F-35A Frankenjet is now operational
Posted on April 11, 2025 by alert5
The U.S. Air Force has successfully returned a reconstructed F-35A fighter jet to operational status after combining parts from two damaged aircraft, officials announced this week.
An F-35A Lightning II, known as “Frankenjet” and assigned to the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, returns to Hill Air Force Base on March 26, 2025. The aircraft previously underwent final maintenance at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, before reentering operational service. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Nathan Poblete)
The aircraft, nicknamed “Frankenjet,” completed its return to service on Mar. 26 when it was delivered to the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron at Hill Air Force Base. The unprecedented repair, which involved transplanting the nose section from one damaged F-35A onto another, saved the Pentagon approximately $63 million compared to purchasing a new aircraft.
The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) reported that the repair cost $11.7 million, $2.8 million less than initially projected, and took two years and five months to complete.
“A testament to the process developed here is that the rebuilt aircraft’s first flight was flown to the edges of the performance envelope, and it performed like it was fresh from the initial production line,” said Jeffrey Jensen, the F-35A variant lead.
https://alert5.com/2025/04/11/f-35a-frankenjet-is-now-operational/#more-101564
