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I guess the magnet contains spyware
This question gives away just how little I know about the F-35's engine, but just how much processing power can the engine's magnetic sensor possess?
On a modern vehicle engine, there are magnets used for such tasks as detecting the position of the camshaft, for example. The CPS' magnets then feed the position to the ECM (engine computer), which takes those signals and adjusts the timing of the ignition.
Other magnets calculate the vehicle's speed and so on, but all are just input signalling devices used by the computer to determine proper function.
This debacle seems to be buried within a gizmo produced by Honeywell. Why do I have a feeling this had roots in a COTS procurement?Just so we understand, if you, as a government vendor, sign up to domestic-source your products, then you have to do that or you stand to lose your contract and possibly your company. The government doesn't have a sense of humor when they audit. EVERYONE who has worked for a government supplier knows that, and the funny comments come from people without a stake in the company that sourced that magnet. I understand a civilian's attitude about it, but joking about it will get your company on the 100% audit list fairly quickly.
The intent is clear, and the sources should be transparent. I worked US Government weapon systems engineering for about 12 years of my career, and I was crystal clear about the regulations on sourcing even though I did not work in material procurement. My areas included missile fuzes, projectile fuzes, and explosive ordnance devices, including one-shot explosive actuators. We had to domestic-source everything unless we could show it wasn't available domestically. Those were RARE.