Aircraft
U.S. Deputy Program Manager Outlines F-35 Fixes
Modified bulkheads will address cracking issues in early production versions of the Joint Strike Fighter.
The F-35 "is not yet reliable" when it comes to mean flight hours between parts failure, said Rear Adm. Randy Mahr. (Photo: Bill Carey)
The F-35 "is not yet reliable" when it comes to mean flight hours between parts failure, said Rear Adm. Randy Mahr. (Photo: Bill Carey)

F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin will retrofit early production lots of F-35Bs delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps with modified bulkheads to address cracking issues that came to light during durability testing of ground articles last fall. It will build redesigned bulkheads into the fighter beginning with low-rate production (LRIP) Lot 9, said Rear Adm. Randy Mahr, deputy program manager with the Pentagon’s F-35 joint program office (JPO).