Software development continues to bedevil Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), according to government auditors and U.S. Air Force and program officials.
In testimony submitted to Congress, Michael Sullivan, an auditor at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), said the stealth aircraft's software development "is significantly behind schedule as it enters its most challenging phase."
Sullivan said in his report that officials had underestimated the time and effort required to develop and integrate the F-35's software, which is an order of magnitude more complicated than code found on board the Air Force's F-22 Raptor or the U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
"Delays in developing, integrating, and releasing software to the test program have cascading effects hampering flight tests, training and lab accreditation. While progress is being made, a substantial amount of software work remains before the program can demonstrate full war-fighting capability," Sullivan said March 15 in testimony to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).
The GAO is predicting that the remaining software will be more than three years late compared with the F-35 program's 2006 plan.
The agency's statement reflects concerns voiced earlier this month by Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, that the software might become "the pacing item in terms of the development schedule."
In joint testimony submitted to the HASC, Air Force procurement chief David Van Buren and F-35 program executive officer David Venlet said that software development concurrency is one of the program's top four concerns.
"The four highest development risks on the program risk management board are software development concurrency. [technical baseline review] replan has assessed and extended the schedule, and early code writing and lab integration testing performance measures are being closely monitored," the joint testimony read.
However, Van Buren and Venlet also stated that the F-35's software development is conforming to a recently readjusted schedule.
"The development of F-35 Mission Systems software, a component of the Air System Software, is proceeding according to a schedule adjusted as an outcome of the" aircraft's technical baseline review, Venlet and Van Buren said.
The testimony reflects earlier comments by Venlet's deputy, Air Force Maj. Gen. C.D. Moore, who stated that the program office added more time and resources to the software development effort.
"The schedule and resourcing has been adjusted to address the risks that we saw associated with those next steps," he said.
In testimony submitted to Congress, Michael Sullivan, an auditor at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), said the stealth aircraft's software development "is significantly behind schedule as it enters its most challenging phase."
Sullivan said in his report that officials had underestimated the time and effort required to develop and integrate the F-35's software, which is an order of magnitude more complicated than code found on board the Air Force's F-22 Raptor or the U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
"Delays in developing, integrating, and releasing software to the test program have cascading effects hampering flight tests, training and lab accreditation. While progress is being made, a substantial amount of software work remains before the program can demonstrate full war-fighting capability," Sullivan said March 15 in testimony to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).
The GAO is predicting that the remaining software will be more than three years late compared with the F-35 program's 2006 plan.
The agency's statement reflects concerns voiced earlier this month by Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, that the software might become "the pacing item in terms of the development schedule."
In joint testimony submitted to the HASC, Air Force procurement chief David Van Buren and F-35 program executive officer David Venlet said that software development concurrency is one of the program's top four concerns.
"The four highest development risks on the program risk management board are software development concurrency. [technical baseline review] replan has assessed and extended the schedule, and early code writing and lab integration testing performance measures are being closely monitored," the joint testimony read.
However, Van Buren and Venlet also stated that the F-35's software development is conforming to a recently readjusted schedule.
"The development of F-35 Mission Systems software, a component of the Air System Software, is proceeding according to a schedule adjusted as an outcome of the" aircraft's technical baseline review, Venlet and Van Buren said.
The testimony reflects earlier comments by Venlet's deputy, Air Force Maj. Gen. C.D. Moore, who stated that the program office added more time and resources to the software development effort.
"The schedule and resourcing has been adjusted to address the risks that we saw associated with those next steps," he said.
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