Bombshell report finds shortages leaving UK’s £88m jets struggling to perform all tasks | UK | News
In a new report, Britain cannot make the most of the most advanced fighter aircraft due to famine. The National Audit Office (NAO), which was located in 2024, was able to perform all the F-35B fleet of the British F-35B only in about one-third of the Ministry of Defense (MOD) target.
British’s independent public expenditures, the Stealth’s availability, described the availability of the aircraft as “poor” and “far below” of the targets set by defense chiefs. In addition, he warned that the program had a series of delays, and the entire life cost of the project is more than three floors that are public by mode. NAO President Gareth Davies said: “The F-35 program offers a significant economic benefits to England.
“However, talent benefits are not fully performed due to delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortage.
“The mode should now decide where to prioritize its resources to improve the ability to improve all the advantages of the F-35 program to the UK.”
The cost of each F-35B can operate about £ 88 million and land from the land and the aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy.
Thirty-eight F-35B was delivered to the UK, but only 37 people serve after falling into the sea because it came out of HMS Queen Elizabbeth in 2021.
Nao said Britain committed 138 aircraft to buy, but there was no approved time schedule to buy the rest.
Watchdog said the F-35s estimated that the entire life program costs £ 71 billion-much more than £ £ 18.76 billion that the MOD announced to the public.
He said that availability problems are largely caused by the shortage of engineers and spare parts, and that “a problem that arises with higher corrosion than expected in marine environments”.
Mod, previously “underestimated” the required number of engineers, but steps to reduce the gaps, he said.
NaO also found that the ability of the aircraft to realize at least one of the seven necessary tasks was about half of the target of the mode.
Watchdog added that UK’s usability targets are lower than global programs.
In the report, although the requirement reduces the requirement from 10 hours to 7.5 hours per month, it causes pilots with fewer flights than mode.
Nao also increased concerns about delays.
Full -operational capability is expected to be announced at the end of 2025 – two years after planned – and with a few gaps against its first requirements.
MOD warned that the delivery dates that are planned to integrate Spear 3 and Meteor missiles developed by the UK into F-35 are “very behind” and announced that they are not expected to monitor temporary alternatives until the 2030s.
The report says that the aircraft is currently not a cold weapon to attack ground targets from a safe range that will affect its effectiveness in controversial environments.
According to Nao, the first party of 48 aircraft is behind the program due to a combination of financial pressure and problems.
“The report of the National Audit Office rightly recognizes the world-class capabilities of the F-35 fighter aircraft, including £ 22 billion, including £ 22 billion business, which creates thousands of business-creating important economic benefits.
“The program continues to operate within the approved budget, and Britain will have two F-35 fighter fleets ready to be deployed until the end of this year.
“We have recently announced that we will buy 12 F-35A by supporting 20,000 jobs in the UK, and we will participate in NATO’s double talented aircraft nuclear nuclear task because it provides more security for people working through the government’s change plan.”
