Pentagon Temporarily Halts F-35 Deliveries Due to Chinese Parts
Defense officials temporarily halted deliveries of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II after discovering that parts of the fighter jets were made from an alloy made in China, potentially in violation of DOD acquisition policy.
A magnet on the F-35 turbomachine includes cobalt and samarium alloy determined to be produced in China. [Courtesy: Department of Defense]
Key Takeaways:
U.S. defense officials have temporarily halted F-35 deliveries after discovering a Chinese-made alloy in turbomachine pump magnets, potentially violating Pentagon acquisition policy.
Despite the alloy's origin, officials confirm it poses no performance, safety, security, or integrity risks, and in-service F-35s will continue normal flight operations.
The non-compliant alloy was found in parts from a 5th-tier supplier, and Lockheed Martin is investigating the issue while also identifying an alternative alloy source.
The duration of the delivery pause is currently unclear, and a national security waiver may be required for aircraft containing the non-compliant material.
U.S. defense officials have temporarily stopped accepting deliveries of Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35 Lightning II after a discovery that parts on the fighter jets in production were made from an alloy hailing from China, potentially violating Pentagon acquisition policy.
The alloy in question was used to produce magnets that are integrated into F-35 turbomachine pumps.
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