DoD Weighs More ‘Organic’ F-35 Maintenance; Bartering With Lockheed

DoD is considering how the services might take over more of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s maintenance chores from Lockheed Martin in order to reduce costs. The study of future sustainment options is one of a number of efforts by DoD’s F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), prime contractor Lockheed Martin and engine-maker Pratt & Whitney to get a handle of the program’s myriad issues. These range the jet’s sky high operating costs, to chronic spare parts shortages, to its deeply-troubled ALIS maintenance software, to a potential shortfall of F135 engines, to Block 4 software delays.