Pentagon’s weapons tester slams new F-35 modernization plan as unrealistic

[rangerrebew]

Pentagon’s weapons tester slams new F-35 modernization plan as unrealistic
By: Valerie Insinna   1 day ago


WASHINGTON — The F-35 program office plans to close out the joint strike fighter’s development phase this year and begin moving into modernization, but it could face an uphill battle, the Pentagon’s head of weapons testing warned in a report released Wednesday.

The F-35 Joint Program Office has known since 2016 that it likely wouldn’t be able to make its October 2017 goal post for wrapping up developmental test flights, instead estimating it would take until February or even May of this year to finish those tests and end the system development and demonstration, or SDD, phase.


https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/01/25/pentagons-weapons-tester-slams-new-f-35-modernization-plan-as-unrealistic/

[SZonian]

Blk 3 testing of SDD (developmental flight test) is already complete...regardless of the pundits or this idiot.

Blk 4 follow on to commence later this year, early next year missing a relatively smooth transition because the JPO (USG types) couldn't pack their crap into one sack. 

So in the meantime, dozens of experienced flight test engineers have either been let go or placed in holding locations in the hopes they'll decide to come back and start rolling again.