WASHINGTON (Agencies): Lockheed Martin is encountering a parking space shortage for undelivered F-35 Joint Strike Fighters due to delays in the jets’ upgrade efforts, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
The F-35 program’s testing capacity is also strained and will worsen once the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) software upgrade and the Block 4 update are ready.
TR-3 includes improvements such as enhanced cockpit displays, improved memory, and increased processing power. However, TR-3 is overdue due to software issues and production delays.
The Pentagon has refused delivery of F-35s enabled with TR-3 since July 2023. Lockheed faces dwindling parking space at its facilities, prompting the need for a backup plan.
The F-35 Joint Program Office aims to start flight tests for the next TR-3 iteration later this month, with potential acceptance by the military in late July.