F-35 Weapons Integration Analysis and Improvement

Abstract

To expedite F-35 weapons integration, a holistic program change in philosophy and business practices regarding software development, contracting, testing, and certification is required. The current estimated timeline for a weapon from requirement submission to fleet release is seven years. This timeline does not serve the F-35 customer, the warfighter, because it delivers a solution to an emerging threat late to need. Additionally, longer schedules drive costs and impact weapons capabilities and other critical systems on the aircraft. F-35 Leadership acknowledges this problem and continuously requests solutions. The Weapons Program Office responded with solutions to shorten the weapon delivery timelines. Solutions such as incremental capability certification and utilizing computer modeling to minimize the need for aircraft testing are a good start. However, no single solution will fix all weapons integration delays. Significant time savings can be achieved through a paradigm shift by the Government and the lead contractor.