Resumed F-35 Jet Deliveries Stall Until TR-3 Upgrade Completion

The U.S. military has resumed receiving F-35 jets but is withholding the final $5 million payment per jet until the TR-3 technology upgrade is complete. Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office have coordinated this agreement to ensure that combat capability is met before full payment.

The delivery of F-35 jets to the U.S. military has resumed, yet the U.S. government is withholding the final $5 million payment for each jet pending the completion of the TR-3 technology upgrade, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office.

"We have coordinated the terms and conditions with Lockheed Martin. As a portion of the agreement, approximately $5 million per aircraft is being withheld and will be released as combat capability is delivered," a spokesman for the F-35 Joint Program Office stated. The standard F-35A variant costs an average of $82.5 million each for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 calendar years. For specialized models, costs rise: the short takeoff and landing "B" variant at $109 million and the Navy's "C" variant designed for aircraft carriers at $102.1 million.

The capricious withholding of the final payment underscores the emphasis on ensuring these jets meet the high standards of operational readiness before being fully financed.

(With inputs from agencies.)