The Pentagon’s F-35 program office has a new top official
Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt takes over the F-35 Joint Program Office as the negotiations with Lockheed Martin over the next lots of aircraft drag on amid pricing disagreements.
Pentagon wants $500M to get data to manage F-35 parts
"It’s not a matter of data rights, it’s matter of data delivery and being able to have that data delivered is going to cost money,” Lt. Gen. Eric Fick said.
How technology, strategy and industry are shaping the next fleet
Discover how unmanned systems and emerging technologies are shaping the future of U.S. naval power in Breaking Defense’s new eBook.
F-35 to get more expensive in next deal, program exec says
“I think it's likely that we'll see costs rise on a tail by tail basis. I think it's early to say where I think that they'll end up,” said Lt. Gen. Eric Fick, who manages the F-35 program on behalf of the Pentagon.
Full rate production for F-35 is at least another year away
“It's not like, you know, Candy Crush Saga or Wordle, or even the video game your kids play,” Lt. Gen. Eric Fick said of the Joint Simulation Environment needed to carry out F-35 testing. “It doesn't just have to look right, it has to be right at the digital level.”
New schedule for critical F-35 simulation tests coming in early 2022
Before the F-35 can be declared ready for full-rate production, it must complete tests in the Pentagon's Joint Simulation Environment.
F-35 Engine Rivals Prepare For Another Clash
General Electric could find itself in a contest with incumbent Pratt & Whitney for a replacement for the F-35's engine.
F-35 Engine Maker Braces For Sustainment Cost Spike
Scheduled maintenance for the F-35's engine in the mid-2020s will drive up the price of engine sustainment, just as the Pentagon expects cost reduction goals come to fruition.