The F-35B carried out its first and only shipboard operational testing trial aboard USS Wasp from May 18-25. The Pentagon’s top weapons tester later said the test was so flawed that it “did not — and could not — demonstrate that the … F-35B is operationally effective or suitable for use in any type of limited combat operation.”
By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Seaman Natasha R. Chalk [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Project on Government Oversight obtained the memo written by J. Michael Gilmore, Director of the Operational Test and Evaluation Directorate, via the Freedom of Information Act recently.
Gilmore complained that during the demonstration, the jet could barely achieve a 50 percent readiness level. A readiness rate of 80 percent is required in order to satisfy conditions for combat operations.
Missile launch warning systems and other key mission systems were also absent on the jets deployed for the trails.
The F-35, with three variants of common capability according to its manufacturer, is \”combat capable\” for one service but not for the other two, nor for the chief tester. –Take it back, Marines.