A 148-page report detailed that a part of the air intake was seized, reducing power to the F135 engine by 17% during takeoff.
A defect in the air intake system of the British Royal Navy F-35B was identified as the main cause of its crash in 2021.
F-35B: Investigation reveals technical problems
A 148-page report detailed that a part of the air intake was seized, reducing power to the F135 engine by 17% during takeoff.
The document suggests 46 modifications for the F-35 and highlights deficiencies in safety, equipment handling and resource management.
617 Squadron, the British F-35 squadron, was singled out for not being adequately prepared to operate advanced aircraft at such a demanding pace.
Recurring problems with the F-35
Aside from the accident at Hill Air Force Base in Utah in 2022, the F-35 aircraft has faced some 800 performance defects.
Britain has scaled back its F-35 orders due to budget constraints, relying instead on US Marine Corps F-35Bs for carrier operations. Despite the technical challenges, many of the flaws have already been addressed and fixed through updates and mods.
Most notable flaws in the F-35
The Autonomous Logistics Information System [ALIS], in charge of maintaining the F-35, has presented problems such as slow performance and cyber vulnerabilities.
The F-35’s helmet-mounted display system [HMDS] and mission systems software have faced criticism for being unreliable and causing technical problems.
The F-35’s fuel system showed vulnerabilities to hits and had limited range compared to other fighters.
Flaws in the weapon system
The F-35’s gun has had accuracy issues, affecting its ability in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.
In 2018, glitches in the software that controls the F-35’s weapons were reported, with potentially catastrophic consequences in combat.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are the main users of the F-35 and, therefore, have reported the most major defects of the plane.
Global Impact
Norway, Italy and Israel have also pointed out flaws in the F-35. Despite the problems, however, the F-35 is still considered a highly competent aircraft.
