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Air Force

Engine Woes Top the List for F-35 Sustainment Costs

Frank Wolfe

Friday, April 23rd, 2021

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Engine Woes Top the List for F-35 Sustainment Costs

U.S. Air Force F-35As sit on the runway at Hill AFB, Utah on Jan. 6, 2020 (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Last week, leading Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) lamented the significant, ongoing problems with the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 nearly 20 years after the company beat Boeing [BA] on October 26, 2001 in winning a contract to execute what has become the costliest acquisition program in Pentagon history--a program expected to pile up more than $1.2 trillion in sustainment costs. High on the problems list is an availability shortage of the Pratt & Whitney [RTX] F135 engine…

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