WASHINGTON — The estimated improvement prices for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s ongoing modernization program grew by $1.9 billion since 2019, and the trouble is predicted to increase although 2027, the U.S. Authorities Accountability Workplace mentioned in a brand new March 18 report.
Over the course of the F-35′s Block 4 modernization program, which formally started in 2018, the Pentagon will improve the Lockheed Martin-produced jet’s {hardware} and software program, including new weapons capabilities and computing programs.
However resulting from challenges in creating and testing a few of these new applied sciences, in addition to continued schedule delays, the U.S. Protection Division’s most up-to-date estimate in 2020 reveals that Block 4 improvement is now projected to succeed in $14.4 billion, the GAO mentioned.
In the meantime, the modernization effort — which was initially anticipated to wrap up in 2026 — is now scheduled to conclude one yr later, although the GAO famous that the schedule relies on “estimates formulated in the beginning of the Block 4 effort” and never Lockheed’s demonstrated efficiency. Due to this fact, it’s attainable “the scheduled 2027 completion date shouldn’t be achievable,” the watchdog acknowledged.
The GAO listed a variety of causes for the $1.9 billion in value progress. A value improve for flight exams resulted in an extra $705 million cost; overhead and administrative prices ballooned by $471 million; and the price of a brand new coaching lab added $336 million. A package deal of computing system upgrades, often known as Know-how Refresh 3, skilled a $296 million value improve.
The information of the associated fee will increase comes weeks after Air Power Chief of Employees Gen. CQ Brown acknowledged the service is conducting a tactical plane examine to discover whether or not it can buy fewer F-35s. At present, the U.S. Air Power is the F-35′s largest buyer, with 1,763 F-35As included within the service’s program of file.
Home Armed Providers Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., indicated his personal frustration with F-35 program prices throughout a March 5 occasion the place he mentioned the nation ought to “cease throwing cash down that individual rathole.”
In an announcement, F-35 program govt Lt. Gen. Eric Fick mentioned the federal government continues to make progress on Block 4. “Program dangers nonetheless exist, however are properly understood and actively managed,” he mentioned.
The Pentagon beforehand issued a seven-year value estimate for the Block 4 effort, claiming in 2018 that this system would value $10.6 billion from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2024. The division didn’t present information on fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2026, when this system was initially slated to finish.
The brand new $14.4 billion value estimate covers all years related to this system, together with Block 4-related prices courting again so far as FY13. “Nevertheless, over half of the rise since we reported final yr — $1.9 billion — is web value progress inside varied features of the Block 4 improvement program” and can’t be attributed to prior years’ prices or deliberate bills throughout fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2026, the GAO mentioned.