Lockheed begins long-awaited deliveries of F-35 with TR-3 configuration

US Defense Force Lockheed Martin announced the start of deliveries of its upgraded F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters in the TR-3 configuration. After nearly a year of delays, Lockheed Martin took to social media platform X to share the exciting news: “We recently began delivering TR-3 configured F-35s. These upgraded aircraft are equipped with combat training capabilities, a critical step toward full operational capability.”

We recently began delivering TR-3 configured F-35s. The upgraded aircraft in this initial phase are equipped with combat training capabilities, a significant step toward full operational capability. photo.twitter.com/VWMvWFV761

— F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) July 19, 2024

On July 19, the U.S. received two F-35 fighters in this latest configuration. One of the aircraft is now stationed at Dannelly Field, Alabama, with the Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing, and the other at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. According to BulgarianMilitary.com, Lockheed Martin currently has about 100 F-35 fighters in its warehouses, all of which are awaiting the TR-3 upgrade before being shipped to domestic and international customers.

The TR-3 upgrade is designed to significantly improve the aircraft’s computing power, memory and data processing capabilities, keeping the F-35 at the forefront of modern military technology. At the heart of this upgrade is a new integrated core processor, expected to be more than 25 times more powerful than the existing system. This advancement enables faster data processing and superior performance in mission-critical situations.

Another major highlight of the TR-3 upgrade is the implementation of a new panoramic cockpit display system. This provides pilots with an intuitive and comprehensive view of the battlefield, significantly improving situational awareness and decision-making skills. In addition, the TR-3 upgrade includes improvements to the F-35’s electronic warfare capabilities.

In August 2023, it became clear that Lockheed Martin was having problems integrating the latest TR-3 update. Belgium was to receive 34 F-35 fighter jets, and was confronted with this reality. According to the agreement between Lockheed and Belgium, the first two fighter jets would “Belgian” by the end of 2023.

However, the Belgian Air Force refused to accept the first completed aircraft with registration number AY-01 that rolled off the final assembly line. The Belgian military stated that the first two aircraft, AY-01 and AY-02, did not meet the technical requirements of the Block 4 modification, including the TR-3 update. At the time, Belgian media pointed out that the purchase contract stipulated the delivery of the aircraft in the most advanced version available.

Lt. Gen. Michael J. Schmidt, the director of the F-35 JPO program, recently determined that operational units can safely deploy a “shortened” version of the TR-3 software after successful flight tests demonstrated its stability. F-35 partners and users have already approved a plan to adopt it “shortened” version to continue deliveries. Previously, a long delivery delay disrupted user plans for equipment uptake and training, hampering effective training of new pilots and maintenance of the fighter jets.

“We have initiated a phased approach for the delivery of the TR-3 F-35 aircraft,” Schmidt explained this in a press release. “The first phase will deliver aircraft with initial training capability in July and August. Fighter jets with robust combat training capabilities will be delivered by the end of August, and we aim for fully combat-capable TR-3s by 2025.”

Lockheed Martin has announced it will now deliver new F-35sas soon as they roll off the production line, as per our standard procedure, while also preparing and delivering aircraft that were previously awaiting delivery to efficiently address and clear the backlog.” A spokesperson noted that aircraft are awaiting delivery “were maintained to ensure they could be delivered quickly. Aircraft receive the latest software updates prior to DD250, the documentation process that accompanies the delivery of a new aircraft.”

Lockheed also reported that the first deliveries will go to the US as they undergo testing “airworthiness process.” International users will receive their deliveries later, “as the rollout progresses.”

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