Exhibit 346 · GAO report
F-35 Sustainment: Actions Needed to Ensure Updated Strategy Improves Persistent Readiness Challenges (GAO-26-108113)
sustainment costs for the United States estimated at $1.6 trillion for the life of the program to 2088, as of 2024.
U.S. F-35 sustainment costs estimated at $1.6 trillion to 2088 as of 2024; mission capable rate fell from 67 to 44 percent FY2021-FY2025; $13.7 billion more needed through FY2031.
- Source
- U.S. Government Accountability Office
- Date
- June 2026
- Quoted from
- Letter, p. 1
- Grade
- Primary record
- Document
- https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-108113
- Accessed
- 2026-11-09
- Cited by
- Findings citing this exhibit
- Note
- Further quotation: “To achieve GSS Reset goals, JPO estimated in October 2025 that the U.S. military services will need to increase funding for F-35 sustainment by roughly $13.7 billion over previously planned spending from fiscal year 2026 to fiscal year 2031.” (Printed p. 13 (PDF p. 18)). Report dated June 2026. JPO is the F-35 Joint Program Office; GSS Reset is its Global Support Solution Reset. Same page: about 50 percent ($7.3 billion) for additional spare parts and material, about $3.1 billion for procurement including depot activations, about $3.3 billion for operation and maintenance. Letter, PDF p. 2: 'DOD operates and sustains over 800 U.S. F-35s and plans to buy about 1,700 more aircraft by the mid-2040s.' Read from a Wayback capture.