New Director Takes Charge of F-35 Joint Program Office at Crucial Point in Program's History
The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has a new leader, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory L. Masiello, who took over from Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt in July 2025. Masiello faces a daunting set of challenges as he navigates the complex world of the F-35 program [1][2].
One of Masiello's immediate tasks is to finalize the production contracts for Lots 18 and 19, which have been in a "handshake deal" since November 2022. These lots cover the unit costs for the three F-35 variants serving the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and international customers. Securing agreements with Pratt & Whitney for F135 engine procurement remains unresolved [2].
Masiello also assumes leadership at a time when the F-35 program is transitioning to a new configuration, likely involving upgrades connected to the Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) technology refresh. The TR-3 development has been associated with significant delays and halted aircraft acceptance for over a year. Masiello's prior experience as director of the Defense Contract Management Agency and former F-35 development roles should serve him well in managing these ongoing technical and production challenges [4].
Congressional scrutiny is intensifying in the context of a reduced Pentagon budget request for the F-35's new aircraft purchases. Masiello will need to exercise careful oversight and cost control to maintain program momentum and allied support. Under Schmidt's leadership, the program delivered over 350 aircraft, trained more than 1,000 pilots and 6,000 maintainers, and surpassed one million flight hours, setting a solid foundation for Masiello to build upon [3][4].
In addition to these challenges, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) has directed the JPO to deliver a report by Feb. 1, 2026, assessing the progress of the TR-3 upgrade, Block 4 capabilities, and associated costs. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) has also directed annual reviews of the F-35 program by the Government Accountability Office.
Lockheed Martin's CEO, Jim Taiclet, has suggested the possibility of a more significantly upgraded version of the F-35, termed the "Ferrari" version, to compete with the Air Force's F-47. The fiscal 2026 budget request includes only 37 F-35s, versus the 69 forecast in previous years.
House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) endorses the Pentagon's plan to focus on readiness and sustainment for the F-35. Rep. Wittman, while supporting the modernization of the F-35, is concerned about its history of cost growth and schedule delays.
Rep. Moulton is frustrated by ongoing delays and performance issues associated with the F-35's TR-3 upgrade. More than 70 jets were stored due to the delay in certifying the Tech Refresh 3 upgrade. The TR-3 upgrade is ready to be used in combat, but has not been officially certified yet.
In conclusion, Masiello's leadership challenges center on formalizing production contracts, ensuring smooth upgrades and technology refreshes, and managing budgetary and political pressures, all while maintaining the global F-35 program’s operational readiness and international commitments.
- Masiello, as the new head of the F-35 Joint Program Office, will need to focus on finalizing production contracts for Lots 18 and 19, which involve aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and international customers, in addition to securing agreements with Pratt & Whitney for the F135 engine procurement.
- Masiello takes over the F-35 program at a time when it is transitioning to a new configuration, likely involving the Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) technology refresh, which has been associated with significant delays and halted aircraft acceptance for over a year.
- As the F-35 program faces intense Congressional scrutiny due to a reduced Pentagon budget request for new aircraft purchases and concerns about cost growth and schedule delays, Masiello will be responsible for maintaining program momentum and allied support.
- In the context of potential budget constraints and political pressures, Masiello will also oversee a more significantly upgraded version of the F-35, referred to as the "Ferrari" version, to compete with the Air Force's F-47, while ensuring the readiness and sustainment of the global F-35 program and its international commitments.
