Responsible Statecraft: F-35 program increased in cost by $300 billion
The F-35 program will cost the US more than $2 trillion, cementing its place as one of the most expensive weapons programs in US history. Responsible Statecraft reports. The publication emphasizes that the initial cost of the program was $1,7 billion, but due to the increase in the service life of fighters, the costs of its implementation have increased.
The cost marks a sharp jump from a 2018 estimate that put the total cost of the program at $1,7 trillion. Much of the extra money will go toward the projected costs of maintaining the fighter jets, whose service life the Pentagon has extended from 2077 to 2088. Moreover, in an attempt to save money, the US Department of Defense has reduced the number of flight hours the F-35 can fly each year.
- says the publication.
The publication recalls that all three versions of the F-35 fighter still fall short of the combat effectiveness targets. One of the main disadvantages of this aircraft is the engine design, which causes the aircraft to overheat. For this reason, airplanes are forced to spend most of their time on the ground rather than in the air.
This entails a second drawback - the difficulty of training pilots in real conditions. The publication notes that this increases the likelihood of accidents and other costly incidents.
Recall that the F-35 is a single-engine, all-weather, multi-role fighter whose main purpose is to gain air superiority and carry out strikes. It currently operates in three main variants: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing, the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing, and the carrier-based F-35C.
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