Problems And Production Cuts For The F-35 Fighter Jet

F-35 Lightning IIs stand ready on the deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp for operational testing in the Atlantic Ocean in this handout photo taken May 19, 2015, and provided by the U.S. Navy. PHOTO: REUTERS/U.S. NAVY/CHIEF MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST WILLAM TONACCHIO/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

Defense News: F-35 Production To Drop by 20, but Air Force Officials Downplay Price Impact

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has unveiled a new funding profile for the F-35 joint strike fighter, reflecting a drop in fighter jet acquisition over the next six years across the US services, international partners and foreign customers.

Lockheed Martin and the F-35 joint program office will build 20 fewer planes over that timeframe for the US Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, international partners and foreign customers, JPO Chief Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan told reporters during a Feb. 10 media roundtable. Instead of building 893 fighter jets from fiscal 2016 to FY21, as planned last year, the government and industry team will produce 873, he said.

Bogdan downplayed the impact of the drop, saying the reduction will translate into a unit cost increase for the US services and international partners of less than 1 percent.

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More News On The F-35

Pentagon Reduces F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Production Amid Defense Budget Cuts -- IBTimes
Pentagon to spend $56.3 billion for 404 Lockheed F-35 jets over 5 years. -- Economic Times
Pentagon Still Plans Long-Term F-35 Increase -- WSJ
F-35 Shortfall Forces the Navy to Buy More F-18s -- Popular Mechanics
Joint Strike Fighter chief plays down F-35A deferrals -- Flight Global
Pentagon F-35 chief says production rampup in Fort Worth still on track -- Star Telegram
International F-35 customers pushing block-buy plan -- Flight Global
F-35 program moving forward, addressing challenges -- US Air Force
Air Force May Delay F-35 Combat Readiness Unless Software Improves -- Investors.com
F-35 Chief Lays Out Biggest Development Risks -- Defense News
The $400 Billion F-35 Still Faces Hundreds of ‘Deficiencies’ -- Fiscal Times