The American media reported on the statement of representatives of the Pentagon on the postponed decision on the start of full-scale production of F-35 fighters.
At first sight, the information looks very strange, because by now it has already been produced from above 600 such fifth generation fighters, some of them have been delivered to different countries of the world, including Norway, Japan, Israel and others. What was it, if not serial production?
However, in this case we are talking about a truly large-scale program, providing for the production of more 3,2 thousands of F-35s of various modifications. I.e, implies the option of increasing the volume of aircraft production at times.
Undersecretary of Defense Ellen Lord notes, that “the decision on full-scale serial production of fighters, increase in production of F-35 postponed indefinitely ".
US press citing the Pentagon:
The corresponding decision will be made by the future administration (by the Joe Biden administration - approx. «IN»).
celebrated, that such a postponement "for an indefinite period" is due to, that the so-called operational tests of F-35 fighters have not yet been completed in the United States and other countries. The complex of these tests is designated as IOT&E.
Only after the end of these operational tests, as noted, the compliance of fighters with all technical requirements must be confirmed.
In fact, this is an unprecedented event in the world of the military industry: create hundreds of aircraft and this whole production process (along with the export process) test. It turns out, that the Pentagon itself confirms the purchase in the Air Force, Navy and US Marine Corps "raw" aircraft.
