The Pentagon is moving to secure an additional $13.7 billion in a high-stakes effort to bolster the sustainment of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Despite years of intensive corrective measures, the stealth fighter’s readiness rates are in a tailspin, sparking fresh concerns over the viability of the world’s most expensive weapons program.
A Freefall in Combat Readiness: Only 25% of Jets Fully Mission Capable
A new watchdog investigation has exposed a startling decline in the F-35’s operational status. The „full mission capable” rate—the metric determining if a jet can perform all its assigned roles—has cratered from 38% in fiscal year 2021 to a meager 25% in 2025. Similarly, the overall mission capability rate has dropped from 67% to 44% over the same period. Much of this paralysis is attributed to the „Technology Refresh 3” upgrade, a software and hardware overhaul whose persistent delays previously halted aircraft deliveries.
The „Global Support Solution Reset”: A Costly Strategy Under Fire
In an attempt to reverse this downward trend, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) launched the „Global Support Solution Reset” last year. This plan envisions spreading billions of dollars in new spending through 2031. However, analysts point to „multiple risks” that could derail the effort. While the Air Force believes it can shoulder the costs for the F-35A, the Navy and Marine Corps have voiced concerns that „competing priorities” may starve the F-35B and F-35C variants of the resources needed to stay airborne.
Industrial Bottlenecks: When Money Cannot Buy Readiness
Even if the funding is secured, the F-35 faces an industrial crisis. Operating costs projected for the mid-2030s—the program’s „steady state”—have surged past earlier estimates, driven by increased flight hours. Furthermore, the supply chain is buckling; the production of aircraft canopies remains a significant bottleneck, directly impacting readiness. The situation is equally dire for the F135 engine. Manufacturers have warned that even with an influx of cash, industrial capacity may simply be insufficient to meet the skyrocketing demand for critical spare parts.
