Although estimates for the acquisition costs of the F-35 have declined since the 2014, the program continues to face significant challenges. The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to kick off mass production by spending 14 billion dollars a year and for the next ten. This is what we read in a new report by Government Accountability Office published a few hours ago.
"Currently, the program must complete development tests for the 20% mission systems. A challenging challenge. At the same time, F-35 contractors continue to report greater production efficiency ".
"The writing of the entire Block-4, divided into two segments, will have a total cost of three billion dollars over the next six years."
The Block-4a will be ready between the 2021 and the 2022, while the 4b for the 2023. Much of the development of the Block-4 will be devoted to countermeasures against existing enemy air defense systems and those that will arise in future years.
"The Department of Defense does not plan to run the Block-4 with its own acquisition program from the baseline, but rather as part of the existing one. As a result, the Block-4 will not be subject to statutory regulatory controls. A similar approach was initially adopted with the F-22 Raptor for modernization from the program, making it difficult to establish benefits from real costs. We recommend an incremental approach, with structured development phases and managed as separate acquisition programs. The F-22 eventually adopted this approach. If this line is not adopted, the transparency on the Block-4 will be limited. Therefore, it will be difficult for the Congress to establish real costs, times and performances ”.
(photo: Lockheed Martin)
