Lockheed plans to fix insulation on grounded F-35s by December

Lockheed Martin has apparently found a fix for the F-35s temporarily grounded because of faulty insulation and hopes to have them repaired by the end of the year, according to reports out of the Air Force Association's Annual Air, Space and Cyber conference.

Last week, the Air Force grounded 15 F-35s after that insulation wrapped around coolant lines was crumbling, including two built for Norway. The insulation, provided by a subcontractor, was also installed on 42 fighter jets still on Lockheed’s production line in west Fort Worth.

According to Bloomberg News, Lockheed will send eight inspection teams to fix the 15 jets that had already been delivered to the Air Force to make modifications, Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, the F-35 program manager at the Pentagon, told reporters. He said Lockheed had agreed to pay for the repairs.

According to Investor’s Business Daily, Bogdan said engineers will test the repair technique next week and then begin work on the 15 jets, with hopes to be finished by the end of the year.

This story was originally published September 21, 2016 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Lockheed plans to fix insulation on grounded F-35s by December."