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GAO: U.S. Air Force Needs to Reduce F-35 Costs Per Tail by $3.7 Million By 2036

GAO: U.S. Air Force Needs to Reduce F-35 Costs Per Tail by $3.7 Million By 2036
Four U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 4th Fighter Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah, fly over Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, France, upon their arrival on May 10 for Atlantic Trident 21 and other NATO exercises (U.S. Air Force Photo) During their time in the European theater, the 4th Fighter Squadron aircraft were to participate with other U.S., French and United Kingdom aircraft in the Atlantic Trident 21 exercise (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The Pentagon must move out on affordability improvements for the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 Lightning II fighter or risk breaking the budget for the plane, per a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, F-35 Sustainment: DOD Needs to Cut Billions in Estimated Costs to Achieve Affordability. "The Air Force needs to reduce estimated costs per tail per year by $3.7 million (or 47 percent) by 2036 or it will incur $4.4 billion in costs beyond what it currently projects it…

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