{"id":60390,"date":"2025-07-31T21:02:30","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T19:02:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=60390"},"modified":"2025-08-11T23:27:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T21:27:40","slug":"the-extensive-brown-stains-on-the-fuselages-of-the-us-navys-f-35c-stealth-fighters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/07\/31\/the-extensive-brown-stains-on-the-fuselages-of-the-us-navys-f-35c-stealth-fighters\/","title":{"rendered":"The extensive brown stains on the fuselages of the US Navy's F-35C stealth fighters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Contact with salt water has always been a source of problems for the maintenance of naval aircraft.<\/p>\n

The US Navy shows two of its F-35C fighters with a curious mirror coating<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe spectacular display of an F-35C, the largest and heaviest version of this fighter<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

These aircraft suffer the effects of corrosion to a greater extent than land-based fighters, with the exception of those based at coastal bases. However, some aircraft suffer the effects of contact with the sea more acutely than others: this is the case with the F-35C<\/strong>, the naval version of Lockheed Martin's stealth fighter for the US Navy's large CATOBAR aircraft carriers.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The first images of some F-35Cs looking shabby after extended deployments at sea began to emerge in 2021<\/strong>, despite the US Navy's efforts to openly display these aircraft. This photo was taken on December 13, 2021<\/a> (and published two days later) on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) while cruising in the Indian Ocean<\/strong>. The aircraft belongs to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 \"Argonauts\" and showed a large brown patch on its upper body and smaller patches on the port side of the cockpit.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

A few weeks later, on January 19, 2022, the U.S. Navy released this photo of three F-35Cs from VFA-147 aboard the USS Carl Vinson<\/a>, an image taken four days earlier. It was a highly discussed photo on social media<\/strong> due to the brown stains the aircraft displayed on their backs and wings. It should be noted that the F-35C is coated with a radar-absorbent material (RAM) whose composition is secret<\/strong>, although iron is believed to be one of its components.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Unlike the F-35Cs, other aircraft, such as these two Super Hornets<\/strong> (the F\/A-18E is from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 192 \"Golden Dragons\" and the F\/A-18F is from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2 \"Bounty Hunters\") that were photographed on January 15, 2022, on the same aircraft carrier<\/a>, did not show these brown spots<\/strong> or any rust, despite being older aircraft. It should be noted that the problem continues. The photos you can see below were taken in 2025<\/strong>, and the most recent are from this July, also aboard the USS Carl Vinson.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Regarding the potential for this to affect the aircraft\u2019s radar signature, Lockheed Martin claimed to have conducted tests simulating 600 flight hours of military aircraft operations in March 2008<\/a>, noting: \"RCS [radar cross section] measurements taken after the damage showed that the stealthy signature remained intact.<\/strong>\"<\/em>It should be noted, however, that these tests were conducted before an F-35 ever embarked on an aircraft carrier.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

On May 8, 2025, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) acknowledged discoloration on F-35C airframes as an effect of long-range deployments<\/a> aboard aircraft carriers, noting:<\/p>\n

\"Much of what the public sees as damage, such as the discoloration on jets returning from deployment, does not represent a degraded aircraft.<\/strong> During shipboard deployments, jets often experience coating discoloration due to the harsh maritime environment. Contributing factors include frequent exposure to sea water, contamination from grease, oil, and other fluids<\/strong>, as well as close proximity to jet blast and rotor wash.<\/p>\n

While it may look severe, these marks do not indicate a loss of coating integrity nor stealth performance.<\/strong> The discoloration is limited to the coating and does not affect the structure of the aircraft.\"<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The JPO notes that \"has developed and introduced a new aircraft coating designed to significantly reduce or eliminate discoloration<\/strong>, enhance durability, and extend the coating\u2019s service life. Over the coming years, this new coating will be applied to fielded aircraft as part of routine maintenance<\/strong>\u2014similar to how coatings are restored on commercial and military jets. It will provide improved protection against operational wear<\/strong> and is part of a broader series of upgrades that support the program\u2019s long-term, adaptive sustainability strategy.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The JPO also acknowledged how corrosion can affect the F-35C\u2019s coating: \"Corrosion doesn't come with flashing alarms or immediate system failures\u2014it works quietly and gradually<\/strong>, often concealed beneath coatings or hidden within seams, joints, and fasteners. The F-35\u2019s complex airframe, made from a blend of aluminum, titanium, and carbon composites<\/strong>, offers immense performance benefits but also introduces the risk of galvanic corrosion<\/strong> when these dissimilar metals interact in humid, salty environments.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

While the JPO has implemented measures to combat corrosion, it has also acknowledged the following: \"This was not always the case. For several years, the F-35 JPO operated without a fully developed corrosion management framework.<\/strong> This left field maintainers and depot crews playing \"catch-up\" as the fleet matured. Today, these teams, supported by a growing base of engineers and other experts, are bringing every jet up to standard<\/strong> and improved supply chain of consumables, ensuring long-term readiness and mission capability.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Obviously, new technologies always bring new challenges and new problems.<\/strong> In fact, the development process of a fighter aircraft never ends when it begins its operational life; rather, it is developed to solve unforeseen problems as they arise. The F-35 was not going to be an exceptional case<\/strong>, but what distinguishes it is that it is a sum of technological advances that has represented a great leap forward in military aviation.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

---<\/p>\n

Photos: U.S. Navy.<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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