The Cost Of The F-35 May Be Going Down, But The Cost To Fly It Is Not

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Charles Plouffe

Popular Mechanics: The F-35 Is Cheap To Buy (But Not To Fly)

With a new purchase order, the F-35 reaches its lowest cost yet.

* The latest purchase deal for the F-35 reduces the price 13 percent over three years.
* The savings are the result of bulk buys and increased production efficiency.
* Despite the cost savings, the F-35 still costs about twice as much to fly per hour than its non-stealthy equivalents.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s price tag is falling about 13 percent over the next three years, the result according to Lockheed Martin, of “smart acquisition strategies, strong government-industry partnership and a relentless focus on quality and cost reduction.” Despite falling purchase costs, the cost to actually fly the jet remains high, at double or more the cost of other fighters.

F-35 purchases are made in lots, with the U.S. government negotiating on behalf of the Pentagon and overseas partners with jet manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The agreement, announced today, covers Lots 12, 13, and 14, for purchases made in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. The aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

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WNU Editor: When I started this blog there were two concerns about the F-35 program. The cost to buy one of them .... and the operational/support costs. I do not see the operational costs going down any time soon (or in the future).