{"id":35491,"date":"2019-06-12T09:30:44","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T09:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/06\/12\/the-pentagon-is-battling-the-clock-to-fix-serious-unreported-f-35-problems\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:50:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:50:05","slug":"the-pentagon-is-battling-the-clock-to-fix-serious-unreported-f-35-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2019\/06\/12\/the-pentagon-is-battling-the-clock-to-fix-serious-unreported-f-35-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pentagon is battling the clock to fix serious, unreported F-35 problems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 Over the past several years, U.S. Defense Department leaders have gone from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2018\/04\/12\/f-35-program-office-wraps-up-final-developmental-flight-test\/\" target=_blank>citing technical problems as their biggest concern<\/a> for the F-35 program to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2018\/11\/14\/lockheed-gets-6b-downpayment-to-start-f-35-block-buy\/\" target=_blank>bemoaning the expense<\/a> of buying and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/05\/02\/one-of-the-f-35s-cost-goals-may-be-unattainable\/\" target=_blank>sustaining the aircraft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the reality may be worse. According to documents exclusively obtained by Defense News, the F-35 continues to be marred by flaws and glitches that, if left unfixed, could create <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/news\/2018\/10\/25\/some-f-35s-grounded-again-for-new-round-of-inspections\/\" target=_blank>risks to pilot safety<\/a> and call into question the fighter jet\u2019s ability to accomplish key parts of its mission:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">F-35B and F-35C pilots, compelled to observe limitations on airspeed to avoid damage to the F-35\u2019s airframe or stealth coating. Cockpit pressure spikes that cause \u201cexcruciating\u201d ear and sinus pain. Issues with the helmet-mounted display and night vision camera that contribute to the difficulty of landing the F-35C on an aircraft carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/\" target=_blank><b>Click here for more on the hidden troubles of the F-35.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are some of the problems with the jet that the documents describe as category 1 deficiencies \u2014 the designation given to major flaws that impact safety or mission effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thirteen of the most serious flaws are described in detail, including the circumstances associated with each issue, how it impacts F-35 operations and the Defense Department\u2019s plans to ameliorate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All but a couple of these problems have escaped intense scrutiny by Congress and the media. A few others have been briefly alluded to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/04\/25\/government-watchdog-finds-more-problems-with-f-35s-spare-parts-pipeline\/\" target=_blank>in reports by government watchdog groups<\/a>.<\/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\/air\/2019\/02\/01\/bad-data-in-f-35-logistics-system-resulting-in-lost-missions\/\" 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\/4983561.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\">Bad data in F-35 logistics system resulting in lost missions<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Ever wonder what&#039;s driving down the F-35&#039;s mission capable rates? Here&#039;s one factor.<\/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\">But the majority of these problems have not been publicly disclosed, exposing a lack of transparency about the limitations of the Defense Department\u2019s most expensive and high-profile weapons system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These problems impact far more operators than the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy customer base. Eleven countries \u2014 Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Turkey and the United Kingdom \u2014 have all selected the aircraft as their future fighter of choice, and nine partner nations have contributed funds to the development of the F-35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taken together, these documents provide evidence that the F-35 program is still grappling with serious technical problems, even as it finds itself in a key transitional moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And the clock is ticking. By the end of 2019, Defense Department leaders are set to make a critical decision on whether to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/2018\/12\/07\/after-a-couple-months-delay-the-f-35-moves-into-operational-tests\/\" target=_blank>shut the door on the F-35\u2019s development stage<\/a> and move forward with full-rate production. During this period, the yearly production rate will skyrocket from the 91 jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin in 2018 to upward of 160 by 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally speaking, the department\u2019s policy calls for all deficiencies to be closed before full-rate production starts. This is meant to cut down on expensive retrofits needed to bring existing planes to standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2567\" height=\"1846\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-77420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg 2567w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg?resize=300,216 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg?resize=768,552 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg?resize=1024,736 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg?resize=1536,1105 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/170125-F-GX122-028.JPG.jpg?resize=2048,1473 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2567px) 100vw, 2567px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A maintainer with the 388th Fighter Wing out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, checks for structural damages on an F-35A during Red Flag 17-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 25, 2017. For most non-structural and all structural repairs, low observability aircraft structure technicians must either fix the paneling damage or remove paneling for maintainers to repair other issues. (Staff Sgt. Natasha Stannard\/U.S. Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The F-35 Joint Program Office appears to be making fast progress, but not all problems will be solved before the full-rate production decision, said Vice Adm. Mat Winter, the Defense Department\u2019s F-35 program executive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNone of them, right now, are against any of the design, any of the hardware or any of the manufacturing of the aircraft, which is what the full-rate production decision is for,\u201d he told Defense News in an interview. \u201cThere are no discrepancies that put at risk a decision of the department to approve us to go into full-rate production.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nine out of 13 problems will likely either be corrected or downgraded to category 2 status before the Pentagon determines whether to start full-rate production, and two will be adjudicated in future software builds, Winter said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the F-35 program office has no intention of correcting two of the problems addressed in the documents, with the department opting to accept additional risk.<\/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\/air\/2019\/02\/27\/how-the-us-air-forces-kessel-run-team-plans-to-solve-one-of-the-f-35-programs-biggest-headaches\/\" 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=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5099416.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\">How the US Air Force\u2019s Kessel Run team plans to solve one of the F-35 program\u2019s biggest headaches<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The F-35&#039;s 1990s-era logistics backbone is getting a facelift.<\/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\">Winter maintains that none of the issues represent any serious or catastrophic risk to pilots, the mission or the F-35 airframe. After being contacted by Defense News, the program office created two designations of category 1 problems to highlight the difference between issues that would qualify as an emergency and others that are more minor in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCAT 1-As are loss of life, potential loss of life, loss of material aircraft. Those have to be adjudicated, have to be corrected within hours, days. We have no CAT 1-A deficiencies,\u201d Winter said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, the deficiencies on the books all fall under category 1B, which represents problems \u201cthat have a mission impact with a current workaround that\u2019s acceptable to the war fighter with the knowledge that we will be able to correct that deficiency at some future time,\u201d Winter added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Greg Ulmer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/digital-show-dailies\/farnborough\/2018\/07\/10\/4-ways-lockheeds-new-f-35-head-wants-to-fix-the-fighter-jet-program\/\" target=_blank>Lockheed Martin\u2019s vice president for the F-35 program<\/a>, said currently fielded F-35s are meeting or exceeding performance specifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese issues are important to address, and each is well understood, resolved or on a path to resolution,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We\u2019ve worked collaboratively with our customers, and we are fully confident in the F-35\u2019s performance and the solutions in place to address each of the items identified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-smg-jwplayer-video\"><atype-video-jwplayer nostick=\"true\" playlisturl=\"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/v2\/playlists\/fCzRqMW8?tags=cbcf7352-0666-47c2-9fea-ddf6b40e6407\" poster=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/video-poster-cbcf7352-0666-47c2-9fea-ddf6b40e6407.jpg\" aspectratio=\"16 \/ 9\" mute autostart=\"false\"><\/atype-video-jwplayer><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Documents provided to Defense News reveal issues facing the F-35 fighter jet as it nears a major milestone. Find out what they are and if they&#8217;ll be fixed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>The status of deficiencies<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a June 2018 report by the Government Accountability Office, the program had 111 category 1 deficiencies on the books in January 2018. By May 24, 2018, that number had decreased to 64 open category 1 problems out of a total 913 deficiencies, according to one document obtained by Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another document obtained by Defense News noted that at least 13 issues would need to be held as category 1 deficiencies going into operational tests in fall 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 13 deficiencies include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The F-35\u2019s logistics system currently has no way for foreign F-35 operators <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/2019\/06\/12\/two-f-35-partners-threatened-to-quit-the-program-heres-why-they-didnt\/\" target=_blank>to keep their secret data<\/a> from being sent to the United States.<\/li><li>The spare parts inventory shown by the F-35\u2019s logistics system does not always reflect reality, causing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/06\/12\/inventory-management-failures-are-grounding-f-35-jets\/\" target=_blank>occasional mission cancellations<\/a>.<\/li><li>Cabin pressure spikes in the cockpit of the F-35 have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/06\/12\/a-fix-is-coming-for-a-problem-that-left-two-f-35-pilots-in-excruciating-pain\/\" target=_blank>known to cause barotrauma<\/a>, the word given to extreme ear and sinus pain.<\/li><li>In very cold conditions \u2014 defined as at or near minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit \u2014 the F-35 will erroneously report that one of its batteries have failed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/06\/12\/the-f-35-has-to-keep-landing-in-cold-weather-heres-the-plan-to-fix-it\/\" target=_blank>sometimes prompting missions<\/a> to be aborted.<\/li><li>Supersonic flight in excess of Mach 1.2 can cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/06\/12\/supersonic-speeds-could-cause-big-problems-for-the-f-35s-stealth-coating\/\" target=_blank>structural damage and blistering<\/a> to the stealth coating of the F-35B and F-35C.<\/li><li>After doing certain maneuvers, F-35B and F-35C pilots are not always able to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/2019\/06\/12\/when-us-navy-and-marine-f-35-pilots-most-need-performance-the-aircraft-becomes-erratic\/\" target=_blank>completely control the aircraft\u2019s pitch<\/a>, roll and yaw.<\/li><li>If the F-35A and F-35B blows a tire upon landing, the impact could also take out both hydraulic lines and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/2019\/06\/12\/when-the-f-35-blows-a-tire-it-can-set-off-a-chain-reaction-of-potential-failures\/\" target=_blank>pose a loss-of-aircraft risk<\/a>.<\/li><li>A \u201cgreen glow\u201d sometimes appears on the helmet-mounted display, washing out the imagery in the helmet and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/2019\/06\/12\/amid-green-glow-concerns-another-issue-has-emerged-for-pilots-flying-the-f-35-at-night\/\" target=_blank>making it difficult to land<\/a> the F-35C on an aircraft carrier.<\/li><li>On nights with little starlight, the night vision camera sometimes displays green striations that make it difficult for all variants to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/2019\/06\/12\/amid-green-glow-concerns-another-issue-has-emerged-for-pilots-flying-the-f-35-at-night\/\" target=_blank>see the horizon<\/a> or to land on ships.<\/li><li>The sea search mode of the F-35\u2019s radar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/hidden-troubles-f35\/2019\/06\/12\/the-us-navy-is-seeking-upgrades-for-the-f-35-radars-sea-search-mode\/\" target=_blank>only illuminates a small slice<\/a> of the sea\u2019s surface.<\/li><li>When the F-35B vertically lands on very hot days, older engines may be unable to produce the required thrust to keep the jet airborne, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/06\/12\/the-marine-corps-no-1-priority-for-the-f-35-involves-a-rough-landing-in-hot-environments\/\" target=_blank>resulting in a hard landing<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pentagon has identified four additional category 1 deficiencies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2018\/10\/17\/heading-into-f-35-operational-tests-threat-of-delays-loom\/\" target=\"_blank\">since beginning operational tests in December 2018<\/a>, mostly centered around weapons interfaces, Winter said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey are not catastrophic. If they were, they&#8217;d have to stop test. There&#8217;s nothing like that,\u201d he said. \u201cThey will be straightforward software fixes. We just need to get to them.\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\/defensenews\/air\/2019\/03\/15\/dod-inspector-general-slams-f-35-program-office-for-allowing-lockheed-to-manage-government-property\/\" 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=\"214\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2173960.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\">DoD inspector general slams F-35 program office for allowing Lockheed to manage government property<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The F-35 Joint Program Office has no visibility into how contractors are using \u2014 or misusing \u2014 government property, the IG found.<\/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\">Those four category 1 deficiencies will likely not be fixed or downgraded before the full-rate production decision, he said. Additionally, the service will likely need more time to address the F-35B engine thrust issue and the radar\u2019s sea search mode problem. The problems that occur when the &#8220;B&#8221; and &#8220;C&#8221; models fly in excess of Mach 1.2 will not be fixed, as they are considered to have extremely low probability of occurring during operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All told, Winter expects to have about nine category 1 deficiencies still on the books as the F-35 moves to full-rate production: the eight problems defined above, and whatever surprises occur as the jet continues operational tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>The good, the bad and the ugly<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defense News shared the list of deficiencies with two senior naval aviators \u2014 one active and one recently retired \u2014 who agreed to review the document. Each offered a different perspective on the seriousness of the problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recently retired aviator said some of the issues jumped off the page at him, including the cabin over-pressurization issue, given the rash of over-pressurization issues in other aircraft, including the F\/A-18E\/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-22 Raptor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But perhaps the most serious for aerial combat operations is the combination of maneuvering issues when the aircraft is operating above a 20-degree angle of attack and the issue of possible structural damage and damage to the low-observable coating when using the afterburner. That coating helps provide the F-35 a stealth capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The one that stood out to me was, wait a minute, you&#8217;re telling me that the latest, greatest aircraft \u2014 [a] $100 million aircraft \u2014 can&#8217;t perform?&#8221; the retired fighter pilot said. &#8220;It has random oscillations, pitch and yaw issues above 20A?&#8221;<\/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\/air\/2018\/06\/01\/some-of-the-oldest-f-35s-on-the-globe-are-forced-to-sit-and-wait-for-upgrades\/\" 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\/F-35-VMFAT-501-Flag-Bird-1.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\">Marine Corps F-35s dogged by parts shortages<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">It can take months for Marines to get the spare parts needed to repair the F-35B. But what is anyone doing about it?<\/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\">However, the naval aviator currently in service said the list of deficiencies did not alarm him and that, given that the F-35 is still new to the fleet, such issues are inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat document looks like growing pains for an aircraft that we tried to do a whole lot to all at once,\u201d the senior aviator said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to see that if you dig back at what Super Hornets looked like for the first few years. Go back in the archives and look at [the F-14] Tomcat \u2014 think about that with the variable sweep-wing geometry, the AUG9 radar: There was a lot of new technology incorporated into the aircraft, and there is going to be growing pains.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other organizations have also registered concerns about the price of fixing deficiencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The GAO in June 2018 warned lawmakers that moving forward with full-rate producing without fixing technical issues could drive up the cost of the F-35 program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf the critical deficiencies are not resolved before moving to production, the F-35 program faces additional concurrency costs to fix fielded aircraft \u2014 which are currently estimated at $1.4 billion,\u201d the GAO stated in the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winter told Defense News that the program office is taking steps to try to minimize the price of fixing the fighter jet, such as bundling in corrections to deficiencies with other software and hardware updates to decrease labor costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, it is unclear how much of the cost burden will be left for the taxpayers to shoulder. The program office is recording the extra expenditures associated with fixing the deficiencies, Winter said. Ultimately, it plans to bring that data into negotiations with Lockheed in the hopes of getting the company to cover those costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other watchdog organizations have criticized the deficiency litigation process for its lack of transparency. In 2018, the Project on Government Oversight blasted the F-35 program after obtaining documents that showed the Joint Deficiency Review Board downgrading 19 category 1 issues to the lower category 2 rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the Defense Department has the latitude to reclassify problems that it feels aren\u2019t serious enough to merit the category 1 moniker, the watchdog argued that there was no fix or workaround in place for 10 of those problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith the revelation that officials made paperwork fixes to make these serious deficiencies appear acceptable, it seems that much of that work is being ignored in the name of political expediency and protecting F-35 funding,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pogo.org\/investigation\/2018\/08\/f-35-program-cutting-corners-to-complete-development\/\" target=\"_blank\">the organization stated<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winter pointed out that the program office does not have the power to waive or downgrade deficiencies, which can be written by the test community, operators or any other stakeholder in the F-35 program. Instead, deficiencies must be evaluated by the Joint Deficiency Review Board, which includes members from the program office, the Joint Strike Fighter Operational Test Team responsible for assessing the F-35 during operational tests, developmental testers located at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Edwards Air Force Base, as well as other representatives from the armed services and industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The F-35\u2019s list of ongoing technical problems are unlikely to pose an existential threat to the program given the recent progress in fixing issues, driving down the costs of the airframe and continued support on Capitol Hill for the fighter jet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I would put this down to, frankly, growing pains that you\u2019d expect from a sophisticated, modern aircraft program. Nothing really stands out [as particularly troubling], primarily because they seem to be well on the way toward being addressed,\u201d said Mark Gunzinger, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. \u201cWhat has been done to address these have reduced the concerns regarding safety of flight. Doesn\u2019t mean that there isn\u2019t still work to be done. And it doesn\u2019t mean new things won\u2019t be discovered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The list of deficiencies as a whole is in some ways encouraging, the currently serving aviator said, because it looks like the issues are being identified by the engineers and technicians working on the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think what you see in that document is an airplane that fell behind schedule, that was rushed to get back up to schedule under immense political and industry pressure. They had a lot of next-gen[eration] technologies all at once, and they\u2019re working through what all of that looks like together,\u201d the aviator said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t see anything in that document that makes me say: \u2018Holy sh&#8211;, what did we buy?\u2019 If the questions is, \u2018Why does the aircraft have all these problems?\u2019, I don\u2019t know, it may sound trite, but it\u2019s a really f&#8211;ing complicated machine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>David B. Larter in Washington contributed to this story.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defense News exclusively obtained documents detailing the F-35 jet&#8217;s most serious 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