistic.
'Number one risk'
Newsnight has learned that Britain originally intended its F-35s to enter service in 2012.
With 8.4m lines of software, it is by far the most complex fighter ever built, but a Pentagon inspector's report stated that by last summer only 2% of that code was fully up to standard. Much of the plane's software, including that needed to aim and launch weapons, remains to be proven in tests.
Aircraftmaker Lockheed Martin argues that 7.4m lines of the aircraft's software have now been tested, but one senior source familiar with Britain's F-35 programme says continuing software problems are "the number one risk" to the UK bringing it into service on time.
Former Royal Navy chief Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, who now works with Lockheed Martin, believes the new aircraft is vital to maintaining Britain's status as a serious international player.
"By the end of the decade, we are going to have a credible air capability," he said, adding that the Ministry of Defence's original commitment to buying 48 jets "will certainly not be enough".
"My job is to get the aircraft flying from the carriers as quickly as we can"
Worries about risk - financial and technological - have kept the British government from committing to bigger numbers.
Newsnight understands that the first 14 aircraft will be bought for £58m ($96m) apiece. However, once spares, maintenance and initial support are included, the price will be much higher.
'Basic weapons range'
There is concern in the MoD that observers will simply divide the approximate £2.5bn cost of this stage of the project by the 14 planes being ordered, whereas this price tag includes certain support costs for the entire, eventual UK fleet.
One Pentagon estimate last year for an aircraft plus support costs for the first few years came out at £154m ($253m) each.
In planning its own buy, Britain has shown a little more caution than the hard-charging US Marine Corps.
It's planned that the 14 aircraft will form the first operational squadron in 2018, and that by 2020 they will be able to fly from HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Justin Bronk, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, said that even by then, they might be capable only of "going through the motions" - taking off and landing - and not using the more advanced weapons in the RAF inventory.
HMS Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth
Work on HMS Queen Elizabeth has been taking place at Babcock's Rosyth dockyard
People in the MoD say they are confident the aircraft will be "combat capable", with a basic range of bombs and missiles, by 2018, although they concede that getting some of the RAF's more advanced missiles to work with the F-35 will not happen before 2022.
However, others in the industry have suggested that 2025 might be a more realistic date for full combat capability, and that funding to "integrate" some of these weapons with the F-35 could come under threat at some future point.
'Air force backbone'
Mr Hammond said: "[The F-35] will be the world's most sophisticated fighter aircraft with a high level of stealth capability, so it will be able to penetrate enemy defences with very little radar signature, which makes it a very versatile and capable piece of equipment.
"And it will provide a backbone to our air forces, including our carrier power projection for many years to come."
He added of the software issues: "It would be a mistake to think of this as a software that will be completely written when the aircraft comes into service.
"There will be updates of software throughout the life of these aircraft, adding capability as well as dealing with any specific issues that arise when the aircraft is in use."
Watch the Philip Hammond interview and the F-35 film in full on Newsnight on Tuesday 11 February at 2230 on BBC Two and then afterwards on the BBC iPlayer and Newsnight website.
Thats what the article exactly states: "MoD fears observers will simply take the total project costs and divide it by 14." EUR3 Billion includes the money for level 1 participation as well, like NL paid 800 million. If you calculate this way the cost seems incredible, but you should not calculate price per aircraft in this way. the UK contributed $2,5 Billion to enter level one partnership. So that brings the price of the 14 aircraft purchase (including spares etc) to $1.6 Billion or so (most likely a bit more due to the fact that these are B models and spares etc are included. 1.6 Billion would give 114 Million dollar per plane for LRIP-9 and 10). As comparison, an LRIP-7 F-35 excluding engine costs $104 million. Price for LRIP-9 and 10 should be considerably lower due to heavy increase of production.Richard from Rotterdam wrote:That's €3 billion / $4.1 billion for 14 jets
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