The Air Force has cut five F-35As from its budget request for fiscal 2017, from 48 aircraft to 43. It is still unclear whether the US Air Force will revise the overall order of 1763 F-35s. That's what is leaking from Washington according to Defense News. Cuts that obviously do not affect deliveries to international partners. The Pentagon, as planned, confirms ten F-2017Cs for the Navy and three more F-35Bs for the Marine Corps for fiscal 35. The cut is not a surprise however.
The Pentagon has already announced that the funds could be reversed for other programs during the acquisition of the F-35. Indeed, as confirmed by Frank Kendall, Undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, a slowdown in production was likely. According to the acquisition program, the Air Force should have received funds for 44 F-35A in the fiscal year 2016 and for 48 fighter in the FY17. Since the fiscal year 2018, the Air Force would have standardized the acquisitions at 60 F-35A per year.
Perplexity also on this last datum. According to the Congressional Research Service, in fact, if the Air Force obtained 48 aircraft per year as a standard delivery, it would free up a billion dollars that would be allocated to other priorities.
(Photo: Lockheed Martin)
