https://sputnikglobe.com/20220907/f-35-production-ground-to-a-halt-after-made-in-china-alloy-found-in-key-component-1100515570.html
F-35 Production Ground to a Halt After ‘Made in China’ Alloy Found in Key Component
F-35 Production Ground to a Halt After ‘Made in China’ Alloy Found in Key Component
Sputnik International
US media warned earlier this year that China’s control of nearly 90 percent of the world’s supply of rare earth metals poses a major threat to the America’s... 07.09.2022, Sputnik International
2022-09-07T19:02+0000
2022-09-07T19:02+0000
2022-09-07T19:11+0000
military
f-35
made in china
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The US Department of Defense has “temporarily” stopped taking delivery of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets after discovering that an alloy used in a key engine component is made in China.In a press release Wednesday, the company indicated that the component in question is a magnet in the jet’s Honeywell-made turbomachine. The magnet is said to have been made using cobalt and a samarium alloy coming from China, and to have been magnetized in the USA.The turbomachine is a crucial aircraft component responsible for integrating the plane’s auxiliary power unit with an air cycle machine to provide electrical power for things like engine startup and ground maintenance.A DoD spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that the Pentagon had “temporarily paused the acceptance of new F-35 aircraft to ensure the F-35 program’s compliance” with regulations “pertaining to specialty metals.”An alternative alloy supplier has already been found, according to the Pentagon.In its release, Lockheed emphasized that it is “working with the DoD to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume deliveries.”Honeywell informed Lockheed of the problem in late August.Lockheed sources the F-35’s 300,000 individual components from over 1,700 suppliers.The US defense giant’s multirole fifth generation fighter jet has faced a seemingly endless stream of problems owing to its complexity, incredible cost, and the ‘one size fits all’ demands placed on designers by the Pentagon.Despite spending 20 years in development and its total expected lifetime cost of $1.7 trillion, the F-35 (whose full name is the F-35 Lightning II) has been plagued with a broad range of issues ranging from faulty ejector seats to processor troubles, engine power and thermal management problems, rust, and vulnerability to lightning.
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f-35, made in china
F-35 Production Ground to a Halt After ‘Made in China’ Alloy Found in Key Component
19:02 GMT 07.09.2022 (Updated: 19:11 GMT 07.09.2022) US media warned earlier this year that China’s control of nearly 90 percent of the world’s supply of rare earth metals poses a major threat to the America’s military-industrial complex.
The US Department of Defense has “temporarily” stopped taking delivery of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets after discovering that an alloy used in a key engine component is made in China.
In a press release Wednesday, the company indicated that the component in question is a magnet in the jet’s Honeywell-made turbomachine. The magnet is said to have been made using cobalt and a samarium alloy coming from China, and to have been magnetized in the USA.
The turbomachine is a crucial aircraft component responsible for integrating the plane’s auxiliary power unit with an air cycle machine to provide electrical power for things like engine startup and ground maintenance.
“We are working with our partners and [the] DoD to ensure contractual compliance within the supply chain,” Lockheed assured.
A DoD spokesperson
confirmed to Bloomberg that the Pentagon had “temporarily paused the acceptance of new F-35 aircraft to ensure the F-35 program’s compliance” with regulations “pertaining to specialty metals.”
The spokesperson assured that the pause in production won’t affect the operations of F-35s already delivered to the US military or foreign countries because “the magnet does not transmit information or harm the integrity of the aircraft,” and because “there are no performance, quality, safety or security risks associated with this issue.”
An alternative alloy supplier has already been found, according to the Pentagon.
In its release, Lockheed emphasized that it is “working with the DoD to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume deliveries.”
Honeywell informed Lockheed of the problem in late August.
Lockheed sources the F-35’s 300,000 individual components from over 1,700 suppliers.
The US defense giant’s multirole fifth generation fighter jet
has faced a seemingly endless stream of problems owing to its complexity, incredible cost, and the ‘one size fits all’ demands placed on designers by the Pentagon.
Despite spending 20 years in development and its total expected lifetime cost of $1.7 trillion, the F-35 (whose full name is the F-35 Lightning II) has been plagued with a broad range of issues ranging from
faulty ejector seats to processor troubles, engine power and thermal management problems,
rust, and
vulnerability to lightning.
