Last week, Lt. Col. (ret.) Tony Carr, publisher of the popular military website John Q. Public, in an appearance on the James. T. Harris radio show, discussed recent comments made by Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James abut the F-35. Carr stated, “We are seeing some cracks in the rhetoric that has so far is been used to protect the F-35. Like the airplane itself – it can’t turn, can’t climb, can’t run – it is getting harder for the Air Force to climb, and turn, and runaway from the problems with the program.” (Listen to the interview here)
McCain Questions F-35 Operability, Marines Provide Cover
Last week, Senator John McCain, in his role as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned the U.S. Marine Corps’ declaration that the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121), based in Yuma, Arizona, has reached initial operational capability with the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. According to sources, the F-35 currently only has 20 percent of the full intended capability, so now even the definition of operational capability is in question.
However, given the fact that the “Marine’s F-35B order only represents about 14% of the DoD’s total F-35 buy, yet the other 86% of aircraft will handicapped by the F-35B’s unique design requirements, according to Tyler Rogoway writing for FoxTrotAlpha, the Marines have to celebrate even the most modest achievement as a milestone.
That might explain why McCain appeared to be very careful to commend the Marines for achieving “initial” operational capability.
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