The following is the Dec. 11, 2024, Congressional Research Service report, F-35 Lightning II: Background and Issues for Congress.
From the report
The F-35 Lightning II is a strike fighter aircraft and the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) largest procurement program. Lockheed Martin manufactures the aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and international partners and customers. Nineteen governments have agreed to purchase F-35s; of those governments, seven are U.S. allies and considered partners that share the cost of development with the United States. DOD, which plans to purchase 2,470 of the aircraft, approved full-rate production of the F-35 on March 12, 2024, 23 years after the start of the development program—called the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). By the time the F-35 reached that milestone, Lockheed Martin had produced more than 990 F-35s. The program is managed by a Joint Program Office (JPO) of more than 2,200 personnel worldwide. The JPO oversees development of three different variants: the F-35A for the Air Force, the F-35B for the Marine Corps, and the F-35C for the Navy and Marine Corps. According to a March 2024 DOD press release, the F-35 “offers multi-mission capability, including strategic attack, suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses, offensive/defensive counter air, anti-surface warfare, strike coordination and reconnaissance, and close air support. It brings stealth, sensor fusion, and interoperability to enable access in contested environments and enhances situational awareness.”
The JPO is upgrading the aircraft in order to remain relevant against future threats, such as advanced fighter aircraft, uncrewed aircraft, or long-range surface-to-air missiles. Those technical upgrades necessitate improvements to the F135 engine that powers the aircraft. The latest F-35 upgrade program has faced technical challenges.
DOD’s 2023 Selected Acquisition Report estimates the current cost of a single F-35 to range from $62.2 million to $77.2 million, considering the benefit of the sale of aircraft to foreign governments. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in April 2024 reported that the cost to sustain the fleet of aircraft through 2088 would be $1.58 trillion, a 44% increase over GAO’s 2018 estimate. GAO attributed the cost increase to several factors, including the Air Force’s intent to operate the F-35 11 years longer than previously planned and the fleet’s failure to meet performance goals for availability, reliability, and maintainability.
The Biden Administration’s proposed FY2025 defense budget includes about $12.4 billion for the F-35 program, an amount that would, if adopted by Congress, fund the procurement of 42 F-35As for the Air Force and 13 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps. The request would also support the purchase of 13 F-35Cs, nine for the Navy and four for the Marines. The request also asks Congress for $2.1 billion for F-35 research and development.
Congress could decide whether or not to consider
- the appropriate number of F-35s to purchase;
- development issues with F-35 hardware and software upgrades;
- delivery, acceptance, and availability of F-35 aircraft;
- enhancements for the F135 engine and its power and thermal management system;
- supply chain considerations;
- F-35 readiness and availability;
- the merits of a block-buy approach; and
- whether to revisit certain Foreign Military Sales.
Download the document here.
