F-35 issues surface in report

A new Pentagon report warns that software, maintenance and reliability problems with the F-35 could delay the Marine Corps' plans to start using its F-35B jets by mid-2015. The report by the Pentagon's chief weapons tester, Michael Gilmore, is a critique of the technical challenges, and focuses heavily on what it calls the unacceptable performance of the plane's software, according to a draft obtained by Reuters. The report forecast a possible 13-month delay in completing testing of the Block 2B software needed for the Marine Corps to clear the jets for initial combat use next year. (Source: Reuters, 01/23/14) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 training center.