The Ministry of Defence’s flagship F-35 stealth fighter jet programme is dealing with vital operational and monetary shortfalls, in line with a brand new report by the Nationwide Audit Workplace (NAO).
Regardless of the plane’s superior capabilities and substantial financial advantages, the UK’s F-35 power is delivering lower-than-expected flying hours, hampered by poor availability, engineering shortfalls and delays to weapons integration.
The MoD has up to now acquired 38 F-35Bs, with 37 at present in service, out of a long-term dedication to buy 138 plane. Nevertheless, full working functionality has slipped to the top of 2025, two years delayed, and nonetheless with “a number of gaps towards its preliminary necessities.”
In response to the NAO, “The potential advantages aren’t being absolutely realised as a consequence of delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages.” The watchdog additionally raises considerations about spare elements provide, engineer staffing, and the efficiency of the plane throughout the international programme run by the US-based Joint Program Workplace.
The MoD’s acknowledged whole-life price of the F-35 programme stands at £18.76 billion, primarily based on the preliminary 48 plane. However the NAO estimates the true determine, primarily based on the total 138 plane fleet anticipated to stay in service till 2069, at £71 billion. This consists of prices for personnel, gasoline, infrastructure, coaching, and different overheads omitted from the MoD’s public figures.
Regardless of these shortcomings, the NAO highlights financial advantages from early UK participation within the programme. British business manufactures round 15% by worth of all F-35 plane globally, whereas solely buying underneath 5% of the full fleet. This has secured an estimated £22 billion in contracts for UK firms.
The report requires structural reform throughout the MoD to handle long-standing administration inefficiencies, together with quick workers tenures, unclear accountability, and an absence of economic flexibility. It urges the Division to create a full, up to date, and independently validated whole-life evaluation of the F-35’s worth, together with a extra rigorous functionality measurement framework.
NAO head Gareth Davies concluded: “The F-35 programme provides considerably improved functionality and appreciable financial advantages to the UK. However the functionality advantages aren’t being absolutely realised as a consequence of delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages.”
“The MoD now must resolve the place to prioritise its assets to enhance functionality in a means that maximises the total advantages of the F-35 programme to the UK.”