U.S. Air Force Unveils Operational Frankenjet Fighter Jet Made from Recycled Parts

A fighter jet composed of recycled aircraft components is now functional, following over two years of repairs, as announced by the U.S. Air Force. The F-35A warplane has garnered the nickname "Frankenjet" due to its assembly utilizing previously damaged, non-operational parts. 

Innovative Concept and Collaborative Efforts

The Air Force's F-35 Joint Program Office conceptualized the "Frankenjet" idea in late 2022. Collaborating with the 388th Fighter Wing Maintenance Group and defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the objective was to detach the nose from a non-functional jet and affix it to another, a task labeled by the Air Force as a "first-of-its-kind and seemingly impossible endeavor." The involved aircraft were rendered inoperative due to past incidents; one suffered an engine fire in 2014, and the other experienced a landing gear malfunction in 2020, as reported by the Air Force. The engineering teams sought to test their experiment both to reduce waste and to lessen the financial burden of military aircraft repairs on taxpayers.

"The scope and complexity of this project was an exemplary demonstration of overcoming barriers," said Tomas Barber, an F-35 repair team engineer, in a statement. Barber further emphasized that the project's completion marks a new threshold of repair capabilities for advanced stealth fighters.

An F-35A Lightning II, now recognized as "Frankenjet" and designated to the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, returned to Hill Air Force Base on March 26, 2025. Prior to its return to operational duty, the aircraft underwent final maintenance at Lockheed Martin's facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The construction of "Frankenjet" took a total of two years and five months, according to the Air Force. With a project cost of $11.7 million, amounting to $2.8 million less than initially predicted, the endeavor resulted in an overall savings of $63 million for the Department of Defense, notably reducing the financial impact on taxpayers. 

Successful First Flight and Resumption of Operations

The warplane's inaugural flight took place in January, journeying from Hill Air Force Base in Utah to the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, as reported by the Air Force. By the end of March, "Frankenjet" was prepared to resume full service as part of the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron's 388th Fighter Wing. After successfully returning to the Utah base from Fort Worth, the aircraft was officially deemed fully operational, ready to undertake its duties as part of the unit's defense posture.