U.S. Air Force will not be able to purchase enough F-35 fighters annually, to to 2025 year to receive the required number of these machines. The second problem is the inability to maintain so many fighters in combat readiness., it would be too expensive.
This is written by the American media with reference to sources in the Pentagon. It turns out, not enough already and 800 billion dollars of military budget.
F-35 aircraft life cycle cost is too high, Consequently, the US Air Force will not be able to purchase these aircraft in version A in the design quantity 1763 units. If nothing can be improved in the current situation, Lightning II will be replaced by another aircraft – product of the NGAD program (Next-Generation Air Dominance).
– Will Roper, US Air Force Chief Purchasing Officer, quoted by Breaking Defense.
Fighters of the NGAD program can really replace the F-35 in the US Air Force, but in the States themselves they express doubts about, that it can be done in the medium term. At least, Will Roper, According to experts, does not set himself this uncontested goal.
It is believed, that the words of the head of the procurement service should not be taken as a statement of the decision, nor as a "big attack" on the F-35. it is, likely, about the Lockheed Martin signal, that she needs to put more effort into reducing the cost of operating aircraft, that is, to reduce the cost of an hour of flight. This is a kind of attempt to put pressure on the company, which is only increasing its financial appetites.
Too high maintenance costs for these fighters can lead to, that the Air Force will not be able to have enough F-35A in service to confront China in a future war. Even then, that American fighters are superior to Chinese 4th and 5th generation aircraft, won't help the USAF, if the PRC Air Force has a significant numerical superiority.
But if Lockheed Martin can't make the F-35A less expensive to maintain, the US Air Force will have to think, how to replace them.
The F-35A's flight hour is currently estimated at 42-44 thousands of dollars. At the same time, no one will give a guarantee that, that the planes of the NGAD program will cost American taxpayers cheaper.
used photos:https://www.lockheedmartin.com/
