GAO report: F-35 mission capable rate falls to 44%, full mission capable rate drops to 25%

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.