America’s F-35s Have a Big Problem: Most of Them Can’t Fly |
A US Marine Corps F-35B lands on USS Kearsarge, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, during carrier qualifications in June 2026. The F-35’s mission-capable rate has decreased sharply in recent years, a recent Government Accountability Office report noted with alarm. (US Marine Corps/Cpl. Matthew Williams)
America’s F-35s Have a Big Problem: Most of Them Can’t Fly
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A Government Accountability Office report found that the F-35’s mission-capable rate had fallen from 67 percent at the start of the decade to 44 percent today.
Despite being the most advanced fighter jet in the world, the US military’s F-35 Lightning II fleet is suffering serious availability issues.
According to a government report, the US F-35 fleet can only field a fraction of its aircraft at any given time. Indeed, only one in four stealth fighter jets is fully mission capable.
The F-35’s Growing Availability Issues
Earlier in June, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a........