Empty-Nose F-35s Stir Readiness Fears

June 29, 2026

F-35 military jets parked on an airfield with crew members nearby

The Marine Corps is now accepting F-35 stealth fighters with empty noses, and that should worry anyone who wants a strong military.

Quick Take

The Marine Corps has accepted six F-35B jets without the AN/APG-85 radar installed.
Crews are using ballast weights in the nose to keep the aircraft balanced.
The jets can still fly, but they are limited to basic flight training, not combat training.
The radar delay has pushed full fielding of the new system toward 2028.

What the Senate Hearing Confirmed

Lt. Gen. Gregory Masiello told senators that the Marine Corps had accepted six aircraft without a radar installed. That matters because the missing part is not a small upgrade. It is the main sensor for the jet’s front end. Senator Mark Kelly said aircraft delivered without a primary radar system could not be fully mission capable, and Masiello said the jets were not yet fully mission ready.

The problem comes from delays in the AN/APG-85 radar program. Reports cited by defense outlets say the first production radars are not expected until 2028, which leaves a long gap between airframe delivery and full combat use. The Marine Corps chose to take the jets anyway rather than slow the production line. That decision may keep assembly moving, but it also means the military is accepting unfinished warplanes.

Why The Marines Accepted Them

The F-35B is the Marine Corps’ short takeoff and vertical landing fighter, so the service wants new jets moving into the fleet. Officials say the radarless aircraft still serve a purpose because they preserve production momentum and give pilots training time. In place of the radar, crews install ballast in the nose to keep the jet balanced. The aircraft can fly, but the available reports say they are limited to basic flight training until the radar arrives.

That limitation is the key issue for conservatives who care about readiness and accountability. A fighter jet that cannot be counted as fully mission capable is not a complete combat tool, even if it can still take off and land. The Pentagon has long sold the F-35 as a high-end platform built for future fights, yet this case shows how delays and procurement choices can leave the troops with less than they paid for.

Readiness Questions Still Hang Over The Program

Supporters of the program say the radarless jets are not useless. They point to the F-35’s sensor fusion, stealth design, and data links, which can still provide battlefield value even without the new radar. That is a fair point, but it does not answer the bigger readiness question. The aircraft may still fly well, but the official testimony shows they are not ready for the full mission set the public expects from a front-line stealth fighter.

This also fits a familiar pattern in Pentagon buying. The government accepts aircraft before every major part is ready, then asks the taxpayer to live with the delay. That is not how a serious military should operate. The Marine Corps may argue it is keeping the line moving, but the broader lesson is plain: when the government fields a fighter without its main radar, it is admitting the platform is not finished.

What Comes Next For Fleet Readiness

The next step is simple to state and hard to fix. The Marine Corps and the rest of the F-35 community will need the AN/APG-85 radar fielded on schedule if they want these jets to reach full combat status. Until then, the service is flying a partial version of a very expensive fighter. That may help short-term production, but it also leaves serious questions about how much combat power the fleet really has right now.

🤔 US Marines Accept 6 F-35B Advanced Fighter Jets Without Radars.
A delayed Northrop Grumman AN/APG-85 radar has forced the Pentagon to accept combat-incapable jets and fit the sensors later. https://t.co/3K6zXb91zW

— rblumel (@rblumel) June 28, 2026

For readers frustrated by waste, delay, and watered-down readiness standards, this story is a warning sign. The military is still buying elite hardware, but the hardware is arriving incomplete. If radar delays continue, more aircraft could be delivered in the same condition, and the gap between what the Pentagon promises and what the troops actually get could grow wider.