Future Carrier (Including Costs)

[Turbine D]

MSOCS,

Is Secretary James’ Block 3F full combat capability certification, as required by the Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA, still valid?
Answer by the DOT&E: For many reasons it is clear that Lot 10 aircraft that will begin delivery in 2018 will not initially have complete Block 3F capability.
- The program currently has 270 Block 3F unresolved high priority (Priority 1 & Priority 2 out of a 4 priority categorization) performance deficiencies, the majority of which cannot be addressed and verified prior to the Lot 1o aircraft deliveries.
- The program currently has 17 known and acknowledged failures to meet contract specification requirements, all of which the program is reportedly trying to get relief from the SDD contract due to lack of time and funding.

One of the items that must be redone for full Block 3F certification is retesting of the electronics in severe conditions within the flight envelope and operation theater. The new Block 3F electronics generate more heat requiring additional cooling to keep them within temperature operational limits. As time goes on, more deficiencies are bound to be discovered. All of the aircraft delivered without the full Block 3F capability will have to be reworked.