Michael Gilmore warns putting unfinished fighters into combat puts pilots at 'risk'

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed because the 'most costly weapon in historical past, costing $400bn. 

Now, it's lastly set for its first mission - regardless of a final ditch warning from the Pentagon's high weapon testing official that it's not prepared and will put pilot's lives in danger.

In a memo obtained by the Challenge On Authorities Oversight, Michael Gilmore, Director, Operational Take a look at and Analysis, warns that the Joint Strike Fighter Program Workplace is just reduce brief the aircraft's improvement part to be able to fake that schedule and price targets are being met.

Scroll down for video 

The jets will first deploy as a part of Marine Fighter Assault Squadron 121 in early 2017, a Marine spokeswoman stated. The Pentagon's director of testing lately warned it's 'not on a path towards success however as an alternative on a path towards failing to ship' the aircraft's full fight capabilities on time, in keeping with Bloomberg.

BATTLE READY? 

The software program on the F-35 is being continually upgraded. 

In 2017, its 3F software program will likely be rolled out, which is able to give the the plane its full war-fighting functionality, together with the flexibility to launch sure varieties of weapons such because the Small Diameter Bomb. 

Different 3F modifications, like improved pilot interfaces and shows, will make the aircraft simpler to function.

'The aim of this memorandum is to doc my persevering with considerations concerning progress within the -35 JSF program as you put together to conduct the upcoming Protection Acquisition Board evaluation,' the observe says, in keeping with Warfare is boring.

It requires your complete programme to be restructured so sufficient testing may be accomplished. 

'The first considerations had been that this system seemed to be prematurely ending System Improvement and Demonstration (SDD) and was not taking the required steps to be prepared for which will likely be carried out utilizing life like fight missions totally in keeping with our battle plans and risk assessments.' 

It lists the issues confronted, together with every part from an absence of testing on weapons to points with the pinnacle mounted shows pilots will use in fight.

Taking incompletely developed F-35s into fight will, Gilmore says, place pilots at 'vital threat.' 

 'If this system continues with plans to shut out SDD prematurely, it's going to carry the excessive threat of failing and having to repeat the roughly $300-million operational take a look at, and failing for a few years to offer the complete fight functionality Block 3F has lengthy been meant and claimed to offer.

'Lastly, the mix of unfnished SDD work and the possible follow-on Operational take a look at would considerably delay, and enhance the price of, reaching the vital capabilities that are urgently wanted to counter present and rising threats.

'I subsequently advocate very strongly that this system be restructured now and supplied the extra sources it clearly requires to ship its long-planned and sorely wanted full Block 3F fight functionality.'

The Marines be the primary power to deploy the Lockheed Martin jet aboard the united statesWasp (pictured) subsequent yr, and can deploy a second contingent quickly after, aboard the united statesEssex.

The Marines will start shifting 16 F-35Bs to Iwakuni Air Station in Japan early subsequent yr, it has been revealed. 

The Marines would be the first power to deploy the Lockheed Martin jet aboard the united statesWasp subsequent yr, and can deploy a second contingent quickly after, aboard the united statesEssex.

'We'll be taught from that, and see what capabilities we have to additional develop,' stated Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, the commanding basic of the Marines' Fight Improvement Command, in accordance toDefense One.

'Lots of it will be the varsity of arduous knocks.'

The jets will deploy as a part of Marine Fighter Assault Squadron 121 in early 2017, a Marine spokeswoman stated. 

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed because the 'most costly weapon in historical past.' However regardless of a price ticket of $400 billion for two,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with points. Pictured is a F-35B plane prepares for a touchdown at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. Now, a brand new report says the craft might lastly be battle prepared later this yr.

At yr's finish, six of that squadron's planes will connect to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Following over a decade of de and with a price ticket of $400 billion for two,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with points.

Nevertheless it appeared the tide had lastly turned earlier this yr when the U.S. Air Drive has declared an preliminary squadron of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35A fighter jets prepared for fight.

Now,  the Pentagon's director of operational testing has poured chilly water on the announcement, slamming the planes readiness. 

Michael Gilmore, acknowledged the F-35 is 'truly not on a path towards success however as an alternative on a path towards failing to ship' the aircraft's full fight capabilities on time, in keeping with Bloomberg.

Gilmore additionally stated the aircraft is 'working out of money and time' to deal with deficiencies

'Attaining full fight functionality with the Joint Strike Fighter is at substantial threat' of not occurring earlier than improvement is meant to finish and life like fight testing begins, he stated of the F-35.

The U.S. Air Drive has declared an preliminary squadron of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35A fighter jets prepared for fight, marking a significant milestone for a program that has confronted value overruns and delays.

Nevertheless, probably the most advanced software program capabilities 'are simply being added' and new issues requiring fixes and verification testing 'proceed to be found at a considerable charge,' Gilmore wrote to Air Drive Secretary Deborah Lee James; Basic David Goldfein, the service's chief of workers; and Frank Kendall, the Pentagon's acquisitions chief. 

The motion is one other achievement for the $379 billion program, the Pentagon's largest weapons undertaking. 

The Air Drive's resolution follows one by the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015 declaring a primary squadron of F-35s prepared for fight.

'The U.S. Air Drive resolution to make the 15 F-35As ... fight prepared sends a easy and highly effective message to America's buddies and foes alike - the F-35 can do its mission,' this system's chief, Air Drive Lieutenant Basic Chris Bogdan, stated in a press release.

Dan Grazier, a fellow of the Challenge On Authorities Oversight, stated, nonetheless, 'That is nothing however a public relations stunt.' 

He added that it will not be attainable to know if the F-35 jets had been prepared for fight till after preliminary operational testing.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE WITH ITS 1970S PREDECESSOR, THE F-16 JET?

 F-35

Position:  Stealth multirole fighter

First flight:  December 15, 2006

Unit value (not together with engine): 

F-35A - $98million

F-35B - $104million

F-35C - $116million 

Quantity constructed: 115 (as of November 2014) 

Size: 15.67m

Wingspan: 10.7m

Peak: Four.33m

Max velocity (F-35A): 1,930kph

Armament: 

Probably the most highly-anticipated options of the F-35 armament is the Small Diameter Bomb II (SBD II).The bomb is ready to information in the direction of its goal utilizing laser, imaging infrared or radar homing.

It could hit shifting or stationary targets in any climate, or at evening, with unprecedented reliability and accuracy.

The 'tremendous weapon' is predicted to be probably the most versatile air-to-ground munition within the Pentagon's air fight stock.

The fee per SDB II is claimed to be round $250,00zero and the US army plans on shopping for as many as 17,00zero of them.

 F-16

Position:  Multirole fighter

 First flight: January 20, 1974

Unit value:

F-16A/B - $14.6million

F-16C/D - $18.8million 

Quantity constructed: Four,540+ 

Size: 15.06m

Wingspan: 9.96m

Peak: Four.88m 

Max velocity (F-16C): 2,120kph

Fight historical past: 

 The F-16 has served within the Air Forces of 26 nations, together with the U.S., Israel, Egypt, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.

Throughout Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 assault on Iraq, F-16s flew over 13,00zero operations, greater than every other Coalition plane.

The U.S. has employed the F-16 in operations over the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya.  

At its manufacturing peak in 1987, the F-16 group in Fort Value was additionally making historical past, by producing 30 F-16s in simply 30 days. 

Because of frequent upgrades bettering and incorporating new applied sciences into the cockpit, avionics, sensors and weapons, the plane has turn out to be extra dependable over its 40 years. 

The F-16 has served within the Air Forces of 26 nations, together with the U.S., Israel, Egypt, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.

'This system will not be doing every part they wished it to do ... However they're at a degree now the place it's stabilizing and so it's progress,' stated Todd Harrison, a protection analyst on the Middle for Strategic and Worldwide Research

Officers say the F-35 will give the U.S. army the flexibility to detect enemy plane and different threats far past present ranges, permitting the jets to strike targets and disappear lengthy earlier than they're detected.

The U.S. Air Drive plans to purchase a complete of 1,763 F-35A traditional takeoff and touchdown jets in coming years and can function the biggest F-35 fleet on the planet.

Air Drive Basic Herbert Carlisle, commander of Air Fight Command, stated work to improve the jet would proceed in areas reminiscent of software program, making the shows extra intuitive and boosting the flexibility to share info between plane.

The plane might present fundamental air help at this level however didn't have every part the ultimate model would, reminiscent of an infrared pointer, Carlisle stated, including that he would attempt to get the jets deployed to Europe and the Pacific inside 18 months.

Lockheed is constructing three fashions of the F-35 Lightning II for the U.S. army and 10 international locations which have already ordered the jets: Britain, Australia, Norway, Italy, Turkey, Denmark, the Netherlands, Israel, South Korea and Japan.

The Pentagon's F-35 program workplace stated it remained in negotiations with Lockheed over long-delayed contracts for the following two batches of F-35 jets, offers price about $15 billion.

'We're looking for a good deal for the F-35 enterprise and trade,' stated F-35 program spokesman Joe DellaVedova.

This system, launched in 2001, has made strides in recent times after big value overruns and technical issues that despatched the undertaking's value up almost 70 %.

Issues with the fighter jet included points with the radar software program and elevated threat of neck harm to lower-weight pilots once they ejected from the plane.

Final yr researchers revealed the vastly delayed and over price range undertaking has lastly fired its first photographs within the air. The F-35A Lightning II accomplished the primary three airborne gunfire bursts from its inner Gun Airborne Unit (GAU)-22/A 25mm Gatling gun system throughout a California take a look at flight on October 30th 

Business and U.S. protection officers say they're working arduous to proceed driving down the price of the brand new warplanes to $85 million per aircraft by 2019, in addition to the price of working them.

Senator John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Armed Companies Committee, stated he welcomed the announcement however made clear he meant to maintain a detailed eye on the vastly costly program.

With a price ticket of $400 billion for two,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter might lastly be battle prepared later this yr, a brand new report claims.

'The Senate Armed Companies Committee will proceed to train rigorous oversight of the Joint Strike Fighter program's long-delayed System Improvement and Demonstration part in addition to the beginning of the operational take a look at and analysis part,' McCain stated in a press release. 

To turn out to be battle prepared, a minimum of a dozen particular person F-35 should reveal their capacity to drop bombs and shoot down different planes.

Every jet should be upgraded to a particular software program package deal, and plugged into the advanced logistics cloud that manages upkeep.

Staff may be seen on the shifting line and ahead fuselage meeting areas for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Lockheed Martin Corp's manufacturing unit positioned in Fort Value, Texas

ALIS: THE 'BRAINS' OF THE F35 

The issue is with what the Division of Protection officers name the 'brains' of aircraft, also called the Autonomic Logistics Info System (ALIS). 

It's designed to help operations, mission planning and to identify any upkeep points with the automobile. 

It additionally permits pilots to plan missions and look again at their their efficiency.

ALIS receives Well being Reporting Codes through a radio frequency downlink whereas the F-35 continues to be in flight; this permits the pre-positioning of components and certified maintainers in order that when the plane lands, downtime is minimised.

The F-35 undertaking workplace had beforehand set an Aug. 1 goal date. 

The undertaking has been plagued with delays. 

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's document on value, schedule and efficiency has been a scandal and a tragedy, Senator John McCain informed senior Pentagon officers earlier this yr.

McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Companies Committee, stated the plane's improvement schedule has stretched to 15 years, deliveries of the F-35 have been delayed, and prices have skyrocketed.

'It has been a scandal and the fee overruns have been disgraceful,' McCain stated. 

Most lately, issues with its logistics software program system grounded your complete fleet. 

The difficulty is with what the Division of Protection officers name the 'brains' of aircraft, also called the Autonomic Logistics Info System (ALIS).

A Authorities Accountability Workplace report says a failure 'might take your complete fleet offline' as a result of there is no such thing as a backup system.

The report additionally says an absence of testing finished of the software program will imply it isn't prepared for its deployment by the Air Drive in August and the Navy in 2018.

The 'brains' of the F35 are one among three main elements, with the opposite two being the engine and airframe.

CNN factors out that the software program runs on floor computer systems relatively than working on the aircraft itself.

It's designed to help operations, mission planning and to identify any upkeep points with the automobile.

'Program officers stated that if ALIS will not be totally practical, the F-35 couldn't be operated as ceaselessly as meant,' the report stated.

'However a DoD commissioned plan discovered that schedule slippage and performance issues with ALIS might result in $20-100 billion in further prices.' 

 Up to now, the software program has been so flawed that upkeep crews have needed to resort labour-intensive options. 

In response to Nationwide Curiosity, in a single occasion maintainers needed to manually burn knowledge onto CDs and to ship the large recordsdata throughout a civilian WiFi community.

One main drawback, the report stated, is that the F-35 knowledge produced goes by way of a single predominant working unit which has no again up.

'The F-35 continues to be in improvement, and that is the time when technical challenges are anticipated,' Lt. Genernal Chris Bogdon informed CNN.

'Nevertheless, we consider the mixed authorities and trade group will resolve present points and future discoveries,' he stated.

Lead protection contractor for the aircraft, Lockheed Martin, insists improvement of the logistics software program is on schedule.

a brand new report says issues with its logistics software program system might floor your complete fleet.  The issue is with what the Division of Protection officers name the 'brains' of aircraft, also called the Autonomic Logistics Info System (ALIS)

'As ALIS improvement continues, our focus is on the warfighter and delivering the simplest, environment friendly fleet administration system to maintain the F-35 over the following 5 many years of operations,' stated Sharon Parsley, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin.

'The suggestions by the GAO are according to the actions already underway in preparation for full-rate manufacturing and worldwide sustainment.'

In addition to this month's report, a current Pentagon report has revealed an enormous record of doubtless deadly bugs nonetheless dealing with the jet. Pictured is the F-35A, which lately accomplished its first aerial gun take a look at

This is not the one drawback to plague this system.

 Final month, it has emerged the jets advanced radar system has an issue - it retains crashing.

The software program glitch that interferes with the flexibility of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter's AN/APG-81 AESA radar working in flight.

This poses the best risk to delaying US Air Drive (USAF) plans to declare its jets operationally deployable, a high service official informed Janes. 

Main Basic Jeffrey Harrigian, director of the air power's F-35 integration workplace on the Pentagon, described the issue as 'radar stability - the radar's capacity to remain up and working'. 

'What would occur is that they'd get a sign that claims both a radar degrade or a radar fail -something that will power us to restart the radar,' Maj Gen Harrigian stated 

One other Pentagon report revealed an enormous record of doubtless deadly bugs nonetheless dealing with the jet. 

It additionally discovered issues with the pc software program, together with 'in fusion, digital warfare, and weapons employment outcome[ing] in ambiguous risk shows, restricted capacity to reply to threats, and a requirement for off-board sources to offer correct coordinates for precision assault.'  

Final yr researchers revealed the vastly delayed and over price range undertaking has lastly fired its first photographs within the air.

The F-35A Lightning II accomplished the primary three airborne gunfire bursts from its inner Gun Airborne Unit (GAU)-22/A 25mm Gatling gun system throughout a California take a look at flight on October 30th. 

The F-35 additionally has a wise components system to make sure every part is working inside its limits, and might warn when components should be changed. 

Nevertheless, the computerized upkeep administration System, or CMMS, 'incorrectly authorizes older/inappropriate substitute components.' the report stated.

THE EJECTOR SEAT THAT COULD KILL 

Pilots below 136 kilos aren't allowed to fly any F-35 variant. Pilots below 165 kilos have a 1-in-Four probability of demise and 100 % probability of great neck harm upon ejecting, in keeping with the testing workplace.

'The testing confirmed that the ejection seat rotates backwards after ejection. 

This ends in the pilot's neck changing into prolonged, as the pinnacle strikes behind the shoulders in a 'chin up' place. 

When the parachute inflates and begins to extract the pilot from the seat (with nice power), a 'whiplash' motion happens. 

The rotation of the seat and ensuing extension of the neck are better for lighter weight pilots,' the report states.

Refined: Footage from floor testing of the F-35A stealth jet at Edwards Air Drive Base in California, reveals the superior firepower of the four-barrel Gatling gun embedded within the left wing

It additionally fails to detect if it has been flying too quick and  'randomly prevented consumer logins' into its computerised management system. 

Within the first stay firing take a look at, three bursts of 1 30 rounds and two 60 rounds every had been fired from the plane's four-barrel, 25-millimeter Gatling gun. 

In integrating the weapon into the stealthy F 35A airframe, the gun should be saved hidden behind closed doorways to cut back its radar cross part till the set off is pulled.

'The profitable aerial gun take a look at sortie was a fruits of a number of years' planning, which intensified within the first half of 2015 on the Edwards F-35 Built-in Take a look at Drive (ITF) Flight Take a look at Squadron with a group of Air Drive, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, Basic Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman personnel,' stated Mike Glass, Edwards ITF flight take a look at director. 

'The outcomes of this testing will likely be utilized in future blocks of testing, the place the accuracy and mission effectiveness capabilities will likely be evaluated.'

The 25mm gun is embedded within the F-35A's left wing and is designed to be built-in in a strategy to keep the F-35's very low observable standards. 

It is going to present pilots with the flexibility to have interaction air-to-ground and air-to-air targets. 

'On the finish of this system's system improvement and demonstration part in 2017, the F-35 could have an operational gun.  

US army leaders have extolled the virtues of the F-35 jets, that are meant to 'mix superior stealth capabilities with fighter plane velocity and agility'

Tweet