Posted on 04/21/2016 12:21:19 PM PDT by don-o
(CNN)Almost 2,500 of the world's most advanced warplanes, with a total price tag of $400 billion, and they may not have a "brain" in the bunch? That's the fear of federal watchdogs who say problems with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's complex logistics software system could lead to a grounding of the entire fleet, not to mention future cost increases and schedule delays.
Documenting risks to the F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System, which Department of Defense officials have described as the "brains" of the fifth-generation fighter, an April 14 Government Accountability Office report says a failure "could take the entire fleet offline," in part, due to the lack of a backup system. The report also outlines concerns related to the lack of testing done to ensure the software will work properly by the time the Air Force plans to declare its version of the aircraft ready for deployment this August and the Navy reaches that milestone in 2018.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
null and void :" Chinese chips running Indian software.
What could possibly go wrong? "
Spot on !
Also, using Chinese chips to run our defenses against Chinese intrusion in the Pacific ?
Ignorant question here :... "Is there a back door to the chips , or the software ?
Same question for electonic, radio, or radar systems ?
"What could possibly go wrong? "
'Documenting risks to the F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System, which Department of Defense officials have described as the "brains" of the fifth-generation fighter'
Those officials are apparently idiots. The "brains" of the fighter are the various onboard computers that control just about every aspect of the plane - engines, armaments, sensors, communications and flight controls. That software is very complex, and (predictably) behind schedule. I expect ultimately it will work well, as will the plane itself.
The logistics system that's the target of this article is a support system running on ground-based computers, used as an aid in maintaining the plane. It's hard to say how critical it is that this is available at the moment F-35s are declared operational. The various problems discussed in the article look to be overblown, although I would say that the central server discussed should be mirrored at at least two different physical sites in case of disaster or attack.
The featured quote in this article:
"The GAO's report on the F-35's software problems is just the latest failure for this nearly $1.5 trillion program that is far over budget and well behind schedule," said Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.There is absolutely no way the F-35 program will or should be cancelled at this point. This is just a military-hating Dem doing what military-hating Dems do.A consistent detractor of the F-35, Speier said she is finding it hard to be surprised each time a new problem is found due to the program's history of costly setbacks and delays.
"To continue pouring money into building planes that have ejector seat issues, cyber vulnerabilities, flawed aerodynamics, maintenance problems, an inability to fly at full speed while using weapons, and overheating issues is borderline malfeasance," she said.
The various problems with the F-35 are solvable, and will be solved. The hundreds of billions already spent shouldn't be thrown away - we need a replacement for the F-16, the Harrier, and the A-10.
Dangit, the entire F35 program should be JUNNKED. Spin up the F22 production lines.
Let F22s clear the skies, then use flying busses (B52s) to dump iron.
This is NOT that complex.
Of course, I am ignoring the kickbacks and lobbyists’ interests. Sigh...
Common theme seems to be that DOD has failed to create a plan to address several problem in concert, the solution of one which might exacerbate existing problems or create new ones.
And GAO is leery of the cost estimates DOD is making.
Un, the F35 as a replacement for the A10? LOL.
Oh yeah, and A10s for ground support.
Or DRONES (e.g., Predators or the next gen after them).
“Un, the F35 as a replacement for the A10? LOL.”
It will easily outperform the A-10’s main role of tank buster, and there are better ways to do CAS than attempting to shoot enemy troops with 30mm depleted uranium antitank rounds.
Apache helicopters are also much better suited to the CAS role than A-10s.
Fair enough.
Under perform, way way over cost. Designed to do just about everything, does nothing well
It’s all about them ball bearings sir.
All I need to know is the f22.
Agreed.
I won’t say that the F-18 is a great aircraft, but it works. If the kid makes a career of Naval Aviation, though, he is likely to end up in an F-35 at some point. They better have the bugs worked out before they inflict this thing on an innocent unsuspecting Fleet.
WELFARE SPENDING IS OBSCENE.
I'm an expert on combat aviation.
No, I've never flown one.
No, I've never flown ANYTHING.
No, I don't work in the field.
No, I've never studied aviation physics or weapons systems.
BUT BY GUM, THE DAY WE DISCONTINUED THE P38 LIGHTNING IS THE DAY AMERICA DIED!
Get your boy into a P38 Lightning! Best airframe ever devised!
Keep in mind that the primary purpose of articles like this is to create such a negative public perception/reaction that the program can be killed in its relative infancy before an effective number of them can be built.
See also B1(not the B)
B2
F22 (at least they made a few of them.)
That said, those who know don’t talk, and those who talk don’t know. I don’t work there. I know some folks who do.
Some of the things I’ve heard frighten me in terms of what they’re trying to get software to do. I’m very suspicious of the involvement of entities such as BAE.
My personal suspicion is that 10 years down the road, we’ll be complaining about how few of them we built and how the next defense project is such a worthless boondoggle. Same s*** different decade.
Yeah.
I also remember the leftists squawking about the M1 Abrams, and the M2 Bradley, and the Peacekeeper missile, and missile defense both generally and specific programs, and ...
Oddly, I don’t remember them objecting to the DIVAD (Sgt. York) which was a turd and deserved to be canceled.
What’s your take on restarting F 22 production?
GAO report tells of maintainers classroom being power point snozers which were completely useless and all they learned was OJT which includes various and undocumented workarounds.
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