F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: DOD’s Proposed Follow-on Modernization Acquisition Strategy Reflects an Incremental Approach Although Plans Are Not Yet Finalized
August 8, 2017
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: DOD’s Proposed Follow-on Modernization Acquisition Strategy
Reflects an Incremental Approach Although Plans Are Not Yet Finalized
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the Department of Defense’s (DOD) most expensive and
ambitious acquisition program. In April 2017, we reported that acquisition costs alone are
estimated at nearly $400 billion, and operating and sustainment costs are estimated to be over
$1 trillion.
1 Meanwhile, due to evolving threats and changing warfighting environments, DOD
has begun planning and funding the development of new capabilities for the F-35, known as F-
35 follow-on modernization.
2 The research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funding
needed for the first modernization phase, known as Block 4, is projected to be over $3.9 billion
through 2022, which would exceed the statutory and regulatory thresholds for what constitutes a
major defense acquisitions program (MDAP), and would make it more expensive than many of
the other MDAPs already in DOD’s portfolio.