WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik – 09th October, 2022) US producer Lockheed Martin says it’s resuming deliveries of F-35 fighter jets after a pause as a result of discovery of a metallic half sourced in China.
“We are resuming delivery of F-35 aircraft and remain committed to our supplier standards and contractual requirements in delivering the most advanced fighter jet in the world,” Lockheed mentioned in a Saturday assertion obtained by Sputnik.
US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante confirmed in a Saturday assertion that the Pentagon had authorized the resumption of F-35 deliveries.
“Today, I signed the National Security Waiver that allows DoD (Defense Department) to accept Lot 13 and Lot 14 F-35 aircraft containing non-compliant specialty metals in Honeywell Integrated Power Package Turbomachines. Acceptance of the aircraft is necessary for national security interests. This determination applies to a total of 126 F-35 aircraft awaiting delivery or to be delivered,” LaPlante mentioned.
Last month, the US Defense Department suspended deliveries of recent F-35 jets for the US army after studying {that a} magnet within the jet’s engine was manufactured with unauthorized materials from China.
According to Lockheed Martin, the magnet doesn’t present any visibility or entry to delicate program info.
“An alternative U.S. source for the alloy has been identified by Honeywell and will be used in the production of future aircrafts beginning in November,” Lockheed mentioned on Saturday.
Politico reported on Friday that the Defense Department had notified Congress that it had accomplished its investigation into the difficulty and determined to not substitute the metallic element in F-35 plane that had already been delivered.
Eighteen plane had been held as a part of the supply pause, in response to Lockheed Martin.
The F-35 program has skilled sourcing scarcity problems with sure elements for the plane since 2019.
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