Published Date: 2016-03-08
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's radar system occurred late last year, as mentioned in Article 41520. 2. The incident was also reported in Article 45690, which was published on 2016-07-12. Since the incident was mentioned as happening late last year, we can estimate that the software failure incident occurred in late 2015. |
| System | 1. Radar system of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter [41520, 45690, 43148, 41424] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. Lockheed Martin [41520, 45690, 41424] 2. Department of Defense [45690, 43148] 3. US Air Force [45690, 41424] |
| Impacted Organization | 1. The US Air Force [41520, 45690] 2. The Pentagon [43148, 41424] |
| Software Causes | 1. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter experienced stability issues with the radar software due to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer [Article 43148]. 2. A software glitch interfered with the radar system, causing it to crash and degrade, requiring a restart during flight [Article 41424, Article 45690]. 3. The Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), considered the 'brains' of the F-35, had problems with its logistics software system, leading to maintenance issues and potential fleet grounding [Article 45690]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Structural problems making the F-35 vulnerable to lightning strikes [41520] 2. Weight issues affecting the F-35 [41520] 3. Lack of cyber security testing for the F-35 [41520] 4. Engine concerns leading to a fire incident [45690] 5. Problems with the logistics software system (ALIS) [45690] 6. Issues with the ejection seat design potentially causing harm to pilots [45690] 7. Delays and cost overruns in the F-35 program [41424] |
| Impacts | 1. The software glitch in the radar system of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter caused the radar to stop working, requiring pilots to restart it, potentially hindering the performance against less developed fighter jets [41520, 45690]. 2. The instability issues with the radar software led to sensors needing to be restarted once every four hours of flying, impacting the operational capability of the aircraft [43148]. 3. The software instability issue with the radar system delayed the declaration of initial operational capability for the Air Force version of the F-35, pushing back the readiness timeline by about 60 days [43148]. 4. The software failures in the logistics software system, known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), grounded the entire fleet and posed a risk of taking the entire fleet offline due to the lack of a backup system [45690]. 5. The software issues in the F-35 also affected the maintenance system, with the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) incorrectly authorizing replacement parts and failing to detect if the aircraft was flying too fast, impacting maintenance operations [45690]. 6. The software failures in the F-35 program led to delays in production, cost overruns, and challenges in meeting combat readiness targets, affecting the overall effectiveness and reliability of the aircraft [41424]. |
| Preventions | 1. Thorough software testing: Conducting comprehensive software testing, including cyber security testing, could have potentially prevented the software failure incident with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter [41520, 45690]. 2. Timely bug fixes: Ensuring timely identification and resolution of software bugs, such as the radar stability issue, could have prevented the radar system from crashing during flight [43148, 41424]. 3. Robust software development practices: Implementing robust software development practices, such as ensuring the software is robust and resilient for future operations, could have helped prevent stability issues with the radar software [43148]. 4. Proper software integration: Ensuring proper integration of software components, such as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), could have prevented issues with the logistics software system and potential fleet grounding [45690]. 5. Compliance with standards: Ensuring that software components meet standards, such as FAA standards for wingtip lights, could have prevented simple mistakes that led to delays and additional costs [41424]. |
| Fixes | 1. The root cause of stability issues with the radar software for the F-35 stealth fighter jet was identified by the Pentagon, and fixes were being implemented to improve stability [Article 43148]. 2. Lockheed Martin was working on bug fixes for the F-35 planes, including addressing the glitch with the radar, and delivering new software to the USAF by the end of March [Article 41520, Article 41424]. 3. A team of experts from the Navy and Air Force was created to develop recommendations to ensure the F-35 software is robust and resilient into the future [Article 43148]. | References | 1. Article 41520 2. Article 45690 3. Article 43148 4. Article 41424 |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) In the case of one_organization, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, developed by Lockheed Martin, experienced a software failure incident related to its radar system. The incident involved the radar stopping working, requiring the pilot to restart it. This issue with the radar system has occurred before, as mentioned in Article 41520. The software glitch with the radar system has been a recurring problem, with the need to restart the radar being a known issue that Lockheed Martin has been working to address. (b) Regarding multiple_organization, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has faced various software-related problems beyond just the radar system issue. The software-driven warplane has experienced setbacks, bugs, and flaws in its software, as well as issues with cyber security testing. Additionally, the logistics software system, known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), faced stability issues that could potentially ground the entire fleet. These software-related challenges have not been limited to a single organization but have affected the F-35 program involving multiple organizations, as highlighted in Articles 41520, 45690, and 43148. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) In the case of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, software failures have been reported during the development phases, particularly in the design stage. The incident involved a glitch with the radar software that required the sensors to be restarted frequently during flight [41520, 45690, 43148]. This issue was attributed to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer, causing stability problems with the radar software [43148]. The software instability issue affected the radar's ability to stay up and running, leading to radar failures or degradations that required radar restarts [41520, 45690]. Lockheed Martin, the lead defense contractor for the F-35, has been working on bug fixes and software updates to address these issues [41520, 45690]. (b) Additionally, software failures have been reported during the operation of the F-35 aircraft. The Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), described as the 'brains' of the plane, faced stability issues that required the sensors to be restarted after a certain number of flying hours [43148]. The ALIS software system, which supports operations, maintenance, and mission planning, experienced failures that could potentially take the entire fleet offline if not addressed [45690]. The software issues with ALIS impacted the readiness and operational capability of the F-35 jets, leading to delays in declaring the Air Force version of the plane ready for combat [43148]. Maintenance crews had to resort to labor-intensive alternatives due to flaws in the software, such as manually burning data onto CDs and using civilian WiFi networks for data transfer [45690]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system, outside_system | (a) The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter radar system can be categorized as within_system. The incident involved a software glitch that interfered with the radar's ability to stay up and running, requiring the sensors to be restarted during flight [45690, 41424]. Lockheed Martin, the lead defense contractor for the F-35, was working on delivering bug fixes for the radar system software to address the stability issues [43148]. The root cause of the stability issues with the radar software was identified to be related to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer [43148]. (b) The software failure incident also had implications beyond the system itself. The delays and issues with the F-35 program, including the radar system problems, have led to concerns about the overall performance and readiness of the aircraft for combat operations [45690]. The delays in achieving initial operational capability for the Air Force version of the F-35 were partly attributed to difficulties with the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), the main information infrastructure of the plane [43148]. Additionally, the escalating costs and delays in the F-35 program have raised questions about the UK's offensive capacity and readiness as it transitions from older aircraft to the F-35 [41424]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter experienced a software glitch with its radar system, causing it to stop working and requiring a restart, impacting its performance against other fighter jets [41520]. - The radar software instability issue in the F-35 stealth fighter jet was found to be caused by the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer, leading to stability issues that required sensor restarts during flight [43148]. - The complex radar system of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter had a software glitch that interfered with the radar's ability to stay up and running, posing a threat to the operational deployability of the jets [41424]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The F-35 program faced delays and cost overruns due to simple mistakes, such as wingtip lights not meeting FAA standards and tires unable to handle landings, leading to increased costs and setbacks in production [41424]. - The F-35 program experienced delays and cost overruns due to engine problems, including one jet bursting into flames during take-off, contributing to the overall budget increase and production delays [41424]. - The F-35 program encountered setbacks and delays due to various issues, including the failure of the half-million-dollar custom-made helmet to provide adequate visibility and the jet's poor performance in a dogfight against a 40-year-old F-16 jet [41424]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | hardware, software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter experienced a software glitch with its radar system, which required the pilot to restart the radar due to a radar degrade or fail signal, indicating a hardware-related issue [41520, 45690]. - The Pentagon identified stability issues with the radar software for the F-35, attributing the problem to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer, indicating a hardware-related issue [43148]. - The F-35's complex radar system had a problem with crashing, specifically the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, which was described as a radar stability issue affecting the radar's ability to stay up and running, pointing to a hardware-related problem [41424]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter faced software bugs within its radar system, leading to the need for bug fixes and software updates to address the radar glitch [41520, 45690]. - The Pentagon mentioned software instability issues with the radar software being tested for the F-35, indicating software-related problems that required fixes to improve stability [43148]. - The software glitch affecting the F-35's radar system, causing radar stability issues and the need for radar restarts, highlights a software-related failure within the aircraft's systems [41424]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | non-malicious | (a) The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter radar system can be categorized as non-malicious. The incident involved a software glitch in the radar system that interfered with the radar's ability to stay up and running, requiring the sensors to be restarted during flight [45690, 41424]. The root cause of the stability issues with the radar software was identified to be related to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer [43148]. The software instability issue led to the sensors needing to be restarted once every four hours of flying, which later improved to needing a restart after more than 10 hours [43148]. The incident was addressed through software fixes and a team of experts was created to ensure the software's robustness and resilience [43148]. Additionally, the incident was part of a series of challenges faced by the F-35 program, including delays and cost overruns, rather than being a deliberate act of harm [41424]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | poor_decisions, accidental_decisions | (a) poor_decisions: The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter can be attributed to poor decisions made during the development and testing phases. The incident involved issues with the radar software, leading to the radar system crashing or degrading during flight, requiring frequent restarts [41520, 45690, 43148]. The delays, cost overruns, and technical challenges faced by the F-35 program were highlighted as contributing factors to the software instability issues [43148]. Additionally, the software glitches affecting the radar system were identified as a significant problem that could potentially hinder the operational readiness of the jets [45690]. (b) accidental_decisions: The software failure incident can also be linked to accidental decisions or unintended consequences during the software development process. For example, the Pentagon identified the root cause of stability issues with the radar software, indicating that the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer was a factor in the problem [43148]. Furthermore, the software instability issue with the radar system was described as a glitch that interfered with the radar's ability to stay up and running during flight, suggesting unintentional software behavior [41424]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | development_incompetence | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has faced software failures and setbacks due to various issues such as structural problems, weight issues, bugs within its software, lack of cyber security testing, and radar glitches [41520]. - The Pentagon found stability issues with the radar software being tested for the F-35, which had to be restarted once every four hours of flying due to timing issues with software messages [43148]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter experienced a software glitch with its radar system that interfered with its ability to work in flight, requiring the radar to be restarted, posing a threat to delaying operational deployment [45690]. - The F-35's complex radar system had a problem of crashing due to a software glitch, affecting the radar's ability to stay up and running, which was described as a radar stability issue [41424]. |
| Duration | permanent, temporary | The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's radar system can be categorized as both permanent and temporary. (a) Permanent: The incident includes permanent aspects such as bugs within the software, lack of cyber security testing, and ongoing stability issues with the radar software [41520, 45690, 43148]. These issues have persisted over time and have not been fully resolved, indicating a permanent aspect to the software failure. (b) Temporary: On the other hand, there are temporary aspects to the incident as well. For example, there are mentions of bug fixes being developed and delivered to address the radar glitch [41520, 45690]. Additionally, there are efforts being made to improve the stability of the software, with some progress being reported in terms of the sensors needing restarts less frequently [43148]. These actions suggest a temporary nature to the software failure incident as efforts are being made to rectify the issues. In summary, the software failure incident related to the F-35 radar system exhibits both permanent aspects in terms of ongoing issues and temporary aspects in terms of efforts being made to address and improve the situation. |
| Behaviour | crash, omission, other | (a) crash: The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter involved a crash behavior where the radar system would stop working, forcing the pilot to restart it. This crash behavior was due to a glitch in the radar software, causing the radar to degrade or fail, leading to a need for a radar restart [41520, 45690, 41424]. (b) omission: The software failure incident also exhibited omission behavior as the radar system omitted to perform its intended functions at instances where it would degrade or fail, requiring a manual restart by the pilot [41520, 45690, 41424]. (c) timing: The timing behavior was not explicitly mentioned in the articles as a specific aspect of the software failure incident. (d) value: The software failure incident did not directly involve a value behavior where the system performed its intended functions incorrectly. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not display a byzantine behavior with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The software failure incident also involved a behavior where the radar system had stability issues with the software, requiring sensors to be restarted after a certain period of flying, which could be categorized as a stability issue [43148]. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | sensor, processing_unit, embedded_software | (a) sensor: The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter involved stability issues with the radar software. The sensors had to be restarted once every four hours of flying due to timing issues with software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer [Article 43148]. (b) actuator: There is no specific mention of a failure related to the actuator in the provided articles. (c) processing_unit: The F-35 software incident included problems with the computer software, such as issues with fusion, electronic warfare, and weapons employment leading to ambiguous threat displays and limited ability to respond to threats [Article 41424]. (d) network_communication: The F-35 software incident did not directly mention failures due to network communication errors. (e) embedded_software: The F-35 software incident involved a glitch with the radar software that interfered with the radar's ability to stay up and running, indicating a failure related to embedded software error [Article 41424]. |
| Communication | link_level | The software failure incident related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was primarily related to the link_level, which is failure due to contributing factors introduced by the wired or wireless physical layer. The incident involved a software glitch with the radar system of the F-35, specifically the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, which caused the radar to crash or degrade during flight, requiring a restart of the radar system [45690, 41424]. This issue was described as a "radar stability" problem, affecting the radar's ability to stay up and running [45690]. The root cause of the stability issues with the radar software was identified to be related to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer [43148]. Additionally, the failure was not related to the network or transport layer issues but rather to the physical layer of the radar system itself. |
| Application | TRUE | The software failure incident related to the application layer of the cyber physical system that failed is evident in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's radar system glitch. The incident involved a software bug that caused the radar to stop working, requiring the pilot to restart it. This issue was identified as a failure due to bugs within the software [41520, 45690, 41424]. The failure was specifically related to the radar system software instability issue, which required sensors to be restarted after a certain period of flying time [43148]. This instability issue was attributed to the timing of software messages from the sensors to the main F-35 computer, indicating an application layer software problem. |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, delay, non-human, theoretical_consequence | (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - No information about people losing their lives due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles. (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - No information about people being physically harmed due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles. (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - No information about people's access to food or shelter being impacted due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles. (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The F-35 software failure incidents caused concerns among buyers due to various issues, including radar glitches, weight problems, and cyber security testing deficiencies, potentially impacting the delivery and performance of the jets [41520]. - The F-35 program experienced delays and cost overruns due to various issues, including engine problems, maintenance software failures, and other challenges, leading to significant additional costs [45690]. - The F-35 program faced challenges with the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), which is crucial for maintenance and operations, potentially impacting the fleet's readiness and maintenance processes [45690]. (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - The F-35 program faced delays in declaring the Air Force version ready for combat due to difficulties with the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and software stability issues [43148]. - The F-35 program experienced delays in production and testing, pushing back the timeline for operational readiness and combat capability [41424]. (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's radar system experienced software glitches that interfered with its functionality, potentially hindering operational deployment and combat readiness [45690, 41424]. - The F-35 program faced challenges with the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), impacting maintenance processes and fleet operations [45690]. (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The software failures in the F-35 program had observable consequences, including delays, cost overruns, maintenance challenges, and operational readiness issues [41520, 45690, 43148, 41424]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The articles discussed potential consequences of the software failures, such as delays in declaring operational readiness, additional costs, and impacts on maintenance processes, which were being addressed through software fixes and testing [41520, 45690, 43148, 41424]. (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? - No other specific consequences of the software failure were mentioned in the articles. |
| Domain | information, government | (a) The failed system was intended to support the information industry, specifically in the context of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's radar software issues. The radar software glitches affected the radar's ability to function properly, requiring frequent restarts and potentially hindering the plane's performance against other fighter jets [41520, 45690, 43148, 41424]. (m) The failed system was also related to the defense industry, as it impacted the functionality and operational readiness of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a high-tech stealth fighter jet developed for military purposes [41520, 45690, 43148, 41424]. |
Article ID: 41520
Article ID: 45690
Article ID: 43148
Article ID: 41424