Congressional Report Cites F-35 Failures
By: Aero News Network
Date: Mar 05, 2023
A Congressional Report highlighted significant failures in the F-35 program. In 2021, the TacAir study by the USAF indicated that the F-35 had failed to meet its objectives, with General Charles Q. Brown acknowledging its shortcomings. By 2023, the F-35 was flown less than the older F-15E Strike Eagles. The F-35 program, costing $1.7 trillion, is now questioned for its value, as its availability rates and performance have not met expectations. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported decreasing mission capability rates for the F-35 variants, with functional issues like engine wear and maintenance delays. Despite this, advocates argue that the comparison to older aircraft is unfair due to different operational pressures. The USAF is refocusing on upgrading legacy platforms like the F-15EX Eagle II, with reduced purchases of F-35s. Analysts suggest improvements may come with more deliveries and upgrades of the F-35, but uncertainties remain.
