CHRISTCHURCH, Recent Zealand — Lockheed Martin’s delay in rolling out the F-35 fighter’s Technology Refresh 3 upgrade package appears to don’t have any immediate effect on customers within the Asia-Pacific region, but governments are monitoring their acquisition timelines closely.
The American firm paused F-35 deliveries pending acceptance of the TR-3 software suite, which comprises a mission system avionics upgrade to spice up the aircraft’s data storage, display processing and throughput capabilities. The package also forms the premise of the Block 4 upgrade, which is slated to be more comprehensive.
Defense News asked Lockheed whether clients in Australia, Japan, Singapore or South Korea had voiced alarm over the delays. A spokesperson replied: “We’re staying in close contact with our customers to make sure they’re informed about any delivery impacts. Further questions are best addressed by the respective governments.”
A spokesperson on the Australian Defence Department said the TR-3 problems, which have prompted an uproar in Washington, haven’t affected the country’s “current fleet of F-35A.”
Defense officials in Japan and South Korea didn’t reply to Defense News’ inquiries.
Due to delays, the Royal Australian Air Force is suffering the inconvenience of late delivery of nine remaining F-35As. This has a knock-on effect in regard to declaring final operational capability, which “requires delivery of all 72 aircraft,” the Australian defense spokesperson said.
The federal government now expects to receive all planes “during 2024-25″ — a sign the symbolic final operational capability milestone may stretch into next 12 months, beyond the unique goal.
“The RAAF continues to work closely with the U.S. F-35 Joint Program Office on the delivery of the ultimate F-35A Lightning aircraft for the RAAF,” the spokesperson said.
The department official was tightlipped about how or when in-service F-35As containing older TR-2 and Block 3 software would receive upgrades. “Subject to government approval, delivered RAAF F-35A aircraft will likely be upgraded to the TR-3 standard as a part of the F-35A follow-on modernization program,” the official said.
The TR-3 delay just isn’t expected to affect South Korea, because it previously received 40 F-35A fighters from 2018 to 2021. In December, Seoul procured 20 more F-35As within the Block 4 configuration, which can begin arriving in 2027.
Also in 2027, a South Korean maintenance, repair and overhaul depot at Cheongju Air Base will start operations, meaning the country is not going to need to depend on Australia for deeper F-35 upkeep.
Singapore could also avoid impacts from the TR-3 issue since the 4 F-35Bs the country ordered in 2020 are due in 2026. Last 12 months, Singapore exercised an option for eight additional F-35Bs, that are slated to reach in 2028. And in early 2024, the federal government announced the acquisition of eight F-35As, expected from 2030.
Japan is the one other Asia-Pacific country with energetic orders — 105 F-35A and 42 F-35B fighters. Nearly 40 F-35As have been handed over to this point, with Japan running its own final assembly and checkout facility. The primary six American-manufactured F-35Bs — configured with TR-3 since they fall under Lot 16 — are speculated to arrive early next 12 months.
With Lockheed Martin expecting to deliver the primary TR-3 combat training-capable aircraft this third quarter, it stays to be seen whether the timing holds.
Based on an organization spokesman, TR-3 is a “top priority,” with many of the latest features of the package now in flight testing.
Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in Recent Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region.