Pentagon to halt deliveries of upgraded F-35 TR-3 fighters due to software problems

The US Department of Defence intends to halt deliveries of the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighter jets, which have Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) hardware, from July. Deliveries could resume at the end of this year or early next year.

Here's What We Know

The Pentagon announced back in March 2023 that deliveries of the F-35 TR-3 would be delayed. The Department of Defense plans to resume delivery of the aircraft to customers in April 2024, a delay of exactly one year. Lockheed Martin believes it can resolve all problems by December 2023. Efforts will focus on getting the TR-3 software to work with the TR-3 hardware.

The supply stoppage means Lockheed Martin will have to store dozens of fifth-generation fighters at the plant. The main production plant for the F-35 Lightning II is in Fort Worth, Texas.

The first F-35 fighters with TR-3 hardware will roll off the assembly line at the end of next month. Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) will provide safe storage for the aircraft. This was announced by JPO chief Russ Goemaere.

The TR-3 upgrade is a major step in the Block 4 upgrade. It involves improving the aircraft's computational core. At the same time, Block 4 will bring more weapons and electronic warfare capabilities.

Source: Breaking Defense