A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has disclosed that the expensive fleet of F-35 fighter jets can only operate 55% of the time due to maintenance issues. As the U.S. and its allies increasingly rely on these aircraft, the report highlights challenges related to maintenance, escalating costs, and dependency on contractors. This article will delve into the details of these maintenance problems, their implications, and their impact on the F-35 program.

The F-35 fighter jet program is grappling with rising costs and maintenance issues that question its operational effectiveness. According to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), only 55% of the F-35 fleet was operational as of March 2023, significantly below the Pentagon’s target of 85% to 90%. This revelation comes shortly after a Marine Corps F-35 crashed in South Carolina, raising concerns about the reliability of these aircraft. This article will explore the specifics of this report, the implications of maintenance issues, and their impact on the F-35 program.

Escalating Costs

The cost of the F-35 program continues to escalate, making it the most expensive defense project in the world. Each F-35 fighter jet costs approximately $160 million to the U.S. government. According to Pentagon data reported by Bloomberg, the total cost to develop and acquire these aircraft will reach $438 billion, with a 6.5% increase expected in 2024, totaling an additional $26 billion. Additionally, the program acquisition unit cost per jet has also risen by $13 million to $179 million per aircraft.

These cost escalations pose significant budgetary challenges for the Pentagon, even as the F-35 program plans to acquire approximately 2,000 more aircraft by the mid-2040s, at a total cost of $1.7 trillion over the program’s lifecycle, including $1.3 trillion for aircraft maintenance. This makes the F-35 program the costliest defense project in history.

Maintenance Challenges

The GAO report sheds light on maintenance issues affecting the operational availability of F-35 aircraft. The fleet’s mission-capable rate stood at only 55% in March 2023. These problems are partly attributed to a significant delay in establishing the necessary maintenance depot capacity, resulting in repair delays and a 10% reduction in the aircraft’s mission-capable rate.

Part of the challenges stem from a heavy reliance on contractors for maintenance, limiting the Pentagon’s ability to control maintenance decisions. Delays also result from spare parts shortages, inadequate maintenance training, insufficient support equipment, and a lack of technical data needed for repairs.

The report highlights that the Pentagon is set to take over the management of F-35 sustainment by October 2027, making it a critical period to reassess the aircraft’s sustainability strategy.

Implications for Military Operations

The maintenance issues plaguing F-35 aircraft have major implications for U.S. and allied military operations. The F-35’s share of the U.S.’s overall tactical aviation fleet continues to grow, providing a boon to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. However, reduced operational availability hampers these aircraft’s ability to fulfill their missions.

The GAO report points out that U.S. armed forces are “conducting an increasing number of operational missions” despite maintenance challenges. This means that F-35 aircraft are being increasingly deployed, which can lead to premature wear and potentially compromise mission safety.

U.S. allies in NATO, Asia, and Israel have also integrated F-35s into their air forces. The UK Ministry of Defense is one of the largest customers for these aircraft. However, maintenance issues with U.S. F-35s can also impact their operations and availability for these allies.

The F-35 fighter jet program faces significant challenges in terms of rising costs and maintenance issues, jeopardizing the operational availability of these costly aircraft. The astronomical costs of the program and maintenance delays are serious concerns for the Pentagon and its allies. It is imperative for the Pentagon to reassess its sustainability strategy and find solutions to ensure that F-35 aircraft can effectively carry out their missions. The F-35 program, despite its advantages, must overcome these obstacles to remain an essential component of U.S. defense and that of its allies.

Fly a jet fighter is the fighter jet experience specialist.