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F-35 Aircraft Sustainment: DOD Needs to Address Substantial Supply Chain Challenges

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date April 25, 2019
Release Date April 25, 2019
Report No. GAO-19-321
Summary:

DOD needs to address supply chain issues with the F-35 advanced fighter jet, the country's most expensive weapons system with projected operating costs of more than $1 trillion.

The U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy share a pool of spare parts with partners around the world. But shortages, repair backlogs, and mismatched parts are keeping F-35s on the ground. For example, F-35 aircraft were unable to fly nearly 30% of the time from May through November 2018 because they didn't have the parts they needed.

While DOD has taken steps to address these challenges and others, we’ve made 8 recommendations that address these specific issues.

F-35 Lightning II aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

An F-35 jet on a runway preparing for takeoff.

An F-35 jet on a runway preparing for takeoff.

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