The Defense Department’s entire F-35 fleet remains grounded almost two weeks after an F-35A caught fire at Eglin AFB, Fla., said Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby. “The root cause of the incident remains under investigation. Additional inspections of F-35 engines have been ordered, and return to flight will be determined based on inspection results and analysis of engineering data,” said Kirby in a July 3 statement. “Defense Department leadership supports this prudent approach.” As of Thursday it was unclear whether the F-35 would participate in the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom July 19-20. “A final decision will come early next week,” said Kirby. A fire broke out in the back end of an F-35A on June 23 as it was preparing to take off. The pilot was not injured.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
