
The U.S. Department of Defense’s new fleet of F-35 Lightning IIs is experiencing spare parts shortages and other sustainment problems that are hurting the readiness of the fighter jets, according to a report released Oct. 26 by the Government Accountability Office (GAO)."Squadron officials at multiple F-35 locations that we visited expressed enthusiasm for the unique capabilities of the aircraft, such as the increased situational awareness that the F-35 provides pilots relative to legacy aircraft and the relative ease with which pilots…