---
title: "Marine F-35s Grounded Again As Yet Another Frickin’ Thing Needs To Be Replaced"
date: "2018-10-25"
modified: "2018-10-25"
authors:
  - name: "Jeff Schogol"
    job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol.md"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-f-35s-grounded-again/"
categories:
  - "Aircraft"
  - "Fighter Aircraft"
  - "Marine Corps"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
---

# Marine F-35s Grounded Again As Yet Another Frickin’ Thing Needs To Be Replaced

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/18990874-1.jpg>)

The trouble continues for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the aircraft with more bugs than [Klendathu.](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rx8_vjbXX4>)

- A “couple dozen” Marine Corps F-35Bs were grounded to repair two fuel tubes, [Defense News and Marine Corps Times first reported on Thursday,](<https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2018/10/25/some-f-35s-grounded-again-for-new-round-of-inspections/>) the second time so far this month.

- On Oct. 11, the Pentagon’s Joint Program Office that oversees the F-35 ordered all of the planes to suspend flight operations in order to replace a different fuel tube that was identified as a problem as part of an ongoing investigation into the Sept. 28 crash of an F-35B in South Carolina.
- An analysis of the F-35’s engine determined that the two other fuel tubes needed to be replaced even though they had not failed, said JPO spokesman Joe DellaVedova, adding that the repairs "can be completed on the flight line by line maintainers."
- “When a part is available, we anticipate replacements can be completed in less than 48 hours," DellaVedova told Task & Purpose on Thursday. "Parts are in the supply line and Pratt & Whitney is working to expeditiously further ramp up supply. The exact number of engines that may require replacement fuel tubes speaks to operational security and readiness status of the fleet, and will not be released by the JPO.”

**WATCH NEXT:**

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-1103.png>)

## Author
Jeff Schogol is the former senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He reported on both the Department of Defense as a whole and individual services, covering a variety of topics that include personnel, policy, military justice, deployments, and technology.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jdschogol/>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-schogol-188a9317/>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JeffSchogol>)

## More

- [Pentagon Orders Entire F-35 Fleet Grounded](<https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/pentagon-f35-grounded.md>)
- [From 1st Combat Strike To 1st Crash: It’s Been A Chaotic Month For The F-35](<https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/f35-grounding-chaos.md>)
- [A lost flashlight caused $4 million in damage inside an F-35 engine](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/flashlight-f35-damage.md>)
- [The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Picks Up Yet Another Black Eye](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/f-35-landing-gear-collapse-photo.md>)
- [Trump touts new ‘F-55’ fighter jet and upgrades to F-35s and F-22s](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/trump-military-f-55.md>)
- [Why The Defense Department Needs To Cancel The F-35 Program](<https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/defense-department-needs-cancel-f-35-program.md>)
- [Search for missing Marine F-35B finds debris field](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-aviation-safety-standdown.md>)
- [Air Force F-35 maintainer shares what it’s like keeping ‘a flying computer’ ready to fight](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-f-35-maintenance-crew-chief.md>)