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Lockheed Martin has confirmed that the first F-35s equipped with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrades will initially serve in training capacities, with full combat readiness not expected until 2025.
During an earnings call, CEO Jim Taiclet said the company was commited to fully integrating these enhancements, which include improved software, hardware, and displays, despite facing significant delays.

Originally slated for completion by April 2023, TR-3 has encountered numerous setbacks, mainly due to software issues and hardware integration challenges. These problems have forced a delay until at least the third quarter of 2024, according to Taiclet. Despite the ongoing construction of jets meant to feature these upgrades, Lockheed has experienced pushback from the government, which has halted the acceptance of new jets until TR-3 is fully implemented. This has also led to increased criticism from various lawmakers.

In a recent House Armed Services subcommittee hearing, Congressman Donald Norcross criticized Lockheed Martin for the increased delays. He said, “We have been in this meeting, coming back year after year talking about this, and each year we’re kicking the can down the road. It’s always something new. You need to understand the frustration.”
Even with the criticism, Taiclet says he believes the company will be able to deliver between 75 and 110 F-35s this year, consistent with projections from January. He added, “What we’ve run into on TR-3 is, the level of complexity and executing a [capability] increase that’s pretty dramatic. We are wringing out all of the software through all of the new hardware, and integrating into all of the aircraft’s other systems, and that’s taken longer than our team predicted.”