Information sharing issues involving software is delaying system design and development (SDD) progress on the Air Force’s F-35A, a top Defense Department official said June 12.
“We’re doing reasonably well at getting test points in,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L) Frank Kendall told reporters on a conference call. “But we are behind and the question is now can we narrow that gap somewhat between now and when we finish (software block) 3F.”
F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) spokesman Joe DellaVedova said multi-sensor fusion involving the information the F-35 collects is delaying software block 3F testing. DellaVedova said information from a third party, like a ship or a warfighter on the ground, can be sent to the F-35 and combined into one picture or common view of the battlespace.
“F-35s are linked (to) where info can be shared seamlessly between aircraft,” DellaVedova said. “Taking all those sensors in real time and giving that picture, that’s the challenging software work that will happen in that (block) 3F software.”
DellaVedova said testing for software block 3F, the full warfighting capability for all variants, is scheduled to be completed by late 2017/early 2018.
Earlier in the week Lockheed Martin [LMT] Executive Vice President and General Manager for F-35 Lorraine Martin blamed delays attaching the “spin chute” to the jet and sequestration for why Lockheed Martin was behind on SDD for F-35A, the conventional variant. Martin said the spin chute, a parachute to protect the jet during its high attack testing when it is out of control or in a free fall, gave about one “month’s worth” of delay. The F-35’s software is designed to automatically recover the aircraft, without pilot involvement, in the event of free fall, Martin said. The chute protects the aircraft and pilot if the software fails, she said.
Martin added sequestration and furloughs affected civilian employees at test sites, delaying progress, but that the company is digging out of it.
“It wasn’t monumental. We were able to work out of it,” Martin said. “It did slow us down a little bit last year, (but) it’s just catching up.”
Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Laura Siebert said civilians that test and verify F-35 software were affected by sequestration, delaying progress. The F-35 is developed by Lockheed Martin with subcontractors Northrop Grumman [NOC] and BAE Systems.