Air Force Risks Losing Third of F-35s If Upkeep Costs Aren't Cut

via Bloomberg

The U.S. Air Force may have to cut its purchases of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 by a third if it can’t find ways to reduce operations and support costs by as much as 38 percent over a decade, according to an internal analysis.

The shortfall would force the service to subtract 590 of the fighter jets from the 1,763 it plans to order, the Air Force office charged with evaluating the F-35’s impact on operations and budgets, in an assessment obtained by Bloomberg News.

While the Defense Department has said it has gained control over costs for developing and producing a fleet of 2,456 F-35s for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps -- now projected at $406 billion -- the internal analysis underscores the current and looming challenges of maintaining and operating the warplanes.

Story here.

Hey F-35 fanboys!

Get this thru your thick skulls!

This fight ain't over and what you're seeing above is the outcome that MANY before have been predicting for OVER A DECADE!

What they're saying in a politically correct way is that the DEATH SPIRAL is coming.

Oh the program office has delayed things, played games and fudged the books on this thing but the reality is simple.

The F-35 is too damn expensive.

The rebound effect is gonna be stunning too.  The USAF cuts its buys then the allies planes go up in price, they're too expensive now so that vaunted "cost curve" will NEVER be pushed down.