How did the Marine Corps declare the F-35 IOC and send it on deployment with this many deficiencies???

via FoxTrot Alpha.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the most expensive military program in the world with a total cost of more than $1 trillion. Now, a new Pentagon report suggests that the futuristic fighter jet still has hundreds of deficiencies and won’t be ready for ready for full combat testing until 2019.

The Pentagon’s latest brutal assessment of this high-priced aircraft was part of an annual report from the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation Michael Gilmore. The dossier includes a five-page evaluation of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the results of which are damning—emphasis ours:

The Services have designated 276 deficiencies in combat performance as “critical to correct” in Block 3F, but less than half of the critical deficiencies were addressed with attempted corrections in 3FR6.
That’s not all. In addition to the hundreds of flaws that have already been found in the aircraft, the Pentagon expects to keep finding more. The report specifically states that deficiencies are popping up at a steady rate—emphasis ours:


Deficiencies continue to be discovered at a rate of about 20 per month, and many more will undoubtedly be discovered before and during IOT&E.
The operational performance of the aircraft is a complete joke. The plane’s “objectionable or unacceptable flying qualities” while breaking the sound barrier are just some of the many flaws plaguing the aircraft including overheating problems and cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could lead to compromises of F-35 data.

Story here. 

Simple questions.

1.  If the Marine Corps knew of all these deficiencies then why did they declare initial operational capability on the F-35?

2.  With these deficiencies how and why did the Marine Corps think it prudent to send these airplanes off on deployment.

3.  How much of a budget hit will the Marine Corps face to bring all the F-35's already bought up to operational capability in another 3 or 4 years IF WE DON'T HAVE FURTHER DELAYS?

4.  Why does the Deputy Commandant for Aviation still have a job.

This is more than a procurement mistake.  The F-35 is a scandal, has shown a lack of integrity of Marine Officers at the highest levels and show a disregard for the lives of Marine Aviators that have to fly this plane.

Someone needs to go to jail.  If not that then reduced in rank and forced to retire.