The US Air Force’s (USAF) F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has reportedly been hit by yet another software issue, affecting the functioning of its radars.
USAF major general Harrigian was quoted by IHS Jane’s as saying: "Lockheed Martin discovered the root cause, and now they’re in the process of making sure they take that solution and run it through the software testing lab.
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"What would happen is they’d get a signal that says either radar degrade or a radar fail, something that would force us to restart the radar."
The software malfunction that leads to radar dysfunction is expected to be rectified by the end of this month, reported The Guardian.
Earlier this year, USAF lieutenant general Christopher C. Bogdan claimed the programme had 419 deficiencies to be addressed.
So far, 700 to 800 deficiencies such as issues with software, hardware, and the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) have already been corrected.
Currently under development in three versions, the F-35 JSF is a fifth-generation multi-role fighter aircraft variants will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the US Air Force (USAF), the F/A-18 for the US Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the US Marine Corps.
The aircraft is expected to achieve full operational capability with the USAF by 2021 or 2022.
Lockheed is jointly developing the F-35 with its partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
The news coincides with the USAF announcing the decision to the fly the aircraft at Air Combat Command Air Force Heritage Flight programme alongside World War II, Korean and Vietnam-era aircraft.
Image: The public taking photos of the F-35 Lightning II. Photo: courtesy of U.S. Air Force photo / Staff Sgt. Staci Miller.
