Although Lockheed Martin has been flooded with orders for the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, the problems related to the stealth fighter are also quite a lot, even potentially disrupting the level of combat readiness for operators of user countries.
The latest news comes from South Korea, the Ginseng Country has completed the acquisition of 40 F-35A units in March 2022, and there is a desire from the air force to add 20 more units. But there are statements from South Korean lawmakers to watch out for in the case with the F-35A fleet.
Citing a source from the South Korean News Agency – Yonhap News Agency (4/10/2022), MP from the People's Power Party, Shin Won-sik stated that the South Korean Air Force's F-35A fighter jet experienced an unprepared condition on 234 occasions during period of 18 months, which is until June 2022.
Shin Won-sik who received information from the air force said that one of the reasons that emerged was due to a malfunction.
Shin Won-sik added that during that period there were 172 cases where the F-35A had to undergo temporary grounding, and 62 cases where the fighter jet was able to fly but was unable to perform certain missions.
Shin revealed from the data, he stressed that the South Korean military must make great efforts, not only to introduce such an advanced weapon system, but also to be able to defend it. Shin is concerned that the fifth-generation fighter jet can only carry out missions on average only 12 days per year, and 11 days in the first half of the year.
In comparison, older fighter jets such as the F-4E Phantom and F-5 Tiger were only temporarily grounded 26 and 28 times, respectively, over an 18-month period.
Responding to Shin Won-sik's statement, the South Korean Air Force said there was no problem in maintaining the F-35A combat readiness posture, where this stealth fighter jet can meet an operational level of 75 percent.
The Air Force says there is no problem maintaining a combat readiness posture, as the F-35As can meet their target operating rate of 75 percent. Air force internal sources acknowledged there were problems getting parts from the factory, mainly from defects identified in newly introduced parts models.
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