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As the report submitted to United States CongressLockheed Martin’s F-35 program “ran into difficulties last year due to increasing shortages of parts in its supply chain, shortages that” increased significantly “and are likely further complicated by the decision of the United States to exclude Turkey from the program».
The report includes a reference to Turkey’s exclusion from the program. last year due to the president’s decision Recep Tayyip Erdogan Buy the Russian air defense system S-400. This exclusion is “Likely to increase production risks” until alternative suppliers are found for the 1,000 spare parts produced by Turkish companies, according to the report, according to Bloomberg. As the researchers wrote in their report, “Suppliers have been found for 1,005 components made by Turkish companies, but there is a problem with the production of 15 other components.”
A US official USA He told the US Government Accountability Office. USA That Turkish suppliers will provide spare parts through deliveries under the 14th Production Agreement, or around 2022, to help “To avoid interruptions in aircraft deliveries and additional cost increases due to the arrival of new suppliers.”
However, the delay is due in part to its pandemic. COVID-19, causing delays in parts of the program that last up to nine months, Turkish sources say.
In his recent annual report on$ 428 billion programGAO talks about exceeding the aircraft delivery targets for 2019, but also about changes in the production process.
7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (AP Photo / Ariel Schalit)
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7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (AP Photo / Ariel Schalit)
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7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (AP Photo / Ariel Schalit)
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7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (AP Photo / Ariel Schalit)
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7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Francisco J. Díaz Jr./U.S. Navy via AP)
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7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Francisco J. Díaz Jr./U.S. Navy via AP)
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7 photos: Lockheed Martin’s American F-35 fighter jets
– Source: (AP Photo / Michael Sohn)
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Program officials told GAO investigators that some providers “It was very difficult for him to meet the highest production requirements in 2019 and as a result, the program showed higher rates of delay in deliveries or shortages of spare parts. “
Between July 2018 and July 2019, the spare parts shortage per month increased from 875 to over 8,000.
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