Marines: We’ll Deploy F-35 On Time

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The U.S. Marine Corps announced that it is determined to meet its goal of having its first squadron of 10 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters ready for combat in July 2015. In an interview with Reuters, outgoing Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos was asked if the Marines would miss the target date for declaring an initial operational capability (IOC). He responded, “It’s too soon to flinch. It’s a tight timeline, but I think it’s doable. I’m a realist. If it’s August, it’s August . . . There is some risk of a mid-summer IOC, but we’ve known that all along.” The Marines plan to buy 340 F-35B series jets-which can take off from short runways and land vertically, as well as 80 F-35C models-equipped with longer wings and tailhooks for carrier operations.

A June 23 engine failure grounded the F-35 fleet for several weeks last summer and put pressure on the target IOC date for the Marines. Lockheed and F-35 program officials are working to complete the Block 2B software and finish a series of retrofits needed to meet the date for the computer-driven aircraft. Amos said there was a “medium risk” that the 2B software and retrofits would not be completed in time. He said that, if necessary, the Marines would defer some aircraft mods that would not be needed immediately. The Block 2B software is expected to be installed in the simulators by spring, allowing pilots to train using its expanded capabilities and be ready to move directly into the jets when they receive the software and retrofits. Amos said the “ups and downs” were typical of aircraft development: “Take a deep breath. That’s why they call it development testing. Cause you discover things.” He also said that as a cost-saving measure, the services operating the F-35 are exploring doing some maintenance at joint locations rather than flying them back to the respective service maintenance shops.

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