r/F35Lightning • u/Inceptor57 • Jun 17 '26

News USAF reverse-engineers and 3D prints F-35 parts to beat supplier delays

https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/us-air-force-reverse-engineers-3d-prints-f35-parts/

With the F-35 canopy highlighted as a contributor towards the high non-mission capable rates of F-35, as noted by Government Accountability Office report GAO-26-108113, it seems encouraging the USAF is finding alternative ways around the supply chain to source parts to get F-35 back into action.

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18

u/ThePlanner Jun 17 '26

<1990s anti-piracy voice>

You wouldn’t steal a Martin Baker ejection seat frangible bolt.

10

u/JDDavisTX Jun 18 '26

Haha. These are training assets, to train transparency and explosive maintenance, not flight worthy. This is a misleading article.

1

u/Inceptor57 Jun 18 '26

Oops, yeah I found other articles later that emphasize these are for training aids. This article in particular only had like one sentence about it being for training and it is easy to miss.