A U.S. Government Accountability Office report shows F-35 readiness rates declining through fiscal 2025, with the full mission capable rate falling to 25% and the overall mission capable rate dropping from 67% in fiscal 2021 to 44%. The GAO cited software delays, parts shortages, and corrosion as key factors, calling the F-35 "DOD's most costly weapon system" that "hasn't met performance goals." The F-35 Joint Program Office's Global Support Solution Reset, launched in June 2025, targets an 80% mission-capable rate and 65% full mission-capable rate by 2030, at an additional estimated cost of $13.7 billion through fiscal 2031.
A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published in recent days details a continued decline in the readiness of the F-35 Lightning II fleet through fiscal year 2025. The overall mission capable (MC) rate — the percentage of aircraft able to perform at least one mission — fell from 67% in FY2021 to 44% in FY2025. The more stringent full mission capable (FMC) rate — aircraft able to perform all assigned missions — dropped from 38% to 25% over the same period.
The GAO attributed the decline to three compounding factors: delays in software upgrades and integration, shortages of spare parts across the global supply chain, and corrosion issues affecting airframes and components. The report described the F-35 as the Department of Defense's most costly weapon system and assessed that it has not met its performance goals.
In response, the F-35 Joint Program Office launched the Global Support Solution (GSS) Reset in June 2025, a multi-year overhaul targeting an MC rate of 80% and an FMC rate of 65% by 2030. The GAO estimated the initiative will cost $13.7 billion more than previously planned through FY2031, and cautioned that readiness may decline further before improvement begins, with meaningful progress unlikely before late 2026.
The report's findings carry implications for allied air forces operating the F-35, including Israel, which has ordered 75 F-35I Adir aircraft and currently operates a fleet of around 36. Maintenance and parts availability issues in the global pool can affect Israeli squadron readiness, though Israel operates its own depot-level maintenance capability and is not exclusively reliant on the U.S. supply chain.
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