F-35s ‘Breaking More Often and Taking Longer to Fix’

November 13, 2019

The Air Force’s F-35 program continues to fall short of the Pentagon’s combat readiness goals, a senior DOD official told Congress Wednesday.
“No F-35 variant meets the specified reliability or maintainability metrics,” Robert Behler, director of the DOD Operational Test and Evaluation Office, told a House Armed Services subcommittee, according to Military.com. “The aircraft are breaking more often and taking longer to fix.”
F-35 performance is increasing but will not meet the Pentagon’s 80% combat-readiness goal this year, Behler and other DOD leaders said.
A Government Accountability Office report released Wednesday concluded that “DOD must continue to grapple with affordability as it takes actions to increase the readiness of the F-35 fleet and improve its sustainment efforts.”
Air Force photo by Airman Brooke Moeder

November 13, 2019

Recent News

Final Appropriations Deadline Approaches

Final Appropriations Deadline Approaches

Friday is the deadline for Congress to pass the final six appropriations bills for the current fiscal year. The defense appropriations bill is part of the package. Punchbowl News reported this morning that negotiators have finished work on defense spending and other...

In Our Communities

In Our Communities

Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia expects to hire 3,000 skilled trade workers this year and a total of 19,000 over the next 10 years as the demand for nuclear-powered submarines increases, The Virginian-Pilot reported. “We are making intentional investments and...

Upcoming Webinars on EPA Community Change Grants

Upcoming Webinars on EPA Community Change Grants

The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a round of funding for “environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity...

Snap of the Week

Snap of the Week

Lt. Col. Jonathan Vaage, 98th Flying Training Squadron director of operations, and Branden Sorensen, Air Force Recruiting Service-sponsored Formula Drift driver, prepare to land after tandem skydiving at the Air Force Academy, Colorado, March 13. Sorensen, who has...

PAST STORIES