Software Problem Delays U.S. F-35 Jet's TR-3 Upgrades

The Pentagon turned on a dime and withheld payments of the tune of $28 million to Lockheed Martin for first four F-35 Technology Refresh (TR-3) combat aircraft.

These upgraded jets are currently placed in storage until testing shows its software delivers on new capabilities, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Lockheed is on contract to deliver as many as 45 more TR-3 jets by Dec. 31.

The aircraft needs this upgrade to fully function with new cockpit hardware before it can carry more precise weapons and gather more information on enemy aircraft and air defenses. The “TR-3” upgrade will increase processing power 37 times and memory 20 times over the F-35’s current capabilities.

TR-3 is necessary before the F-35 can receive a more expansive modernization known as Block 4, which will allow it to carry more long-range precision weapons, improve its electronic warfare capability and provide better target recognition.

Last month, the Pentagon said it won’t accept upgraded F-35s until software issues were fixed.

The first TR-3 flight test took place in January. According to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the F-35 program started integrating the new hardware into production in February and set the first delivery of a jet equipped with TR-3 for July.

F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) spokesman Russell Goemaere said in statement that the office and Lockheed will “ensure that all these aircraft are safely and securely stored” until they are formally accepted.

Lockheed Martin said it will continue to produce F-35s at the predicted pace for this year and added that 77 TR-3 test flights were completed as of July 31.