Lockheed Martin is delivering Lot 17 F-35 fighter jets to the U.S. military without functioning radar systems. The company is installing ballast weights to maintain airworthiness due to production delays with the next-generation APG-85 radar. These specific aircraft designs accommodate the new system and cannot utilize the older APG-81 radar without significant modifications.
This production issue does not affect export customers, who continue to receive aircraft equipped with the functional APG-81 radar. The U.S. government has not yet approved the newer APG-85 system for international sale.
The military will utilize the radar-less jets for training purposes until the new hardware is ready for installation. Retrofits for these affected aircraft are currently projected to begin around 2028.