- Six new F-35Bs entered service with ballast in the nose instead of radar
- The delayed APG-85 created stealth fighters without their main sensor
- Batch 17 redesign decisions eliminated compatibility with older radar hardware
The United States Marine Corps has accepted delivery of six newly built F-35B stealth fighters, carrying ballast where radar is planned to be installed.
The aircraft left the production lines without the AN/APG-85 radar that future F-35 variants are expected to rely on for combat operations.
Instead of delaying delivery, officials accepted planes configured with dead weight occupying the forward section reserved for missing equipment.
New radar arrives before plane can actually use it
This unusual situation arose because the Batch 17 aircraft were redesigned around the upcoming AN/APG-85 radar architecture and mounting structure.
These modifications prevent the installation of the older AN/APG-81 radar, leaving no interim option until a replacement is available.
The radar is to be supplied by Northrop Grumman rather than prime contractor Lockheed Martin, further complicating delivery schedules.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory Masiello informed lawmakers on June 23, 2026 that only six Marine aircraft currently do not have radars installed.
Acceptance testing of these aircraft began in February 2026 after successfully completing production earlier in the year.
Although the Air Force and Navy have not yet received comparable aircraft, similar deliveries are reportedly expected later this year.
Without radars, the aircraft can support basic flight familiarization and pilot instruction activities while remaining unsuitable for combat operations.
The Joint Program Office defended the decision, saying the Pentagon “deliberately undertook a highly competitive development and production program of advanced capabilities.”
“This decision was made with a full understanding of the risk of having production aircraft ready before capacity.”
Delay raises broader questions about F-35 readiness
The missing radar comes amid broader concerns about the operational readiness of the entire F-35 fleet in fiscal year 2025.
According to a recent assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, only about 25 percent of F-35 aircraft have reached fully mission capable status. in 2025.
Aircraft capable of completing at least one assigned mission reached 44.1%, although this figure remains considerably lower than historical expectations.
Masiello said he would not “dispute their numbers or the way they do it” during their congressional testimony discussing the findings.
Using Joint Program Office calculations, he argued that the mission capability figure was instead closer to 56 percent for all operational fleets.
The delayed APG-85 radar is part of the broader Block 4 modernization program that continues to face scheduling and integration issues.
Future F-35 models will require greater cooling capacity, as the new systems will consume between 62 and 80 kilowatts, more than double the 32 kilowatts currently consumed by hardware.
A next-generation engine that could have filled this cooling gap was developed but was ultimately abandoned after proving too expensive.
Current plans indicate that the APG-85 will enter service around 2028, but significant cooling will not arrive until after 2031.
The sight of stealth fighters equipped with lead ballast instead of radar could therefore become an enduring symbol of contemporary defense procurement realities.
Via the defense industry
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