After the story with the catapult, a new ‘surprise’ was found in the F-35
The US Department of Defense has halted the acceptance of new F-35 aircraft after discovering that the magnet used in the engines of the fifth-generation fighter jet was made of unauthorized material from China, Reuters reported, citing Pentagon official Russell Gomare.
For example, an investigation into the F-35 fighter jets, which began in mid-August this year, found that the alloy in the engine’s oil pump did not comply with US procurement laws that prohibit unauthorized Chinese products.
At the same time, Gomare noted that the magnet ‘does not transmit information and does not harm aircraft’ and, accordingly, there are no risks in using engines with this magnet.
However, Lockheed Martin said that ‘the problem is related to the magnet of the F-35 turbomachine manufactured by Honeywell, which contains an alloy of cobalt and samarium.’ Honeywell said it ‘prioritises delivering high-quality products that meet or exceed all customer contract requirements.’
Ultimately, in a statement from the Joint Office, the F-35 program said it would use an alternative alloy source in the future. In general, there are also other Chinese-made magnets on this fighter, which received the necessary permits from Pentagon officials.
