Pentagon Told by Panel to Probe, Fix F-35 Pilot Breathing Issues
F-35 breathing provisions added to must-pass defense bill
More than 45 oxygen episodes reported as of mid-2020
July 28, 2021 1:17 PM
By Roxana Tiron and Tony Capaccio
A House panel concerned about persistent problems with the on-board breathing system for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pilots is directing the Pentagon to investigate and correct the issues.
The House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee wants the Pentagon, with help from NASA, to start testing and evaluating the breathing system in the Lockheed Martin Corp. aircraft in operational scenarios. The proposed provision is included in the subcommitee’s portion of the fiscal 2022 defense authorization measure.
Photo: Staff Sgt. Jensen Stidham/U.S. Air Force via DVIDS
An F-35A Lightning II flies over the flightline at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. on Aug. 21, 2017.
The requirement was prompted by a NASA study published earlier this year that had some concerning findings, according to a committee aide who asked not to be named. While the NASA study examined why F-18 and F-15 fighter jet pilots encountered physiological episodes, the team also analyzed a limited number of F-35 breathing issues and interviewed the pilots who experienced physiological episodes in the U.S. military’s newest fighter aircraft.
https://about.bgov.com/news/pentagon-told-by-panel-to-probe-fix-f-35-pilot-breathing-issues/
