As we noted this summer, House and Senate appropriators passed entirely different funding profiles for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that would have to be worked out in conference. As it turns out, the House will get its way almost entirely: the Pentagon will buy four more aircraft, and it won’t have to restart the F136 alternative engine program — for now.
The final bill passed by Congress includes about $850 million for four Navy F-35C carrier variants, an increase of two aircraft and about $240 million above the president’s request. The Air Force, meanwhile, will receive $3.7 billion to buy 28 F-35A conventional variants, a two-aircraft increase. That matches up almost exactly with what House appropriators had asked for in the markup it passed back in June.
Senate appropriators disagreed, not allocating any funds for additional aircraft in their July mark, and instead cut $300 million from the program, which they believed was not ready to start ramping up. In addition, Senate appropriators included language directing the Pentagon to assess resurrecting the defunct F136 engine program due to recent problems with the F135 engine manufactured by Pratt & Whitney. Clearly, Congress ultimately decided it didn’t want to venture down that messy path again, leaving out any language in the bill on the alternate engine.
What does it mean for the future of the program? Recent technical setbacks and groundings have raised new questions about whether the F-35 is, after all of these years, ready to begin ramping up production. But even a difficult 2014 wasn’t enough to dissuade appropriators from ultimately giving the program the support it asked for, and then some, even in a tough budget climate. It shows that the F-35 program is such a high priority, temporary setbacks won’t be enough to cost it in the long run. Only an absolute showstopper at this point is likely to cause Congress to even think about pulling its support.