Air Force says request for 48 F-35s supports 'manageable ramp' in production

By Courtney Albon / February 15, 2018 at 5:05 PM
Air Force officials say the service is still targeting an annual F-35 production rate of 60 aircraft, but in the near term, the focus is on maintaining a "manageable ramp" in order to avoid undue strain on its production and logistics infrastructure. The Air Force's five-year outlook for F-35 production hasn't shifted in the last year. Its fiscal year 2019 budget request, released Feb. 12, includes 48 jets in FY-19 and FY-20 and 54 in FY-21, FY-22 and FY-23. That...

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