The US Department of Defense has sent a request to Congress for an additional $12 billion by 2031 to address critical maintenance issues with fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
The funds are needed to purchase scarce spare parts, as the intensive use of aircraft in the war with Iran depletes the fleet's resources. Amid active combat missions carried out from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the full combat readiness level of some models has dropped to a critical 22-28%, which is significantly lower than planned indicators.
Shortage of spare parts and reduced fleet readiness
Auditors from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicate that the Pentagon is forced to reallocate parts from un-deployed units to aircraft currently fighting in the Middle East.
This leads to the degradation of the entire fleet, where mission-capable rates significantly lag behind the target of 75-85%. Program representatives emphasize that without financial injections, the logistics situation threatens the US's ability to respond promptly to other unforeseen threats in the world.
From our previous work, we know that the program is increasing the supply of parts to support deployed operations
She also added: "But because parts and other supplies are insufficient, un-deployed units suffer."