US Navy gives Lockheed Martin 14+ Million to determine if the F-35 can meet future "operational" requirements...

via executive.biz

Lockheed Martin has received a $14.4 million contract from the U.S. Navy to determine if the current F-35 air system can address future operational requirements.
The company will also help the service branch explore cost and weight reduction strategies as well as conduct administer modeling and simulation efforts under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, the Defense Department said Monday.

Work also includes additional analysis efforts to examine changes to the aircraft’s design life, operational readiness, reliability and air system design and configuration.

The service branch will obligate $5 million in fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds at the time of award.

Lockheed will perform contract work in Fort Worth, Texas, through December 2018.

Wonder what they mean by "if the F-35 air system can address future operational requirements"?

Isn't that why they're building the fucking plane?

The funny - curious part is the weight reduction work.

I thought they had solved that.

The last bit is curious too.  This is all short fused for a govt contract.  This should be done December of this year?

The F-35 is one snake bit airplane.  Everyone wants to say that its the Brewster Buffalo but they're wrong.  The F-35 is the Cutlass reborn...