The U.S. Navy variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C, conducts a test flight over the Chesapeake Bay. Lt. Cmdr. Eric "Magic" Buus flew the F-35C for two hours, checking instruments that will measure structural loads on the airframe during flight maneuvers. The F-35C is distinct from the F-35A and F-35B variants with larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear for greater control when operating in the demanding carrier take-off and landing environment. Wikipedia
Pentagon Report Cites "Lack Of Maturity" Of Lockheed F-35 Jet -- Reuters
(Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp's's new F-35 fighter jet has completed over a third of its planned flight tests, but it is still facing problems with the helmet needed to fly the plane, software development and weapons integration, according to a report by the Pentagon's chief weapons tester.
The 18-page report, sent to Congress on Friday, included a detailed account of those issues and others, which it said underscored the "lack of maturity" of the $396 billion weapons program, the Pentagon's most expensive ever.
The program exceeded the number of flight tests and specific system tests planned for 2012 but lagged in some areas due to unresolved problems and newly discovered issues. The program has already completed over 20,000 specific tests of items and capabilities on the plane, but has 39,579 more such tests to go.
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My Comment: Here are the problems .... check here, here, and Eric Palmer does a good summary here. Lockheed Martin has a different opinion .... it believes everything is OK. What's my take .... aside from the technical and performance problems .... of which they are many .... the upcoming defense budget cuts are going to slash this program to the bone and make all past cost analysis moot. In short ... America is broke and spending hundreds of billions of dollars on such a program is not going to fly .... especially when the accountants and their political masters get their hands on the F-35 budget.
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