F-35 Unreliability Risks Strain on Pentagon Budget, Tester Says
- Planes and parts are taking longer to repair than planned
- Air Force, Navy face increases to fund greater support costs
Inside the Costs of the F-35 Fighter Jet Program
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Costs to operate and support Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 will balloon unless the deteriorating reliability of the Pentagon’s costliest program improves, according to an assessment from the Defense Department’s own testing office.
The aircraft and its parts aren’t as reliable as expected, and it’s taking longer to repair them than planned, according to the presentation by the director of operational testing for defense officials and congressional aides. About 20 percent of the jets must await spares in depots because suppliers can’t keep up with expanding production while fixing returned parts.