F-35 Program Now Costing $1.6 Trillion

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program — which stems from efforts started in the 1990s — was structured not only to produce planes for the U.S. military but also for key allies. (Airman 1st Class Bryan Guthrie/U.S. Air Force)

Sputnik: F-35’s Nuclear Weapons Upgrade Delayed as Program Costs Top $1.6 Trillion

The F-35 Lightning II’s Block 4 upgrade, which will allow the stealth aircraft to carry nuclear weapons, has been delayed by at least nine months. The F-35 is slated to become the primary nuclear strike aircraft for several US allies. Meanwhile, costs for the program have soared above $1.6 trillion.

According to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a congressional watchdog agency, the F-35’s planned Block 4 upgrade has been delayed by nine months, pushing the plane’s full-rate production decision back to sometime between September 2020 and March 2021.

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WNU Editor: The latest report to Congress on the F-35 program is here .... Report to Congress on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program (USNI News).

Update: It is too late for this .... Time to Put the Broken and Bloated F-35 Program to Rest? (National Interest).

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