Aerospace Group:

Air Force

GAO: F-35 Fleet Remains ‘Far Below’ MC Rate Goals

Frank Wolfe

Thursday, September 21st, 2023

SHARE:

GAO: F-35 Fleet Remains ‘Far Below’ MC Rate Goals

F-35A Lightning IIs from the 388th Fighter Wing fly during the POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony on Sept. 15 at Hill AFB, Utah (U.S. Air Force Photo).

A new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) cites depot and organizational maintenance challenges as being partly responsible for a lagging mission capable (MC) rate for the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 fighter. "The F-35 fleet mission capable rate—the percentage of time the aircraft can perform one of its tasked missions—was about 55 percent in March 2023, far below program goals," said the GAO study, F-35 Aircraft: DOD and the Military Services Need to Reassess the Future Sustainment Strategy (GAO-23-105341).…

Congress

Munitions Fired Represent Most of $25 Billion Spent By Pentagon on Iran War So Far

Munitions fired in the two-month old “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran represent most of the $25 billion cost the Pentagon has incurred thus far in the conflict, the acting Defense […]

Congress

Slotkin: Pentagon Should Use Anthropic’s Mythos To Spot Cyber Security Gaps

The Pentagon should be using Anthropic‘s recently announced Mythos artificial intelligence model to spot gaps in cyber security, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said on Tuesda. “I think the thing that […]

Budd And Shaheen Bill Would Authorize 329 F-15EX Fighters

Two members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), have introduced the Airpower Acceleration Act, which would authorize multi-year procurements of […]

Congress

HASC’s Wittman Sees ‘Challenging’ Push For $350B In Reconciliation Funds, Wants Sustained Defense Increase

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.– Congress’ work to pass $350 billion in reconciliation funds to support the Trump administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2027 defense topline is “going to […]