{"id":32265,"date":"2022-12-07T19:57:51","date_gmt":"2022-12-07T19:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2022\/12\/07\/pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:15:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:15:48","slug":"pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2022\/12\/07\/pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilot program for F-35 maintainers ends with little fanfare"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A three-year experiment to streamline maintenance on the Air Force\u2019s F-35A Lightning II fighter jets has ended with lackluster results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The service\u2019s \u201cLightning Technician Program\u201d began as a smaller effort in 2017 and grew into a pilot program with hundreds of maintainers at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and Luke AFB, Arizona, in 2019. It ended in June 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Officials saw the idea as a way to become more agile in combat and expand airmen\u2019s knowledge. The initiative echoed several other Air Force efforts aimed at creating \u201cmulti-capable airmen,\u201d rather than specialists in a single skill set.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2022\/11\/23\/users-of-the-f-35-huddle-in-italy-to-tout-joint-maintenance-plans\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/21274943322_e653de7aa4_k.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Users of the F-35 huddle in Italy to tout joint maintenance plans<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Italy hopes that pooling maintenance will encourage users to send jets to its fledgeling F-35 maintenance hub at Cameri air base in the country&#039;s north.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe intent of combining the career fields was to create cross-functional capabilities, increase maintenance flexibility, and reduce our combat support operations footprint,\u201d Air Combat Command spokesperson Capt. Laura Hayden said. \u201cUltimately, the LTP concept did not meet the needs of the Air Force enterprise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project tried to consolidate the work of six different maintenance specialties \u2014 engines, avionics, stealth components, fuel, egress and weapons \u2014 into two career fields: air vehicle mechanic and mission systems technician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It relied on teams of eight maintainers, comprising five air vehicle mechanics and three mission systems technicians. Airmen were qualified for those new titles after 18 months of on-the-job training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have avionics technicians who are performing egress specialties and we have F-35 crew chiefs who are now fuel systems and low-observable [systems] technicians,\u201d Capt. Christopher McLeod, the 421st Fighter Generation Squadron\u2019s operations director at Hill, said in a release last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/04\/30\/fighter-wings-try-a-fresh-approach-to-combat-maintenance\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"159\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/55th-Fighter-Generation-Squadron.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Fighter wings try a fresh approach to combat maintenance<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Two Air Force fighter jet wings are the first to try a new approach to maintenance that aims to improve quality of life for the crews that keep the service\u2019s premiere planes running.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the course of the pilot, the Air Force found ways to improve at launching, landing, servicing and inspecting its F-35s. The service currently owns about 400 of the advanced stealth fighters, touted as a centerpiece of the future force despite a high price tag and lingering design and supply chain issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hayden said Air Combat Command didn\u2019t directly study how the changes affected F-35 readiness metrics, like how often its parts broke, turnaround time for repairs, or how often sorties were canceled because of maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Master Sgt. Derek Coldiron, the 56th Maintenance Group\u2019s F-35 integrated maintenance superintendent at Luke, noted that initial data showed turnaround times fell by about 20%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNot everybody\u2019s housed within one unit, so you have to rely on outside agencies to come in and care for specific tasks,\u201d he said in a release last year. \u201cBy consolidating career fields, bringing everyone into one unit, you significantly reduce aircraft downtime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2019\/02\/08\/the-air-force-still-has-a-serious-maintainer-staffing-problem-gao-says-but-no-strategy-to-fix-it\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Maintainer_F22.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">The Air Force still has a serious maintainer staffing problem, GAO says \u2014 but no strategy to fix it<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">GAO found troubling signs of poor morale among Air Force maintainers and declining enlistment rates.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McLeod added that Hill could perform 70% of the same tasks as a larger staff with up to 50% fewer people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not everyone was a fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis program needs to \u2026 die fast!!\u201d one Redditor complained in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their problems: \u201cWorking conditions, hours, how [noncommissioned officer] crew chiefs talk to us like we\u2019re idiots [and try] to educate us on how to do a job we never went to tech school for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked how the service kept airmen from burning out while juggling multiple jobs, Hayden said training for new specialties didn\u2019t add much to the workload because most of that learning took place in the course of a normal workday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force may still adopt aspects of the program, as the Marine Corps tries out the idea for itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Twelve Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, visited Luke in May to learn about the pilot program and implement it at their own base for the F-35B variant, which is able to vertically take off and land in remote spots overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2022\/02\/14\/us-air-force-fleets-mission-capable-rates-are-stagnating-heres-the-plan-to-change-that\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/F-15-refueling-KC-135.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US Air Force fleet\u2019s mission-capable rates are stagnating. Here\u2019s the plan to change that.<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Air Force has spent the past four years making a concerted push to ready its planes for war. It\u2019s gained almost no ground.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hayden said the Air Force is adding \u201copportunities for \u2026 mission generation\u201d into existing training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LTP\u2019s approach works best when airmen start to learn other specialties once they become a \u201cjourneyman\u201d in their primary field, Hayden said. That typically happens after spending about three years in the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLessons learned from the trial provided a framework for further training concepts to develop a multi-capable airman in the future,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cUltimately, the [Lightning Technician Program] concept did not meet the needs of the Air Force enterprise,\u201d the service said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":71950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":7,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[7,160,36],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3484],"class_list":["post-32265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-air","category-daily-news-roundup","category-newsletters"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"6AKJEJXVSZGI7O5A6I7TG5AKFY","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2022\/12\/07\/pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pilot program for F-35 maintainers ends with little fanfare - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cUltimately, the concept did not meet the needs of the Air Force enterprise,\u201d the service said.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pilot program for F-35 maintainers ends with little fanfare\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cUltimately, the concept did not meet the needs of the Air Force enterprise,\u201d the service said.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2022\/12\/07\/pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Defense News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-12-07T19:57:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T21:15:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel S. 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Cohen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/defensenews\\\/air\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/07\\\/pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/defensenews\\\/air\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/07\\\/pilot-program-for-f-35-maintainers-ends-with-little-fanfare\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/defensenews\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": 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