Contractors delivering F-35s with no radars and unfit for combat

 

One would think that in the middle of a war, the US would be getting what they need to win. But that's just not the case.

Just when the U.S. military could use reliable machinery for its hot war on Iran, defense contractors plan to send it radarless F-35s that are unfit for combat.

Breaking Defense reported late last week that the military will start accepting F-35s without radars starting this fall. Defense Daily reported last month that some F-35s have already been delivered without them, but the F-35 Joint Program office denied this.

The problem stems from Northrop Grumman’s delays in producing upgraded radars for the F-35 as part of the program’s ongoing modernization effort. The radars are supposed to help the fighter jet detect, track, and target adversarial threats. Not built to host the older radars currently in use, the incoming radarless F-35s can still fly, but will only be used for training purposes until they can be retrofitted with the new radars — effectively sidelining them from combat.

“Right now, [F-35s are] going to be produced with ballasts [instead of the new radars], which…creates an aircraft that’s not going to be combat-coded anytime soon,” Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chairman of the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee, told Breaking Defense earlier this month.

The critical readiness issue the delay creates only stands to compound with time: if Northrop Grumman can deliver the new radars soon, Breaking Defense reports the issue might only affect a “handful” of F-35 deliveries. But if radar production delays persist past next year, more than 100 F-35s could be delivered without radars.  (more...)

Contractors delivering F-35s with no radars and unfit for combat