The U.S. Department of Defense tells congressional auditors it needs to add $13.7 billion in funding through 2031 to improve readiness of the F-35 fighter fleet, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO reports that readiness has been declining for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, which collectively operate the aircraft as part of the world’s largest weapons program.
One issue identified by the watchdog is that the F-35’s “full mission capable” rate falls well below earlier benchmarks. Bloomberg reports the Pentagon is seeking additional resources to address this trend, while Breaking Defense highlights GAO’s finding that the full mission capable rate drops to 25% in fiscal year 2025 (FY25).
Both accounts focus on the same oversight conclusion: maintaining and restoring readiness requires additional investment over the coming years. The reporting does not specify the precise causes of the readiness shortfall in the excerpts provided, nor does it outline the detailed allocation of the requested funding across services or components.
