Air Platforms
Wing spar cracks found on USN F-35 variant
Marina Malenic, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
15 November 2015
An F-35C conducts its first arrested landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in 2014. The Pentagon has discovered F-35C wing spar cracks during durability testing that will require modifications to the aircraft. Source: US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kelly M Agee
Key Points
- Pentagon testers have discovered cracks in a main structural element of the F-35C's wing
- Government and prime contractor engineering teams are formulating a solution, and retrofits are planned on existing aircraft
Pentagon testers have discovered cracks in a main structural element of the wing on the C-model of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a spokesman for the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) confirmed on 13 November.
During a late October inspection of the F-35C durability testing ground article, a crack was found in one of its 13 wing spars, Joe DellaVedova told
IHS Jane's . Government and prime contractor engineering teams are formulating a solution, he added.
"Initial estimates indicate a modification of approximately a half a pound to the aircraft will fix it," said DellaVedova. "Modifications to planes flying today will be incorporated to ensure full life operation."
The issue is not expected to affect flying operations for any of the three variants, nor will it alter the US Navy's (USN's) ability to meet its planned Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for the C-model in August 2018, according to the JPO. The cost of the retrofits is not yet known.
The F-35C durability test article had already accumulated more than 13,700 test hours, which equates to 6,850 flight hours or more than 20 years of operational flying, according to DellaVedova. "All current F-35Cs flying today have less than 250 flight hours," he added. Durability testing intentionally stresses aircraft to its structural limits by applying cyclic loads to the airframe to simulate operational flying in order to identify weaknesses and potential corrective actions.
Wing spar cracks found on USN F-35 variant | IHS Jane's 360