"Planned purchases of the Air Force model would increase from 38 jets next year to 42 in fiscal 2028, 46 in 2029 and 48 in both 2030 and 2031."
"In 2024, Musk called the F-35 'an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none.' He stated, 'Success was never in the set of possible outcomes.'"
"The planned F-35 purchases would be good news for Lockheed, the No. 1 US defense contractor, with the total number of F-35s requested up to 85 jets from the 47 Congress approved for this year."
"The Government Accountability Office has said that the warplane's readiness rate is below standard, and efforts to upgrade the jets' software have also stalled."
The Air Force and Navy intend to boost F-35 fighter jet purchases over the next five years, increasing Air Force orders from 38 to 48 jets annually. Navy and Marine Corps purchases will rise from 23 to 47 jets next year. These plans are part of a larger defense budget request of $1.5 trillion, facing opposition from fiscal conservatives and Democrats. Despite criticisms from figures like Elon Musk regarding the F-35's relevance, the increased orders reflect confidence in the aircraft's capabilities.
Read at Fortune
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