UK F-35 operational issues have weakened the UK’s defense. In other words, the UK’s F-35 fighter jets are facing serious challenges that have taken a toll on the nation’s air defense readiness. A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) reveals that these high-tech stealth jets are fully ready for missions only about a third of the time. The main reasons? Not enough trained engineers, a shortage of spare parts, and unexpected corrosion from being at sea. Still, the Government plans to move forward with expanding the fleet to 138 aircraft by 2069—an effort expected to cost around £71 billion over the program’s lifetime. At the upcoming NATO summit, the Prime Minister is expected to announce the purchase of at least a dozen new jets capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons.
UK F-35 Operational Issues: No Engineer, No Spare Part, Higher Sea Corrosion
The UK’s multi-billion-pound fleet of F-35 fast jets can only perform all its required missions one-third of the time. An official report has revealed the reason. The issue is primarily due to a shortage of engineers, a lack of spare parts, and unexpectedly high corrosion at sea. The poor performance rate is despite Britain’s expectations for its 37 stealth aircraft. It is significantly lower than the global target for all F-35B planes. The US Marine Corps also operates them, according to the National Audit Office (NAO), the spending watchdog.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) is already spending a minimum of £11 billion on the program. The US defense giant Lockheed Martin leads the program. The program started with the UK’s inception in the 1990s. It was when the UK did it in partnership with the US and several other nations. The US is the lead recipient of the aircraft and has central control over the project.
UK F-35 Needs Support: It is Late
The NAO predicted the whole-life cost of the F-35 capability to the UK would come to £71bn. This estimate assumes the Government will purchase the whole stated aim of 138 aircraft to be in service until 2069. The said price includes personnel and support costs. According to the report, the estimate forced out of the MoD was slightly lower, at £57 billion. However, it did not include support costs such as money spent on fuel and infrastructure. Neither estimate included the costs of weapons. The report urges the Ministry of Defense to focus its resources on enhancing operational capability. Moreover, the Ministry should address critical shortages to maximize the benefits of the F-35 program for the UK.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, stated that the F-35 program offers significantly enhanced capability. It will also have considerable economic benefits for the UK. However, delays, infrastructure gaps, and personnel shortages impede the realization of capability benefits. The MoD now needs to decide where to prioritize its resources to maximize the benefits of the F-35 program.
No Aircraft: UK F-35 Operational Issues
Between October 2024 and January 2025, no aircraft were available to perform any mission. It was because they were undergoing maintenance, the report said. The rates have since improved temporarily as many of the jets joined HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier, on a deployment to Asia. Meanwhile, this improved performance will not continue to work perfectly.
UK F-35 operational issues are not some newly-found problems. The report stated that the UK’s availability problems are primarily due to slow maintenance activity and a shortage of spare parts. They are also due to an emerging issue with higher corrosion than expected in maritime environments.
UK F-35 Operational Issues: No Missiles on the Jets
UK F-35 operational issues continue. The National Audit Office flagged another issue, making the UK’s F-35 less formidable fighting machines. It stated that there has been a delay in integrating missiles onto the jet, which will enable it to operate at a safe distance and hit targets without risk to itself.
At present, only bombs arm the British F-35s. It means they must fly over a target to hit it. As a result, it raises the risk of the enemy air defenses spotting the aircraft. The enemy can also shoot them down despite their stealth profile. There is a plan to integrate so-called stand-off weapons onto the jets. However, it does not happen until the 2030s, the NAO said. The UK has announced its intention to purchase a total of 138 F-35 jets, but has so far only committed to 48 of the B-variant. It operates from aircraft carriers but has a shorter range than the land-based A-model.
The UK Buys Nuclear and Conventional Weapons-Carrying Aircraft
The Prime Minister will announce at the NATO summit that the UK intends to purchase at least a dozen dual-capable aircraft. The new ones can carry weapons, including nuclear and conventional ones. Purchasing new aircraft will support approximately 20,000 jobs in the UK F-35 program. Moreover, it will provide 15% of the global supply chain for the jets based in the United Kingdom. It supports highly skilled jobs and opportunities for working people, and it will also provide defense for the whole of the UK.
The new fast jets will be based at RAF Marham. Additionally, the Government aims to procure 138 F-35s throughout the program’s lifetime. The procurement of 12 F-35A instead of 12 F-35B will deliver a saving of up to 25% per aircraft for the taxpayer.
UK F-35 Operational Issues: UK’s Undermined Warfighting Capability
This poor performance stems from several reasons. It includes delays, a lack of trained personnel, infrastructure gaps, and the overdue integration of key weapons, which will delay full capability until the 2030s. The RAF F-35 stealth jet is significantly superior to all previous UK aircraft, the National Audit Office (NAO) said. However, the NAO stated that there had been a disappointing return on the £11 billion spent so far. It added that it estimated plans to expand the fleet would cost more than three times the initial Ministry of Defense (MoD) forecasts.
A MoD spokesperson said the program was within its approved budget. Moreover, there would be two whole squadrons of F-35s ready for deployment by the end of the year. The American company Lockheed Martin made the F-35s. They are technologically superior to all previous UK fighter jets and are expected to remain in service until 2069. However, last year, the F-35 fleet’s complete mission-capable rate was around one-third of the MoD’s target.
Shortage of Personnel and Spares
To address the issues caused by a shortage of personnel and spares, the MoD reduced the flying requirement from ten hours to approximately 7.5 hours per month. However, despite this, the NAO report warned that pilots were still unable to meet this target in March of last year. The NAO added that it was not disclosing the actual figures on the grounds of national security.
The MoD has been unable to sustainably deliver its targets for aircraft availability, resulting in flying hours below the required level for pilots. The MoD’s short-term affordability decisions and severe global program delays have hindered the delivery of aircraft and other supporting capabilities, according to the report.
