The Pentagon's top official in charge of the F-35 program revealed on Tuesday that the deliveries of the upgraded F-35 Joint Strike Fighter promised by Lockheed Martin this year were much lower than expected, with less than half completed, mainly due to the slow production of key components. Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt, executive officer of the F-35 program, said at a hearing of the House Armed Forces Tactical Air Force and Army Subcommittee that under the contract, Lockheed Martin was supposed to deliver 52 technically updated versions of the F-35 TR-3 by the end of the year, but only 21 of them have been produced. 
Schmidt noted that the production of some of the key components needed for the F-35 TR-3 hardware has been slower than expected, resulting in the remaining latest F-35s still waiting for these parts at Lockheed Martin's plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Schmidt refused to describe the specifics of the parts to reporters after the hearing, saying only that "there is no problem with the hardware, the problem is the speed with which they can be produced to meet our production and retrofit needs." It's actually a problem with a handful of components, but I need all of them. ”
The F-35 TR-3 is an upgraded version of the F-35 fighter. The TR-3 stands for tactical upgrades, technical upgrades, and software upgrades. This upgraded version is designed to improve the combat capabilities and performance of the F-35, allowing it to adapt to the needs of modern warfare. The TR-3 upgrade may include hardware and software improvements, such as improved engines, avionics systems, ** systems, and communication systems. In addition, the TR-3 may also include new technologies and features, such as enhanced stealth performance, advanced electronic warfare systems, increased speed and maneuverability, etc. The F-35 will pave the way for the subsequent mass production of the F-35 Block 4. 
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin had originally planned to complete the preparation of the TR-3 software by April 2023, but this date has been significantly delayed, mainly due to ongoing software and integration issues. Schmidt said Tuesday that the TR-3 could be fully refined by the middle of next spring, but he was not confident about the deadline. ** And Lockheed Martin has previously said that preparations for the TR-3 may be completed by June next year at the latest. 
Rep. Rob Whitman of Virginia said at the hearing that while the F-35 fighter jet is a "technological marvel," its repeated delays in deployment capabilities are troubling. Schmidt acknowledged that the labs used by the program to test the TR-3 were not performing well, and that the program is trying to create more capabilities in its laboratories to handle the greater capabilities of the F-35. "Our lab doesn't properly represent the flight environment, and there are too many discoveries in flight tests," he said. He also told reporters that Lockheed was "paying a huge price" for failing to meet the contractual requirements for the delivery of the F-35 TR-3, without elaborating on the specific penalties. The current slowness in the production of components only affects the delivery of the F-35, not the speed of its production, but Schmidt warns that if the TR-3 software issue is not resolved, it could lead to more problems with the F-35.