According to the Pentagon, nearly 200 F-35’s will never be combat coded because the software can not be updated.
Granted, I couldn’t read one link because it requires membership, and I cannot ever regard anything Popular Mechanics prints as fact worthy any more, but the gist I got is that we are building planes to one specification, the build is changing as the time line moves forward, and everyone involved accepts that with the understanding that at some point in the future, the earlier models will be upgraded to meet the specs of the later models?
And the main concern is that the money is never going to be available?
I ask that, because in reading the article, it did not say they COULD NOT be brought up to spec at some point to the current specs as they are being built now because it was a physical impossibility, but because additional funds would need to be spent to make it possible.
Did I read that correctly?
If so, it is interesting, because this is exactly what we did with the B-29’s in WWII. With the B-29, they recognized immediately that with all the changes taking place constantly on the assembly line because the design was so incredibly advanced for the time, that if they waited until everything was set, they would never get the plane in the air dropping bombs over Japan.
So they essentially made the same compromise, and figured out ways to retrofit them, at intermediate way stations as they they were being delivered, or ultimately, even on the runways in the Pacific. So many of them were flown that were inferior (often in dangerous ways) to those coming off the assembly line at a later time (think measures to prevent the engine fires).
If the fear is that no money will EVER be made available, I wouldn’t hang my hat on that.
Really? The article you linked says:
Hundreds of F-35s may now never be made combat-ready due to budget constraints
It's worth discussing whether limited rate production during development is a good idea, but those 200 F-35s could give upgraded given enough money. The question is, is it worth it?
They can still be used for training and spare parts...the total buy here in the US is supposed to be over 2400 F-35s.
Recently in the news; The five-day drills that began Monday involve more than 200 aircraft, including six U.S. F-22 and 18 F-35 stealth fighters. I guess they are ready for combat now.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-flies-1b-south-show-force-korea-51606409