Important F-35 Updates Delayed

Mover and Gonky discuss delays with the F-35's TR-3 hardware and software upgrades. Subscribe to ‪@themoverandgonkyshow‬ to watch LIVE every Monday at 8PM ET or to see full episodes of The Mover and Gonky Show. Clips will exclusively be posted there soon! Every Monday at 8PM ET, Mover (F-16, F/A-18, T-38, 737, helicopter pilot, author, cop, and wanna be race car driver) and Gonky (F/A-18, T-38, A320, dirt bike racer, author, and awesome dad) discuss everything from aviation to racing to life and anything in between.
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Views presented are my own and do not represent the views of DoD or its Components.

[@mrkevinjmiller]

My guess is "contracting power" is typo. Should be "computing power". That would fit the nature of the upgrade.

[@ziggystardust4627]

But you must admit, Lockheed Martin has all the contracting power here! 😜

[@ypw510]

@@ziggystardust4627 They’ve got layers and layers of subcontractors including PW, BAE, Northrop Grumman, Collins Aerospace etc.

[@dennislobb1015]

You guys are my only source of news. Great power = great responsibility

[@9Blu]

From a GAO report, the low readiness numbers are not due to issues with the aircraft, but delays getting the back-end maintenance operations fully deployed. So lack of spares, depots not online that should have been by now, maintenance training delays, flight line equipment shortages, and contractor issues. So most of that "unavailable" number is just aircraft waiting on normal maintenance that's being held up by those issues.

[@forzaelite1248]

Further investigation in the subcommittee hearings has the funding for said things on the Unfunded Budget Request list; it seems they're prioritizing procurement with the little budget they have. By comparison, Israel and a couple other countries have high readiness rates but for some reason they never brought up these points to Rep. Gaetz when he asked and they got cooked...

[@donwyoming1936]

The DoD has done this with every aircraft. Buy as many as possible up front. Wait 10 years to fund depot repair. What's even worse, the DoD didn't buy the intellectual rights to much of the technology in the aircraft. You're stuck dealing with OEM until some kind of resolution can be reached.

[@forzaelite1248]

@@donwyoming1936 Afaik they recently got it alongside the Joint Simulation Environment as far as the code is concerned, though i'm not familiar if it's true of some of the other stuff on the plane. Either way a day late and a dollar short adds up over several years...

[@discofishing]

Have you seen how horrible USAF Mxers are now? Their NCO Corps has been reduce to the status of emotional support puppy. F-35 have horrible FMC rates because of USAF culture not poorly designed software.

[@banana-st1fq]

the contract dod signed it is pretty much lockheed can say go fu k u self whenever there is an issue. so doesnot matter why it is so low, it is unacceptable.

[@ericlegear7134]

To your f16 point Mover, I remember as a kid watching a 60min hit piece, railing against the f16 because of cost and delays, and pushing we needed to buy f20 tiger-sharks.

[@donwyoming1936]

The media was brutal on the F-16 for the 1st 20 years. Some problems are genuine, like wiring chafing. Others were just normal growing pains with new tech.

[@yurinator4411]

I too am shocked by delays in the military procurement universe...

[@michaelharrington223]

New to this channel only been on for a couple weeks but really starting to enjoy what you guys are putting out appreciate all your time. I love your perspectives. You guys did a video the other day that was more on the personal side but it was fantastic content.

[@TheFirefox516]

B-courser here. Even the viper TX dudes here at the B course talk about how much more capability and SA they're offered by the Panther. The current F-35s are already extremely capable in performing the missions we train to in the modern IAD environment. TR-3 is simply an upgrade to make it that much more capable, not one that it needs to function now.

[@williams6752]

Can you review the scene from "The Incredibles" where the jet is shot down? I'm curious as to how well Hellen (AKA Elastigirl, Mrs. Incredible) did at trying to call off the attack.

[@sky194]

The more complicated the bigger the bugs. Also the F-35 needs more cooling to get the stage 4 upgrade, and just barely having enough cooling is asking for failure, and dooming any further upgrades IMO.

[@Hyposonic]

It's a cooling, not computing, problem. The XA100 and XA101 had cooling capacity well beyond the F135, so unless there's another die shrink in the cards for TR3, we may be stuck where we are.

[@jimmyb4445]

Contracting power is power for the contractor!

[@bks252]

The point is, it’s defense contracting. Everything is always delayed. It happens with Army aviation all the time. Boeing is allowed to never meet their target dates with the capability that is supposedly required. They will role out something but not with everything that was contracted to have on that date. The program managers never do anything about it so of course, it happens over and over.

[@alexanderbrown9577]

Have you seen the OH-6A mod for DCS that dropped this week? The flight model is very detailed.

[@RichardB-zw9ru]

My understanding from research, is that the 29% figure has to do with the F-35's being fully mission capable for it's entire capabilities, IE the F-35 can carry nuclear weapons but not all are configured to do so, thus the lower fully mission capable rating. The odds that the F-35 would be ever called upon for that type of mission is very small so it makes no sense that they would outfit every F-35 for it, so the program's full mission capability percentage drops. Now I have no idea how much of the drop is due to that issue, my guess is that it's classified. Just trying to give some insight from my research on it.

[@johngilbert6036]

Could it be the fact the engine cannot make enough electricity to run the upgrade package. I read that was an issue just recently.

[@vincentgiasson7551]

Oh my god, Mover is actually defending Fat Amy😀😀😀

[@Karl-Benny]

Will the Earlier F-35 get the block 4 Upgrade

[@RealCptHammonds]

The government has to start canceling contracts that fail to meet deadlines.

[@tomcook5813]

Needs a 35,000 foot ground wire

[@RaySqw785]

and yes "l'habit ne fait pas le moine" cheerss

[@davedeville6540]

I’ve said this for a long time: The US is discounting the F-35 for export clients in order to reduce their own exposure to this hot mess

[@proy3]

Mover, Gonky, and Hasard Lee crossover when?

[@ypw510]

After Ward Carroll.

[@EX141FE]

Apparently only 29% are FMC....no good. More Vipers, Eagles, Hornets and Hawgs!

[@stupidburp]

Ugh 😩 Come on, work it out.

[@Turboy65]

Build aircraft that are combat ready right off the factory floor. Give them an "upgrade" that makes them NOT combat ready until it's patched. On what planet does this make ANY sense at all?

[@donwyoming1936]

Welcome to software that's a billion lines long written by 50 different OEM contractors. Updates are going to break things they never saw coming.

[@RogerJL]

​@donwyoming1936 That is why Gripen E software architecture is intriguing. Allowing airforces to install their own applications...

[@michaelharrington223]

this change in the upgrade that's had tons of delays is holding up the rest of the world LOL

[@kevint1911]

To be fair, this is the most complicated most capable combat aircraft ever produced. Getting all the systems to work together efficiently is not a simple task.

[@Xterminate13]

It's the most unreliable aircraft. 29% mission capable....

[@toddie4usa1]

​@Xterminate13 if you had a clue you would be dangerous.

[@toddie4usa1]

You are on the right track plus not all F35s are the same and I'm not talking variant wise. Different countries have different packages

[@Xterminate13]

@@toddie4usa1 if you had a clue, you might realize. Fear nothing.

[@ghostviggen]

What’s the point with having advanced features if they aren’t ready until the fighter retires. There could be many lessons learned from the F35 program

[@jimbe01]

HAL “says” My software is better than your software, my software is better than your software, Naa, na, na naa na. Skynet just snickers.

[@nimaside]

I finally got to see an f-35A at an airshow and I love it now. What did it tor me way the noise. The crazy loud afterburner was incredible. That's one of the main reason's I love air shows is to hear Afterburners and Wow this was loud. I was like this is fifth Gen Noise lol. Everyone around me seemed blown away from the sound. I hear its up to 4 times louder than the Viper. The Raptor is still my favorite fighter (though I've never seen it fly in person) but I see the F-35 very differently now after watching the demonstration.

[@ypw510]

I saw an F-35B at San Francisco Fleet Week last year. It was an awesome show. And yeah I get that Mover ridicules the intelligence of Marines. It was hovering 100 ft over San Francisco Bay, clearly kicking up lots of water. And for all the talk that it can’t dogfight, it looked really maneuverable.

[@TooTallDean]

Nimaside, That is a strange way to choose a jet! You are correct though, it is bloody LOUD. Even more so for the B version when the exhaust nozzle is rotated down. I saw one fly directly over me just outside of MCAS YUMA a few years ago. It did a pass over the parking lot I was at. It was in normal flight mode and it was LOUD. Half the car alarms in the lot were screaming 😊 Then it came by again in STOVL mode and it was DOUBLE FUCKING LOUD 😊😊 And EVERY alarm was howling.!!

[@somezsaltz6835]

I saw one a f35B at an air show and it’s not insanely loud idk what ur talking about

[@linwooddabney798]

You also understand that Lockheed runs the contract with very minimal overbite. This allows them to make their price and profits without oversite

[@Karl-Benny]

It has been 15 Years and still not right

[@jamricsloe]

Is it true that less than 30% of F-35s are mission ready?

[@douginorlando6260]

Recent Congressional hearing revealed 29% Full Mission Readiness. But wait, there’s less! The original Full Mission Readiness requirements definition was reduced and needs Technology Refresh 3 to restore requirements that were reduced/waived. That means none of the F35s meet the original Full Mission Readiness requirements. Countries need to push back and use the TR3 fail to get out of this bad romance and switch to F15EX or Gripens

[@discofishing]

Lockheed Martin will let schedule slip and incur fees/penalties to deliver a quality product unlike Boeing.

[@bigearl3867]

They got that number from RT I'll bet.

[@Mak10z]

Contracting power. you know.. demon summoning. making contracts with devils to style all over the enemies faces

[@erikallder8199]

It's as if Bethesda Games developed this jet. 😆

[@Stinger522]

Maybe it's time to admit that this upgrade was too ambitious to work.

[@RogerJL]

I think this upgrade was to deliver promised base functionality...

[@ProKr3w]

Always thought they should of made the F-16 as stealth as possible, even if that means a redesign.

[@willpugh8865]

Comparing f35 ready rates to an f16 is silly. It’s like an experienced car mechanic working on Chevy 350’s since the 60’s then giving him a Tesla and saying go. Its going to take a few minutes to get sorted

[@johnaikema1055]

isn't tf4 supposed to be complete in 2025? so Canada's getting???? we will have to pay to (if able) update our jets before we are operationally compliant? what a great deal regarding our only operational fighter. head in sand, when should I pull my head out?

[@niweshlekhak9646]

They will be combat ready in 2026 when we get our first batch.

[@hoghogwild]

"what a great deal regarding our only operational fighter." We still have the CF-18s through 2032 as the F-35A reaches it's Initial Operational/Full Operational Capability (IOC/FOC).

[@kevinmyers4437]

Great stuff guys!! …..and it’s called political grand standing. Comes with the most sought after concept in the world, FREEDOM. 🇺🇸

[@drones7838]

FJB

[@The_blindpizzaguy1300]

I honestly am not at all surprised. The F3 five is the cyberpunk of the fighter jet world. It has had so many bugs and so many delays, and it has been more costly than it needed to be to build it and now I’m questioning why didn’t they think about this when they were first building the aircraft. Like why didn’t they make it so that he could just slap the new parts on without having to pay an arm and a leg to do it? And the thing is this technology existed long before the military knew about it because we have PCs now that can have up to 4 TB of storage and for some reason, they’re telling me that oh well we couldn’t equip the planes with that because we were using inferior technology? What the heck you US government get with the program! I don’t see why they couldn’t just like get gaming, PC graphics cards and hard drives and just slap them in the F 35s? I feel like that would be a whole lot cheaper and it wouldn’t compromise their data in anyway..

[@donkeytonks6466]

Government completely botched this entire program by giving so much power to the contractors.

[@douginorlando6260]

Why am I not surprised? Foreign buyers should jump on this chance to bail out of this bad product. They should not accept a band aid patch conditional waivers and changes to requirements. Instead they should buy F15EX with AIM 260. There’s no comparison between the F35 and F15EX performance, reliability and upgradability. And forget about stealth if you put an AIM 260 under the wing.

[@tbolt2948]

When are they going to kick this POS to the curb! F-15 EX, F-16V and F/A-18 E/F are as good if not better. The only thing they lack is that shiny keybob stealth. You have to admit 20 years of this FUBAR and they're still trying to fix Fat Amy is way too long.

[@tranquilreverie203]

Did you even watch the video? The TR3 is simply an upgrade, but that doesn't mean that the F-35 is non functional without. It is still an entire generation more advanced than those jets.

[@tbolt2948]

What do you know about the Fat Amy? These upgrades are necessary because it isn't up to snuff. I advise you actually research the massive problems that the F-35 program has had for the last 20 years before you praise it to highly. As the old saying goes, "All that glitters (stealth) is not gold." The

[@tranquilreverie203]

@@tbolt2948 The problems you witnessed the past 20 years have mostly been ironed out. Now, I know the F-35 has a shitty 55% readiness rate, but that's more of a systemic issue with the USAF than a problem with the plane itself. Also, because you call Fat Amy a "POS," I assume you know nothing of its capabilities. Stealth is not even its prize feature. For instance, all the F-35 pilots I watched or talked to brag about how 4th generation pilots are practically blind compared to them thanks to the F-35's distributed aperture system. I'm open to yap about it more, but only if you wanna talk about it

[@tbolt2948]

@@tranquilreverie203 Yeah right. As a Democrat and a Patriot, I hate this jerk but this time he's right. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6CYXnppjMlmfcU

[@dewizle5026]

Maybe we should start buyingour weapons like we buy cars... Where when you buy a car it's a finished product. all research n development is financed by the manufacturer. We stop buying aircraft tanks missiles ships that aren't mission capable then payin' the contractor to fix what they broke also bar the services from changing the specs mid contract.. BTW I make my living as a contractor lol!!