Grounded potential. F-35 upgrade delays strain deployment as technical hurdles mount. 
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TR-3 Upgrade Delay: Technical Challenges and Implications

In the heart of Texas, at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, a crucial phase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is undergoing a challenging phase.

The anticipated completion of the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrade, essential for advancing the capabilities of newly built F-35s, has faced significant hurdles, causing a ripple effect in the scheduled deliveries and broader implications for the military’s strategic planning.

Expected to revolutionize the F-35’s performance, TR-3 enhancements substantially improve displays, computer memory, and processing power.

F-35 Night Flying
F-35A Lightning II (Image source: DVIDS)

These advancements serve as the cornerstone for the forthcoming Block IV upgrade, promising increased weapons capacity, upgraded electronic warfare capabilities, and enhanced target recognition systems.

However, persistent software issues, particularly with integrating it into the new TR-3 hardware, have impeded the completion of these crucial upgrades.

Initially scheduled for readiness by April 2023, the TR-3 deadline has repeatedly been postponed and is now projected to conclude between April and June 2024.

Delivery Delays and Acceptance Flight Hurdles

While newly manufactured F-35s featuring TR-3 hardware commenced production in late July, the government has deferred their acceptance due to their inability to undertake necessary acceptance flights.

Consequently, Lockheed Martin has housed an undisclosed number of F-35s at its Fort Worth facility.

Efforts to resume acceptance flights before the full completion of TR-3 involve a strategy of potentially loading interim versions of the TR-3 software into these new F-35s.

Nonetheless, these interim software versions will likely necessitate subsequent upgrades to unleash their full capabilities, as the Joint Program Office highlighted.

Despite the challenges, there have been recent developments as a handful of production F-35s, equipped with interim TR-3 software, undertook their inaugural flights at Fort Worth in mid-November, confirming incremental progress in resolving these setbacks.

Lockheed Martin has then delivered the first production of F-35s equipped with TR-3 hardware and software upgrades in late-November, while deliveries to customers have been paused—at least until the latest upgrade “is judged to be sufficiently mature,” Janes previously reported.

Impact, Testing, and Decisive Milestones

Delivery delays could significantly impact units transitioning from other aircraft to the F-35.

Top Air Force officials expressed concerns at a conference in September, warning that this delay might disrupt the Air Force’s global force management, potentially affecting readiness timelines and operational capabilities.

“When a unit converts to a new airplane, usually by the time they get their last airplane, the clock starts, and they need to be ready to go a year or so later,” Air Combat Command head General Mark Kelly told reporters during a conference last September, quoted by Defense News. “That will delay and will impact … global force management.”

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is anticipated to make a long-overdue decision in early 2024 to officially transition the F-35 to full-rate production, albeit with minimal effects on the current production capacity, as Lockheed is already operating at nearly full throttle.

In parallel, critical testing through the Joint Simulation Environment has been concluded, aiming to furnish vital data required for the Pentagon’s decision-making process.

These rigorous tests simulated various combat scenarios across the F-35’s different versions, evaluating its performance in tasks such as cruise missile defense, air interdiction, and counter-air operations.

Engine Upgrades and Future Prospects

Looking ahead, Pratt & Whitney is set to embark on a series of sole-source contracts to upgrade the F-35’s existing F135 engines under the Engine Core Upgrade program, which is projected to commence in early 2024.

These engine enhancements aim to equip the F-35 with increased power and improved cooling capacities, essential prerequisites for its upcoming Block 4 modernization.

Although Pratt estimates the program deliveries to begin by early 2029, there is a possibility of expedited schedules, potentially advancing the timeline to late 2028.

Unlike its predecessors, the F-35 will receive planned modifications over its lifetime, ensuring that it remains combat-ready for the next 30 years.

As the F-35 program navigates through these technical challenges, the collective efforts of Lockheed Martin, Pentagon authorities, and associated stakeholders are instrumental in surmounting hurdles and ensuring the successful deployment of these state-of-the-art fighter jets.