Sunday, May 22, 2022
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

F-35 JSF: Restructuring Added Resources and Reduced Risk

by Government Accountability Office
March 22, 2012
in Air Force News
2 min read
0
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s Functionality In Hot Weather
14
VIEWS

Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) restructuring continues into a third year, adding to cost and schedule. Since June 2010, the total cost estimate increased about $15 billion, $5 billion for development and $10 billion for procurement. There will likely be additional changes when the Department of Defense (DOD) approves a new program baseline, expected soon.

The Department is expected to soon approve a new acquisition program baseline that will likely make further changes in cost and schedule. This decision, critical for program management and oversight, has been delayed several times and it has now been 2 years since the Department announced that the JSF program had breached the critical cost growth statutory thresholds and that a new baseline would be established.

Compared to the current approved baseline from 2007, total costs have increased about $119 billion, full-rate production has been delayed 5 years, and initial operational capability dates are now unsettled because of program uncertainties.

While the total number of aircraft the U. S. plans to buy has not changed, DOD has for 3 straight years reduced near-term procurement quantities, deferring aircraft and costs to future years.

Since 2002, the program has reduced aircraft procurement quantities through 2017 by three-fourths, from 1,591 to 365. As the program continues to experience cost growth and delays, projected annual funding needs are unprecedented, averaging more than $13 billion a year through 2035.

Most of the instability in the program has been and continues to be the result of highly concurrent development, testing, and production. Overall performance in 2011 was mixed as the program achieved 6 of 11 primary objectives. Developmental flight testing gained momentum and is about one-fifth complete with the most challenging tasks still ahead.

The program can expect more changes to aircraft design and manufacturing processes. Performance of the short takeoff and vertical landing variant improved this year and its “probation” period to fix deficiencies was ended early, even though several fixes are temporary and untested.

Management and development of the more than 24 million lines of software code continue to be of concern and late software releases have delayed testing and training. Development of the critical mission systems that give the JSF its core combat capabilities remains behind schedule and risky.

To date, only 4 percent of the mission system requirements for full capability has been verified. Testing of a fully integrated JSF aircraft is now expected in 2015 at the earliest. Deficiencies with the helmet mounted display, integral to mission systems functionality and concepts of operation, are most problematic. DOD is funding a less-capable alternate helmet as a back-up.

The autonomic logistics information system, a key ground system for improving aircraft availability and lowering support costs, is not yet fully developed.

Cost overruns on the first four annual procurement contracts total more than $1 billion and aircraft deliveries are on average more than one year late. Officials said the government’s share of the cost growth is $672 million; this adds about $11 million on average to the price of each of the 63 aircraft under those contracts.

In addition to the overruns, the government also incurred an estimated $373 million in retrofit costs on produced aircraft to correct deficiencies discovered in testing. The manufacturing process is still absorbing a higher than expected number of engineering changes resulting from flight testing, which makes it difficult to achieve efficient production rates. Until engineering changes are reduced, there are risks of additional cost overruns and retrofit costs.

The program now estimates that the number of changes will persist at elevated levels through 2019. Even with the substantial reductions in near-term procurement quantities, DOD is still investing billions of dollars on hundreds of aircraft while flight testing has years to go.
[download id=”118″ format=”1″]

Tags: costF-35F-35 costjoint Strike fighterPriceprocurementrisk
Previous Post

NRL Test Robotic Fueling of Unmanned Surface Vessels

Next Post

Deal for Procuring Mid-Air Refueler Aircraft for IAF In Last Phase

Related Posts

Boeing shares dive as 777X delay, Air Force One woes lead to $1.2 bn loss

Boeing shares dive as 777X delay, Air Force One woes lead to $1.2 bn loss

April 27, 2022

Boeing shares were in free-fall early Wednesday after the aviation giant reported a $1.2 billion loss in an ugly quarter...

Ukraine Launches Air Exercises With NATO Countries

Ukraine receives fighter planes, parts to bolster air force: Pentagon

April 20, 2022

Ukraine has received fighter planes and aircraft parts to bolster its air force in the face of Russia's invasion, the...

Next Post
PAF to Acquire Ilyushin Il-78 aircraft by 2010

Deal for Procuring Mid-Air Refueler Aircraft for IAF In Last Phase

Latest Defense News

EU warns Belarus opening door to Russian nukes after vote

New military bases in western Russia in response to NATO expansion: minister

May 20, 2022
NATO warns Russia readying for ‘full-scale attack’ on Ukraine

Signs multiply Russia seeks control of south Ukraine

May 20, 2022
Biden to announce anti-gun violence measures

Biden begins Asia trip in South Korea, under North nuclear shadow

May 20, 2022
Russian Army Receives More Iskander-M Tactical Ballistic Missile System

Belarus buys S-400, Iskander missiles from Russia: Lukashenko

May 20, 2022
Turkey seeks alternatives to Russian energy after warplane crisis

Erdogan urges NATO allies to ‘respect’ concerns over Finland, Sweden

May 19, 2022
North Korea

North Korea ‘ready for nuclear test’ with Biden due in Seoul

May 19, 2022

Defense Forum Discussions

  • Ukrainian - Russian War Memes.
  • Israeli Army News & Discussion
  • Russian Navy Discussions and Updates
  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • PRC Peoples Liberation Army Navy
  • Australia is getting NASAMS in June this year in 2022.
  • China - Geostrategic & Geopolitical.
  • NZDF General discussion thread
  • Republic of Korea AF (ROKAF)
  • Helo Jumping with Dutch Marines
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com