GAO: All F-35 variants fall short of minimum readiness goals for sixth consecutive year

By Vanessa Montalbano / October 21, 2024 at 4:10 PM
The Pentagon's costliest weapon system has yet again fallen below Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps mission-capable rate goals, due partly to ongoing challenges with depot and organizational maintenance, according to the government's top watchdog . The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has missed its stated minimum readiness marks for six straight years -- from October 2017 through September 2023, the Government Accountability Office revealed today. The congressionally mandated audit comes as lifetime sustainment costs for the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft are...

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