Home / Business and Economy / F-35 Fleet Grounded: Only 25% Mission Ready
F-35 Fleet Grounded: Only 25% Mission Ready
22 Jun
Summary
- Only one in four F-35s achieved full mission capability in fiscal 2025.
- Mission capable rates fell sharply from 67% in 2021 to 44% in 2025.
- Software delays and supply shortages plague the expensive fighter fleet.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that in fiscal year 2025, only 25% of the US military's F-35 fighter jets were fully mission capable, a significant drop from 38% in fiscal 2021. The overall mission capable rate also declined from 67% to 44% during the same period.
These readiness issues persist despite substantial investments in sustainment for the F-35 program, which is projected to cost approximately $1.6 trillion over its lifetime. US Air Force officials cited software delays affecting newly delivered aircraft, corrosion concerns, and shortages of replacement parts as key contributing factors.
To address these problems, the Joint Program Office launched the Global Support Solution Reset initiative in June 2025. This program aims to achieve an 80% mission capable rate and a 65% fully mission-capable rate by 2030, requiring an additional $13.7 billion through fiscal 2031.
GAO warned that improvements might not be seen until late 2026 or later. The report also highlighted ongoing manufacturing limitations impacting the supply of critical components, such as aircraft canopies, and noted that contractor incentive payments have often failed to yield expected readiness improvements.
