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F-35 Fighter Jet: A shocking revelation has come to light regarding the new F-35 fighter jets joining the US Air Force fleet. The F-35, said to be the world’s most modern stealth fighter jet, is now being delivered without radar. In fact, there is a huge delay in the development of the new AN/APG-85 radar. In the planes to be delivered from June 2025, ‘ballast’ (weight) will be used to create balance instead of radar. There is a heavy radar system in the nose cone i.e. the front part of the aircraft. Without it, the aerodynamic balance of the aircraft may deteriorate. For this reason, engineers have to keep dummy weight in place of radar. According to the report of Avionics International, this problem has arisen due to physical incompatibility of components. (All Photos: Reuters)
The latest production batch of F-35 (Lot 17) has been specifically designed for the new AN/APG-85 radar. This radar is based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology which makes it even more lethal.
The designers have made major changes in the nose structure and mounting system of the aircraft. Due to these changes, the old AN/APG-81 radar can no longer fit in these new aircraft.
There are challenges of cooling and power consumption in testing the new radar. Unless this problem is resolved, the aircraft will roll off the assembly line with empty nose pods. US House sub-committee chairman Rob Wittman has also confirmed this serious challenge.
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The new radar requires much more power than the old one. Using too much power causes the system to heat up very quickly. To keep it cool, it is necessary to upgrade the aircraft’s engine and thermal management system. This issue is part of the transition to the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) Block 4 package.
Until the issue of power and cooling is solved, the planes will have to remain without radar. This situation is no less than a big headache for the American defense sector because it is directly affecting the combat readiness of fighter jets.
This is not the first time that a high-tech fighter jet has been delivered without radar. The same thing happened with the British Royal Air Force’s ‘Tornado F.2’ in the 1980s. Since the AI.24 Foxhunter radar was not ready at that time, concrete blocks were filled in the nose of the aircraft. British pilots jokingly named it ‘Blue Circle’, which was the name of a famous cement brand there.
Similarly, in the early models of Eurofighter Typhoon, metal ballast was used instead of optoelectronic system. This mistake of history is now being repeated with the world’s most advanced aircraft F-35.
