F-35 lightning protection system to receive modification

The F-35 Onboard Inert Gas Generating System (OBIGGS) that has proven problematical has begun to receive a fix on the production line. A modification to the brackets that hold the lines that were found damaged is being put in place. Aircraft that have already been built and delivered could go years before they see a fix however. Currently aircraft are restricted from flying within 25 miles of thunderstorms or areas where lightning may occur. It's not really a major issue, because training flights generally don't fly through or near thunderstorms to begin with.

On June 5th, 24 F-35As had been inspected, with 14 having damage to lines for the system. It appears that the bracket that holds the lines is allowing them to move, causing the damage. The new brackets will be stronger and hold the lines better.

www.defensenews.com...

Told you we should have gone for .063" instead of .050" for the brackets :-P

Quite an ironic problem.

Perhaps they should change the name of the aircraft from "Lightning II" to "Blue Sky".

a reply to: Majic

It's another one of those problems that was blown out of proportion. You're not going to fly near or through thunderstorms normally, unless you really don't have a choice, and if that's the case, someone really screwed up. It's kind of like the AD that just came out to modify the center fuel tanks for the 747, and 767 inerting systems. It dates all the way back to TWA800, but even remotely serious has been reported with the tanks or inerting system.

And then came a bolt out of the blue...