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US to Accept F-35 Deliveries Without Operational AN/APG-85 Radars — Ballast Fitted as Stopgap

Because development and integration of the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-85 radar are delayed, the U.S. will take F-35 deliveries beginning June 2025 with non-operational nose radars; iron ballast will be installed as a temporary measure, leaving new jets with reduced sensor, weapons and survivability performance.

Discovered 2026-02-11T06:13:30.856194-08:00 | 2026-02-11T06:13:30.856194-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Deliveries from June 2025 will include F-35s without operational AN/APG-85 radars; the program is using nose ballast as a stopgap, directly reducing sensor fusion, weapons employment and survivability in contested environments (see nose mounting mismatch)

  • The move intensifies schedule and integration pressure on the program and suppliers, compounding prior production pacing concerns and a reported two‑year delivery backlog

  • It heightens readiness and sustainment risk for the fleet: the F-35 programme already faces low mission-capable rates and documented readiness shortfalls, so receiving aircraft with degraded sensors increases operational strain

References: nose mounting mismatch, two‑year delivery backlog, mission-capable ~50% in 2024

Reported By

grandfleet.info 19fortyfive.com Defense Daily realcleardefense.com aviationnews.eu theaviationgeekclub.com
Sources Tracked
19
First Seen
2026-02-11T06:13:30.856194-08:00
Latest Update
2026-02-16T19:36:36.333849-08:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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