The newest American fighter jet F-35 Lightning II has proven to be too complex a machine, and a large portion of the fleet of these aircraft is systematically in a non-combat state. This is reported by Defense News, citing a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The publication notes that the mission capable rate, reflecting the aircraft's ability to perform at least one of its missions, has decreased from 67% of the fleet in 2021 to 44% in 2025. The situation is even worse for the full mission capable rate – the ability to perform all assigned tasks. During the same period, it fell from 38% to 25% of the fleet. In other words, only one in four F-35s is in fully combat-ready condition, while more than half of the aircraft are completely unfit for flight.
The report highlights that the reasons for the decline in combat readiness include delays in software updates for the aircraft, a shortage of spare parts, and corrosion issues.
"The F-35 is the most expensive weapon system of the U.S. Department of Defense, but it has not achieved the performance metrics set, and the costs to support the aircraft continue to rise," the analysts note.
To address the situation, the Global Support Solution Reset strategy was launched back in 2025. Its goal is to achieve an 80% readiness rate for at least one mission and a 65% full combat readiness by 2030. However, the publication reports that implementing the plan will require an additional $13.7 billion by 2031.
Moreover, even program leaders acknowledge that the situation may worsen in the near future. According to the GAO, improvements may not occur until the end of 2026 or even later. Additionally, the success of the reform will largely depend on private contractors.
As Defense News notes, despite the readiness issues with the aircraft, the F-35 remains the backbone of American fighter aviation. Currently, the Pentagon operates more than 800 of these aircraft and plans to purchase about 1,700 more by the mid-2040s.
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