Work on logistics system may delay Air Force F-35 fielding: Pentagon
By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Final development and testing of a Lockheed Martin Corp computer-based logistics system for the F-35 fighter jet may be delayed by 30 to 60 days, which could impede the U.S. Air Force's ability to declare its jets ready for combat by Aug. 1, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, who runs the $391 billion F-35 program for the Pentagon, said his office was "closely tracking" for the target date of Aug. 1, 2016, but he said there were "a number of risks" that needed to be addressed to meet the goal.
Chief among those risks, he said, was completion of development and testing of the next version of the Autonomic Logistics Information System, or ALIS, which will consolidate many functions handled separately on older aircraft programs.
ALIS will automatically capture and disseminate data about the F-35's performance and components, pilot and technician training, scheduling, technical data, and the ordering of parts.
Lockheed is developing and building F-35 jets for the U.S. military and nine other countries.
The company is due to complete ALIS 2.0.2 in November, paving the way for initial testing in January and formal system security testing in May, Bogdan told the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.
"There is schedule pressure that we are monitoring very closely and attempting to mitigate" to meet the Air Force's target date of Aug. 1 to declare an initial squadron of 12 F-35s ready for combat use," he said. "There is at least 30-60 days of risk in meeting the ALIS 'ready to field' date."
The Air Force will be the second military service to declare the jets ready for combat following the Marine Corps, which did so on July 31. The Navy is due to follow suit in late 2018.
Bogdan said another potential concern was the need to modify the jets needed for the initial combat-ready squadron, which reduced the number of planes available for pilot training. But the Pentagon was working closely with the Air Force to find solutions to the aircraft shortfall, he said.
In general, he said, the F-35 program was showing increased reliability and passing significant testing milestones, including ground test firings of internal weapons.
He said the department was still working to reduce Lockheed's control over the maintenance of the jets, resolve shortfalls of spare parts, reduce the cost of building the jets, and ensure completion of critical software.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alan Crosby)
