Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: One was killed, another injured in a raid by an Israeli drone on the city of Khiam in South Lebanon
London views possibility of setting fire to tanker in port of friendly country to Russia to damage port infrastructure, initiate an international probe: Moscow
One of London's scenarios involves setting up accident with 'undesirable' tanker in one of the bottlenecks of maritime communications: Russian foreign intelligence agency
London plans to organize major sabotage with tankers to declare transportation of Russian oil to international shipping: Russian foreign intelligence agency
UK intelligence agencies plan to use NATO allies to launch massive raid on 'Shadow Fleet': Russian foreign intelligence agency
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.

Pentagon admits only half of its F-35 jet fleet is mission-ready

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Bloomberg
  • 30 Mar 2023 13:35
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

Around 53.1% of the F-35 fleet was considered ready to carry out missions as of February, Pentagon says.

  • x
  • A Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft is seen at the ILA Air Show in Berlin. (Reuters)
    A Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft seen at the ILA Air Show in Berlin (Reuters)

The United States has 540 F-35 combat jets and around half of them are not mission-capable, almost 15% under the acceptable limit, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

Around 53.1% of the F-35 fleet was considered ready to carry out missions as of February, the jets' program manager Air Force Lieutenant General Michael Schmidt warned, stressing that this is well below the 65% limit. The full mission capable F-35 aircraft was under 30%, he told the House Armed Service Committee’s aviation subcommittee in a Wednesday hearing.

“This is unacceptable and maximizing readiness is my top priority,” Schmidt said, stating that he intends to achieve a 10% increase on the current rate within 12 months.

“Readiness challenges remain, as indicated in multiple Government Accountability Office findings,” he said.

The fleet's average full mission-capable rate was roughly 39% in 2020; the readiness rates were down from that year, as per GAO. The fiscal year 2020's partial capability rate was 69%.

According to the operational test office of the Defense Department, the availability rate for planes used for combat missions was 65% at the end of fiscal 2022.

It's unclear whether the preparedness rates from last month signify the start of a long-term trend or a brief decline. Schmidt's statement doesn't specify the causes of the decline, but in the past, failures of parts and engine components more frequently than expected have been the main culprits.

Long wait periods for repairs at the depot and unexpectedly frequent need for repair or replacement of Pratt & Whitney engine power modules are other reported problems.

To address the issue, Schmidt’s plan focuses on unspecified “top degraders” of readiness by gathering program personnel, international users, Lockheed Martin Corp, Pratt & Whitney, and their subcontractors biweekly.

The GAO also found in the preview of its annual report on the F-35 that Lockheed Martin reported its poorest performance in six years late last year when it delivered 50% of the aircraft ordered. The Pratt & Whitney 2022 performance of Raytheon Technologies Corp. "indicates that the contractor again delivered nearly all engines late," according to the preliminary study.

Among other findings of the annual report, the Military found that an upgrade was necessary because the "Power and Thermal Management System," created by a Lockheed Martin subcontractor, "is under-performing, resulting in lower engine life."

The F-35 program has run into various bumps, including sourcing shortages issues of certain parts of the staple aircraft since 2019.

The multi-billion project's future has already looked quite grim, with grounded fifth-generation fighters only being able to carry out missions for 12 days on average in 2021 and 11 days in the first half of 2022.

In 2022, the United States Air Force even went as far as grounding its F-35A jet fleet, citing a potentially faulty component in the ejection seat that could endanger pilots in an emergency, a concern that has also grounded other types of military planes used for training.

The F-35 is considered the most expensive military equipment ever built, with a total cost of $412 billion in 2021, up from $398 billion in 2022, according to a Department of Defense report in September 2022.

Read next: F-35 defects put Israeli air force in dilemma: Israeli media

  • F-35 jet fleet
  • Pentagon
  • US
  • lockheed martin

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS