TNI: the F-35 program is notorious for cost overruns and missed deadlines.
The Pentagon continues to fund the development and production program of the American fifth-generation fighter jets F-35 Lightning II, despite a number of problems. This indicates the department's inability to ensure oversight over the work of one of its key contractors, reports The National Interest (TNI).
It is noted that the F-35 program by Lockheed Martin is notorious for cost overruns, missed deadlines, and insufficient combat readiness of the fleet.
In particular, a report from the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General emphasized that the average combat readiness level of the F-35 fleet is 50 percent. This is partly due to the fact that the military department has not always held Lockheed Martin accountable for unsatisfactory results related to the maintenance of the F-35.
"This is a polite way of saying that the Pentagon has failed to ensure compliance with proper maintenance standards from one of its largest defense contractors," the publication concludes.
