The U.S. Congress’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025 originally included the purchase of 68 stealth fighter jets F-35, but this acquisition could be reduced to as few as 48 aircraft. Problems with upgrades and failure to meet promised deadlines by Lockheed Martin would significantly reduce the number of aircraft intended to equip the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The total of 68 aircraft included a sum of 42 F-35As for the Air Force, 13 F-35Bs, and 13 F-35Cs for the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps for Fiscal Year 2025. As of today, Lockheed Martin has reported delays in the software upgrade known as Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3), aimed at increasing processing capabilities and providing greater computational memory to the F-35s. The TR-3 is currently under review with no exact date for its deployment on new stealth aircraft. The introduction of this configuration is a critical step prior to Block IV modernization, as TR-3 was supposed to be delivered 18 months ago but is now estimated to continue only in the third quarter of this year.
Without the relevant updates in Block IV, the combat and electronic warfare capabilities of the F-35 could be significantly affected in the future. Lockheed Martin stated, “We look forward to working with the administration and Congress as the president’s budget for Fiscal Year 2025 receives full consideration in the coming months.”
Delays in the production of F-35 stealth fighters not only affect the United States but also create great uncertainty for other Allied Air Forces such as those of Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. The situation has led to significant coordination challenges for pilot and maintenance engineer training with the new weapon system intended to replace these forces’ F-16 fighters.
Lockheed Martin will have to navigate both technical and political challenges to ensure a proper production output. Despite these complications, on January 18, 2024, the company reached the milestone of the 1,000th unit built, achieving an average of 156 aircraft per year.
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