Pentagon faults Lockheed Martin over F-35 readiness issues
A Pentagon watchdog has criticized Lockheed Martin for maintenance problems that left US F-35 fighter jets mission-ready only about half the time in 2024.
The report, issued by the Defense Department’s Office of the Inspector General on December 19, found that the Pentagon did not adequately oversee Lockheed Martin’s performance under a June 2024 air vehicle sustainment contract, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
“Although the F-35 Joint Program Office monitored Lockheed Martin’s performance, it did not always hold the company accountable for poor sustainment performance,” the report said.
The watchdog highlighted that the Pentagon paid Lockheed Martin $1.7 billion without any economic adjustment, even though the jets “did not meet the minimum requirements of the Military Services.”
The F-35 program is the Pentagon’s largest acquisition effort, with an estimated lifetime cost of over $2 trillion for procurement, operation, and maintenance. The Joint Program Office is tasked with overseeing production, sustainment contracts, and a comprehensive sustainment plan.
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