The Air Force is planning a single- or multi-block upgrade of at least 80 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft delivered with software packages that include limited or no combat capability, with the aim of making them fully combat-capable. The move will add yet more near-term cost to the F-35 program but, the service hopes, lower the life-cycle cost of those aircraft over time and prevent the airplanes from being relegated to daytime training missions. At this point, service officials are not...
