The U.S. Navy and Air Force Plan to Expand the F-35 Fleet

Reference News Network reported on April 27 According to a report from Bloomberg News on April 24, the U.S. Air Force and Navy have proposed to accelerate the purchase of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets over the next five years. This demonstrates confidence in the aircraft, despite Elon Musk and other critics arguing that the model is becoming outdated.

According to the forecast released on the 24th, the planned procurement quantity for the Air Force variant will increase from 38 aircraft next year to 42 in fiscal year 2028; the procurement quantity for the Navy and Marine Corps variants will increase from 23 this year to 47 next year.

The increase in procurement numbers is still uncertain. This is part of the U.S. government's request to Congress to increase the defense budget by more than 40% to $1.5 trillion. The proposal has faced opposition from fiscal conservatives and Democrats.

However, these forecasts reflect confidence in the fighter jet. In recent weeks, the aircraft has carried out combat missions during U.S. operations with Israel against Iran. As the most expensive weapon program in U.S. history, the fighter jet has been repeatedly criticized by Tesla CEO Musk.

In 2024, he referred to the F-35 as "an expensive and complex jack of all trades, master of none."

He wrote on the X platform at the time: "Success is never within the realm of possible outcomes. And in the age of drones, having a pilot in a fighter jet is outdated and only puts the pilot's life at risk."

The planned procurement would be good news for Lockheed Martin, the largest defense contractor in the U.S.

Nevertheless, the U.S. Government Accountability Office has stated that the aircraft's operational readiness rate—meaning the amount of time it is available for missions—is below standard. Upgrades to the aircraft's software have also stalled. (Translated by Lu Di)