In the Chamber of Representatives, the United States wanted to reduce the maintenance of multifunctional fighters-bombers of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II. Lawmakers supported the wording in the US defense policy bill on the 2022th fiscal year about binding the number of purchased aircraft to the cost of their maintenance. Reports about it Defense News.
Chairman of the Committee on the Armed Forces of the Chamber of Representatives Adam Smith on Monday, August 30, published amendment involving reducing defense costs in the 2022th fiscal year. According to the amendment, the number of F-35 aircraft, which can purchase the US military, will be tied to the cost of their maintenance.
If the operators cannot achieve the targets of the cost of annual aircraft maintenance, they will not be able to purchase the planned amount of F-35. In 2020, the cost of servicing one F-35 amounted to about 8 million dollars. The purpose of the US Air Force is to reduce the cost of up to 4.1 million dollars.
Nevertheless, on Wednesday, September 1, the Committee approved a new amendment, which has shifted the timing of the adoption of restrictions from 2026 to 2028. Moreover, the amendment included the wording that allows the Minister of Defense to acquire F-35 outside the established limits “to meet the requirements of the National Military Strategy”. The innovation proposed Mark Visi, representing the city of Fort Worth, in which the main production line F-35 is located.
Earlier it became known that in the Committee on Armed Forces, it is planned to increase the financing of the development of a new aviation engine. A promising unit may form the basis of the modernization of the F-35 engines.