Report Says F-35 , Fighter Jet Program Suffering , From Ongoing Maintenance Delays.
On September 21, a government watchdog report detailed
ongoing maintenance delays which suggest that F-35
fighter jets are only "mission capable" 55% of the time.
NBC reports that the news comes
just days after a $100 million F-35B
crashed in rural South Carolina.
If the aircraft can only perform
55% of the time and the goal is
85 to 90% of the time, taxpayers
are not getting their money’s worth, Diana Maurer, Government Accountability Office, via NBC .
The Pentagon's F-35 program,
run by military contractor Lockheed Martin,
has cost taxpayers a total of $1.7 trillion.
The Pentagon's F-35 program,
run by military contractor Lockheed Martin,
has cost taxpayers a total of $1.7 trillion.
According to the Government Accountability Office
(GAO) report, $1.3 trillion of that total has been spent
on maintaining and operating the fighter jets.
The report notes that the contractor-led
approach to maintaining F-35s
has caused major delays.
One example cited in the report details how military
maintenance staff are unable to look up part numbers
because the F-35's database is controlled by Lockheed.
Not having ready access to part
numbers hinders the repair of the
aircraft because it delays the
ordering and receipt of needed parts, Diana Maurer, Government Accountability Office, via NBC .
According to the report, over 10,000 F-35
components are still in need of repair.
NBC reports that the GAO report was ordered
by Congress as part of last year's defense bill.
We stand ready to partner with
the government as plans are created
for the future of F-35 sustainment
ensuring mission readiness
and enabling deterrence, Lockheed Martin, Statement, via NBC .
We stand ready to partner with
the government as plans are created
for the future of F-35 sustainment
ensuring mission readiness
and enabling deterrence, Lockheed Martin, Statement, via NBC
