Thanks to Dragon029 (from F-16.net) we have a Program Update ont eh F-35 with some details

1. ALIS 3.0 reduced false alarms in the fleet by “up to” 70%, but there’s still issues that need working through.
2. Mission Data Files and Full Mission Simulators have been updated.
3. >390 F-35s have been delivered worldwide to 18 bases and 2 ships.
4. Approx “70%” of all partner and FMS services have delcared IOC (3 US services, UK, Italy, Japan, Israel [I might be missing one or two others]).
5. 131 jets planned to be delivered in CY19, 167 planned for delivery in CY21.
6. F-35 flight operations (as per sustainment plans) are now expected to run until 2077, not 2070.
7. Winter has some concern about cost performance matching volume ramp, but isn’t concerned about ramp rate being diminished, etc, especially with new FMS customers coming aboard.
8. CPFH in CY18 for an F-35A was $44K/hr, F-35B was $51K/hr, F-35C was $59K/hr (full ownership CPFH).
9. Winter believes they are on track for an F-35A (full ownership) CPFH to reach $25K/hr by 2025.
10. CPFH reduction will be driven by depot component repair times going from 190-200 days (today) to 45 days by 2025; increased reliability of later-lot F-35s; and also reduced manpower requirements due to airframe and ALIS improvements.
11. Lot 12 is being negotitated, Lot 13 will follow on its heels, Lot 14 negotiations are expected to begin in FY20 (but before the end of CY19 according to Winter).
12. Winter himself has not been involved in any USAF / USN 6th gen acquisition planning discussions, but says he has JPO engineers and ops analysts involved, and thinks F-35 DNA in the form of tech and business lessons learned will be folded into those programs.

After some number crunching, here is the Pre-Block 3F Fleet status.

As of March 31st, 2019:
–There are only 17 F-35s at Block 2B, all USAF.
–No F-35Bs or F-35C are at Block 2B. They are all 3i or 3F.
–43 Early Lot F-35s are at Block 3F
–That number goes to 106 one year from today
–Six months after that (Sept 31st, 2020) all early Lot F-35s will be Block 3F.

So much for all of that “OMG, 100+ F-35s will be left behind” reporting we saw a couple of years ago.

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