it was written by jay michael gilmore, the own director of operational test and evaluation.t's the dot&e. a pentagon watchdog. it's a hot mess. >> let's look at why it's dangerous to the pilot. >> the doe report sunday make for easy reading. an engineer who once evaluated planes spray was part of the team which designed the f-16 in the early 1970s. he has flown with pilots, chief among their returns. >> it says live fire test and evaluation confirms the structure. what does that mean. >> they implemented tests where they took pieces of the air airplane. they found it was bad. >> they catch fire. >> there's too much flammable stuff located in poor locations. thing of the engine was a blow torch surrounded by fuel. that's what it is. >> the plane's propensity to catch fire - perhaps the biggest concern in combat is the beginning. the report lifts many others, including the potential for arcing and shorts in the wiring that powers the plane's flight controls. problems protecting the plane from lightening, requiring it to stay 25 miles away from bad weather. and trouble with so-

it was written by dr jay michael gilmore. the operator of test and evaluation.t's the dot and e. a pentagon watchdog appointed by the president. his report details so many problems. a defense military publication called the f-35 a hot mess. >> let's look at why the aeroplane is dangerous to the pilot. >> okay. >> reporter: it doesn't make for easy reading. we asked to be taken through it. an engineer that evaluated planes, spray was part of the team that designed the f-16 in the early 1970s. so he is. spray has spoken with pilots who flew the f-35. chief among the concerns and that of the dot and e. >> it says live fire test and evaluation, confirm the vulnerabilities of the fuel tank structure. what does that mean? >> they implemented tests where they took pieces of the airplane and shot at it with real ammunition, and what they found was it's bad, as you would expect. >> they catch fire burn and explode. >> exactly, because there's too much flammable stuff located in for locations. think of the engine as a blow torch surrounded by fuel. that is what it is. >>