What You Need to Know: The F-35 Lightning II, a cornerstone of U.S. military air superiority, faces significant readiness challenges. Despite the U.S. military operating 630 of the aircraft, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals that all three branches flying the F-35 have failed to meet mission-capable (MC) rate targets for six consecutive years.
-For example, the Air Force's F-35A MC rate was just 52% in 2023, far below its 75–80% goal.
-These issues persist despite $12 billion spent on sustainment. While readiness challenges are widespread across U.S. aircraft, the F-35's modernity underscores the urgency of resolving maintenance and spare parts shortfalls to counter threats like China and Russia.
The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most important procurement programs of the U.S. military in recent history. The aircraft is the key to U.S. superiority in a near-peer conflict with China or Russia until more advanced platforms that are still on the design board arrive later in the century.
An added benefit of the F-35 Lightning........