The US Air Force is looking to avoid the mistakes made during the development of the F-35 fighter jet as it seeks to develop its next-generation sixth-gen fighter. The Air Force has created three teams to help oversee the development of the new aircraft, which will likely be unmanned and designed for long-range strikes. The Air Force is also working with industry partners to develop technologies such as artificial intelligence and directed energy weapons that will be integrated into the sixth-gen fighter.

Mistakes made during the development of the F-35

1. Overreliance on Concurrent Development and Production:

One of the biggest mistakes in the development of the F-35 fighter jet was the strategy known as “concurrency”. This approach entailed developing, testing, and producing the aircraft simultaneously. This was intended to expedite the delivery process, but instead led to numerous setbacks. Any design flaw discovered during testing necessitated retrofits to aircraft that had already been built, which was time-consuming and costly.

The impact of this mistake was substantial: delays in delivery, increases in costs, and decreased trust in the program among the participating countries. The issues were eventually mitigated by scaling back the concurrent production until more of the testing phase was completed. The U.S. Department of Defense also implemented a more rigid system for the approval of production increases, to avoid premature ramp-up of the production line.

2. Overly Ambitious Technological Goals:

The F-35 was designed to be a “jack of all trades”, capable of fulfilling the roles of several existing aircraft across three U.S. military branches. This ambitious goal required many technological breakthroughs, including advanced stealth capabilities, an innovative sensor fusion system, and a complex software system. Many of these innovations proved to be more challenging to develop than anticipated, causing further delays and cost overruns.

The impact of these ambitious goals was that the project had a significantly larger scope and more complexities, which subsequently made it more vulnerable to difficulties and setbacks. In response to these challenges, the F-35 program had to scale back some of its requirements, refine its development processes, and invest heavily in problem-solving and technological advancements to meet the high demands.

3. Underestimation of Costs and Timeframes:

The development of the F-35 also suffered from an underestimation of costs and timeframes. This mistake is common in large-scale defense projects, but the magnitude of the F-35 program amplified its impacts. Initial estimates of the program’s cost and delivery date proved to be significantly off the mark, leading to increased criticism and scrutiny from taxpayers and political leaders.

The impact of this mistake was a tarnished reputation and strained relationships with international partners. This mistake was mitigated by implementing more rigorous cost estimation and management practices. The project managers also increased transparency regarding the project’s progress and obstacles, in order to restore trust and demonstrate accountability.

4. Software Development Challenges:

The F-35’s software was one of the most complex aspects of the aircraft, designed to integrate all of the jet’s systems and sensors to provide pilots with unparalleled situational awareness. However, the development of this software experienced significant challenges, including bugs, glitches, and difficulties in integrating with the aircraft’s hardware.

The impact of this issue was additional delays and costs, as well as a decreased operational capability during the early years of the aircraft’s deployment. This issue was addressed by dedicating more resources to software development, including hiring additional software engineers and implementing more rigorous testing procedures. Despite these challenges, the software has been continuously improved and updated, gradually fulfilling its intended role.

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Fly a jet fighter is the fighter jet experience specialist.