The $1.7 Trillion F-35 Fighter Jet Program Is About To Get More Expensive

Construction of America’s newest fighter jets is running over budget and behind schedule—and despite the delays, the finished jets are likely to need costly upgrades because some parts won’t be finished until 2029.

A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, released Monday, is the latest black mark for the Pentagon’s F-35 fighter jet program, which is already pegged to cost taxpayers more than $1.7 trillion over the planned life of the aircraft. But the military’s most expensive toys might be getting even costlier because the Pentagon is pressing ahead with purchasing the planes before operational testing of all components is complete, primarily due to holdups in developing a flight simulator.

“The more aircraft produced before testing is complete, the more it might cost to retrofit those aircraft if issues are discovered,” GAO auditors warn. If the Pentagon “moves forward as planned, it will have bought a third of all F-35s before determining that the aircraft is ready to move into the full-rate production phase.”

Other “crucial hardware and testing upgrades” for the new jets are now expected to be in development until 2029, according to the audit. That means any jets already completed or being built will likely require expensive upgrades later on.

Overall, the GAO says it has identified 826 “open deficiencies” in the F-35 fighter program, including four problems that are categorized as potentially jeopardizing the safe operation of the aircraft. Those include “issues with the night vision camera and cabin overpressurization.” At the rate F-35s are currently being completed and delivered, more than 1,100 jets could be delivered before operational testing is complete, meaning they could require future upgrades before being cleared for military use. And jets that have already been deployed for use “are not performing as well as expected.”- READ MORE