Previously, the US Department of Defence classified the issue as a Category 1 deficiency, the most serious, potentially preventing the jet’s usage. Now, the Pentagon considers the matter “closed”, although no solution to it was ever provided, citing a poor balance between the cost of fixing the problem and the threat that it poses to the jet.
The “bubbling and blistering” that was earlier observed on certain models of F-35 jets after prolonged flights is not noticeable to the human eye and the entire issue should be viewed in a broader context, Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn told the website Defence News. At the same time, he cited engineers as saying that if an F-35 jet is to serve for decades, the exposure to extreme conditions causing such problems should be dealt with.
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