Washington Must Consult International Partners on the Future of the F-35

[rangerrebew]

Washington Must Consult International Partners on the Future of the F-35
By Heino Klinck
June 29, 2023
 
In his inaugural address, President Biden emphatically stated that, “We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterday’s challenges, but today’s and tomorrow’s.”  His foundational premise aside, Washington’s lack of clarity with our international partners and allies seems to fly in the face of the President’s guidance, especially regarding one of America’s most capable military exports, the F-35 Lightning.

On March 10, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said that the Pentagon will upgrade, not replace, the F-35’s current engine system. Just when we were finally putting this years-long debate to sleep, the House Armed Services Committee reignited the debate and decided to propose close to $600 million for the replacement engine known as the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP).


There are two clear issues at hand. First, replacing the F135 engine will be an expensive undertaking for both the United States and our allies who would have had to share these costs. According to Secretary Kendall, retrofitting the current generation of F-35s with new engines would have cost more than $6 billion. In comparison, the Pentagon’s announced Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) will cost $245 million in 2024.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2023/06/29/washington_must_consult_international_partners_on_the_future_of_the_f-35_943951.html

[rangerrebew]

I thought the F-35 was the weapon destined to end all wars, kind of like the crossbow.

[DefiantMassRINO]

What if the F-35 program is an enemy plot to bankrupt the America's and NATO's militaries?

Have the F-35's proven themselves in any real world combat yet?

Have the F-35 airframes proven themselves to be real-world durable?

It seems risky to place all your air superiority eggs in a single weapons system basket from a single contractor.

In theory, single sourcing simplifies support ... but it also increases cost of support due to lack of competition ... and it also increases supply and support risks by contractually constraining supply chain diversity.

Is the F-35 a modern Spruce Goose?

[Smokin Joe]

While they dither, the Chinese are cranking out jets. At some point, Mig 15 will have air superiority if there are enough of them. Having a handful of the world's greatest planes won't mean squat.

Don't believe me? Review the fate of the Me-262.