As reported on CNN.com, the F-35 fleet has been cleared for limited flights following the grounding order after a plane’s engine caught fire in June. After investigations and inspections from the Air Force, the plane’s manufacturer (Lockheed Martin), and the engine’s manufacturer (Pratt & Whitney), the F-35 program has been returned to flying status.
The F-35 is the most expensive weapons program in U.S. history with nearly $400 billion already spent and an estimated cost of $135 million per plane.
The article notes that the program has had many overruns and delays, with the engine fire being the most recent. It has also suffered, among other things, software and scheduling setbacks. An analyst states that the glitches now get resolved much faster compared to 18 to 24 months ago.
