2025 Defense Bill Proposes Delayed Deliveries for F-35 Aircraft

Key Takeaways

Congress is set to authorize the purchase of 68 F-35 jets in 2025, with 20 jets delayed pending improvements to the program.
The Air Force will receive 30 F-35As, the Marine Corps will get nine F-35Bs, and the Navy and Marine Corps will each receive nine F-35Cs.
Lockheed Martin has committed $350 million to help resolve ongoing issues with the F-35 program.

Congress Authorizes F-35 Purchases Amid Program Challenges

Congress has approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal 2025, allowing the military to purchase 68 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets. However, the Pentagon will not be able to accept delivery of 20 of these jets until it presents a plan to address significant issues within the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Under the NDAA, the Air Force is authorized to acquire 30 F-35As, while the Marine Corps will receive nine F-35Bs, the short takeoff and vertical landing variant. Additionally, both the Navy and Marine Corps will obtain nine F-35Cs, designed for aircraft carrier operations. This purchase amount falls short of the Pentagon’s initial budget request of 42 F-35As, 13 F-35Bs, and 13 F-35Cs proposed earlier in the year.

Lawmakers have expressed increasing frustration with the F-35 program, especially following a production halt linked to issues with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrades. These problems have stalled deliveries since July 2023, resulting in newly built jets remaining unused at Lockheed’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Although the latest F-35s are now capable of entering combat training missions with interim TR-3 software, they will not achieve full combat readiness until 2025. The military is currently withholding approximately $5 million in payments per aircraft until they meet combat standards.

Both Republican and Democratic staff members from the House Armed Services Committee have cited delays in deliveries and ongoing technical difficulties as points of discontent. They emphasized the need for the program to resolve existing software and radar challenges, which are paramount to advancing future upgrades known as Block 4. These enhancements are expected to significantly increase the aircraft’s weaponry and electronic warfare capabilities.

The NDAA stipulates that the final 20 jets intended for delivery in 2025 can only be accepted when the Secretary of Defense provides a detailed plan to congressional defense committees regarding the resolution of research, development, testing, evaluation, production, and sustainment issues affecting the F-35 program. Additionally, the defense secretary is required to deliver annual updates over the next five years, starting next April, on progress related to the aircraft’s issues.

Representative Rob Wittman, chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on tactical air and land forces, remarked that while the program is making headway towards combat capabilities, the restriction on the 20 F-35s is necessary to realign the program effectively. He acknowledged the efforts made so far, suggesting that Lockheed is aware of the need for enhancements, particularly in software operations.

Furthermore, Congress has included an amendment to increase the number of developmental test F-35s from six to at least nine. Lockheed Martin has pledged $350 million to bolster the efficiency of the F-35 program, with an emphasis on improving hardware and software development and deployment processes. Lawmakers are encouraging major subcontractors to consider similar investments to support the F-35 program’s enhancement efforts.

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