Air Force F-35s fly in formation over Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Photo: Air Force
Bloomberg: F-35 Unreliability Risks Strain on Pentagon Budget, Tester Says
* Planes and parts are taking longer to repair than planned
* Air Force, Navy face increases to fund greater support costs
Costs to operate and support Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 will balloon unless the deteriorating reliability of the Pentagon’s costliest program improves, according to an assessment from the Defense Department’s own testing office.
The aircraft and its parts aren’t as reliable as expected, and it’s taking longer to repair them than planned, according to the presentation by the director of operational testing for defense officials and congressional aides. About 20 percent of the jets must await spares in depots because suppliers can’t keep up with expanding production while fixing returned parts.
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Update #1: F-35 operating costs will significantly increase unless reliability improves, warns U.S. Defense Department test office (Ottawa Citizen)
Update #2: The F-35's reliability issues could push its total cost over $1.2 trillion (Business Insider)
WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction .... the total costs will probably be higher than the $1.2 trillion that is being projected now.
