In recent days, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has reported that a new and unique example of the A variant belonging to the U.S. Air Force has been put into service. Nicknamed “Frankenjet,” this aircraft was assembled by integrating parts from two different fighters into one. Specifically, it was detailed that the nose section from aircraft AF-27 was grafted onto the fuselage of AF-211, both of which had been out of service due to major accidents.
It’s worth remembering that the “Frankenjet” project began in 2022, involving personnel from the aircraft’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, the aforementioned JPO, and the 388th Fighter Wing Maintenance Group. Broadly speaking, the goal is to optimize resource use and avoid discarding an aircraft entirely when only one section is inoperable—something that was successfully achieved in this case. The F-35A, tail number AF-27, had been grounded since suffering an engine fire in 2014 while operating out of Eglin Air Force Base, while AF-211 sustained severe nose gear damage in 2020.
The culmination of this complex process took place in January of this year, when the modified aircraft completed its first flight from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to Lockheed Martin facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. After nearly two months of factory inspections, the fifth-generation fighter returned to its original base on March 26, officially rejoining active duty.
Among the statements made to mark the milestone, Jeffrey Jensen, the current F-35A lead, remarked:
“A testament to the process developed here is that the first flight of the rebuilt aircraft was conducted at the edge of its performance envelope, and it flew as if it had just come off the initial production line (…) Soon, this aircraft will be back in full service, ready to defend this nation—with significant cost savings for taxpayers.”
Expanding on the officially released details, it’s worth noting that the repair process took about two and a half years and required an investment of $11.7 million, nearly $3 million below the original estimate. As for the overall savings for the U.S. Air Force, the official JPO statement estimates a figure of $63 million, more than half the cost of a new F-35A.
Image credits: Captain Nathan Poblete.
