“Ready To Fly?” Kelly Challenges Air Force Official In Senate Exchange | US NEWS | WORLD NEWS

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Have you had to make any calculate calculations on unit cost for us now as we add planes to the fleet based on some of our allies starting to seems to me they're going to walk possibly walk away from the program.

[00:00:18]I if >> Not entirely but they've you know there's been some discussion about smaller buys by some of our allies. Is that going to have an effect on us?

[00:00:27]So that's something that we've kind of as we go into each program cycle developing 27 and as we're starting to develop 28, we've worked very closely with the JPO to kind of get a sense for where all of the procurements are.

[00:00:42]Thank you Mr. Chairman. Um I think with Midnight Hammer and the operations in Iran we've seen the capability of the F-35 um ability to get over a target and get weapons on target and um about a couple years ago I flew an F-16 against an F-35 and uh once we hit the merge wasn't that impressive. Before that the thing was invisible. I mean it was it was quite something to to not see.

[00:01:16]Um and you can see the value in having this platform.

[00:01:21]My understanding is TR3 uh there's um over 100 airplanes that have tech refresh three in them but the software is still uh some of the software is delayed.

[00:01:34]Would you consider I'm not sure even who the question should be directed to.

[00:01:39]Would you consider those airplanes you know ready to fly and have any of them seen combat the ones that have tech refresh three?

[00:01:51]So I've flown the F-35 with the TR3 software. It's uh Senator not currently combat coded because of the developmental issues that we're working through. So, the aircraft that are currently deployed are not using that software. They're using an older software that is, uh, verif- or, uh, fully combat capable.

[00:02:09]Uh, I'm confident that we will get there on TR-3. Um, I have a long experience with the F-35 program, and I think I share some of the, uh, members' frustration. But, we continue to make the program better. It will be the backbone of the US Air Force and many other air forces' fighter fleet for many years to come.

[00:02:31]We look carefully toward the future and assess the trends and where they're going and make sure that the upgrades like Block 4 are going to bring the capabilities that will keep it relevant in the future.

[00:02:42]And any timeline for when we're going to see a Block 4 airplane?

[00:02:48]I don't have the timeline specifics. It is still several years away.

[00:02:53]Um, Block 4 is, I think you're aware, has slipped considerably over the years.

[00:02:57]One of the challenges that we have from a modernization perspective, and I would say the F-35 is one of the more difficult programs in this regard, the the bigger and more complex the upgrade, the more difficult it is to update it. And so, some of the initial requirements documents for Block 4 were written many years ago, and the threat has shifted since then. And so, one of the things that the Air Force grapples with is, how do we balance the tension between freezing the requirements, which helps us to move more quickly and field capability, but at the same time being responsive as the threat environment changes. And that'll be a big part of my responsibilities in the A-57, Senator.

[00:03:35]Yeah, I think for a complicated weapon system like the F-35, it's hard to have a innovation cycle.

[00:03:41]I mean, first of all, for us, our innovation cycle is really long to begin with. It's not like, you know, what the Ukrainians can do in a drone factory every 2 weeks. They can make changes and get them incorporated. Uh, I get that.

[00:03:54]Back to TR3 though, when do you think we will have the combat encoded software available because we have 100 I think about 150 airplanes that I guess we could use them for training, but we can't send them to do their jobs.

[00:04:13]Senator, I'd like to take that question for the record. I'm working now on the requirements side and I've been away from that for about a year now. My sense is it's months not years, but let me take that and get you the right answer. And then a quick update on APG 85 and also the the engine core upgrade, when would we expect to see those?

[00:04:37]So, I'd like to turn it over to my acquisition counterpart to address the specifics, but as far as I know both of those are on track. We have had some growth issues with the APG 85, but I believe that we will get there, Senator.

[00:04:51]General?

[00:04:54]Yes, sir. So, I think all of those TR3 related capabilities that are that are needed to get to fully combat coded aircraft are actively being worked by the by the JPO and Lieutenant General Massiello.

[00:05:08]There are a number of additional capabilities on on that upgrade that we can't really go into here, but to General Nemetz's point, I'm I'm happy to also take the specifics on each of those capabilities that need to get upgraded into TR3 for for that combat coded aircraft to be to be viable and get back to you with those details.

[00:05:30]And then how how about on the engine core upgrade?

[00:05:32]>> Yes, sir. Same. Same thing.

[00:05:34]>> I can take that as well and and get you those details. Any any concern of yours unit cost I mean the unit cost on F-35 has come down significantly over the years, but that's you know, often largely because we've been selling them to a lot of our international partners.

[00:05:51]Have you had to make any calculate calculations on unit cost for us now as we add planes to the fleet based on some of our allies starting to seems to me they're going to walk possibly walk away from the program.

[00:06:12]I if Not entirely, but they you know, there's been some discussion about smaller buys by some of our allies. Is that going to have an effect on us?

[00:06:21]So, that's something that we've kind of as we go into each program cycle developing 27 and as we're starting to develop 28, we work very closely with the JPO to kind of get a sense for where all of the procurements are to that very reason to understand kind of what the per unit price is going to be. We don't see a lot of variation right now in the FMS sales.

[00:06:47]So, we're not anticipating a wild swings. As you said rightfully, it's the prices are coming down gradually, but but it is something that we keep in the crosscheck as we look at the next year's programming.

[00:07:01]>> Right. All right, thank you.

[00:07:03]Yes, sir. So, I think all of those TR3 related capabilities that are that are needed to get to fully combat coded aircraft are actively being worked by the by the JPO and uh Lieutenant General Masiello.

[00:07:17]There are a number of additional capabilities on on that upgrade that we can't really go into here, but to General Nemetz's point, I'm I'm happy to also take the specifics on each of those capabilities that need to get upgraded in the TR3 for for that combat coded aircraft to be to be viable and get back to you with those details.

[00:07:39]And then how how about on the engine core upgrade?

[00:07:41]>> Yes, sir. Same. same thing. I can take that as well and and get you those details. Any any concern of yours unit cost I mean the unit cost on F-35 has come down significantly over the years, but that's you know, often largely because we've been selling them to a lot of our international partners.

[00:08:00]Have you had to make any calculate calculations on unit cost for us now as we add planes to the fleet based on some of our allies starting to seems to me they're going to walk possibly walk away from the program.

[00:08:21]I if >> Not entirely, but they've you know, there's been some discussion about smaller buys Yeah. by some of our allies. Is that going to have an effect on us?

[00:08:30]So, that's something that we've kind of as we go into each program cycle developing 27 and as we're starting to develop 28, we've worked very closely with the JPO to kind of get a sense for where all of the procurements are to that very reason to understand kind of what the per unit price is going to be. We don't see a lot of variation right now in the FMS sales.

[00:08:56]So, we're not anticipating a wild swings. As you said rightfully it's the prices are coming down gradually, but but it is something that we keep in the cross-check as we look at the next years programming.

[00:09:10]All right. Thank you.