GAO Report on F-35 Manufacturing & Modernization
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report of potential interest earlier this week entitled “GAO-20-339 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: Actions Needed to Address Manufacturing and Modernization Risks”.
According to the GAO, “…the F-35 program produced more aircraft and negotiated lower prices in 2019. However, the program is not meeting standards aimed at ensuring consistent, high-quality products, and fielded aircraft do not meet reliability goals. Also, the cost to modernize aircraft systems went up about $1.5 billion (14%) since the program’s May 2019 annual report to Congress. Due to development delays, this reporting requirement will expire before the effort is complete. We suggest Congress consider extending it.”
The GAO also “…made five recommendations, including some to help the Defense Department make its modernization cost estimate more comprehensive and credible.. While DOD did not concur with two of these recommendations—including to evaluate production risks and update its Block 4 cost estimate with a program-level plan, it identified actions that, if implemented, will meet the intent of these recommendations. DOD concurred with GAO's three other recommendations.”
According to the GAO, “…the F-35 program produced more aircraft and negotiated lower prices in 2019. However, the program is not meeting standards aimed at ensuring consistent, high-quality products, and fielded aircraft do not meet reliability goals. Also, the cost to modernize aircraft systems went up about $1.5 billion (14%) since the program’s May 2019 annual report to Congress. Due to development delays, this reporting requirement will expire before the effort is complete. We suggest Congress consider extending it.”
The GAO also “…made five recommendations, including some to help the Defense Department make its modernization cost estimate more comprehensive and credible.. While DOD did not concur with two of these recommendations—including to evaluate production risks and update its Block 4 cost estimate with a program-level plan, it identified actions that, if implemented, will meet the intent of these recommendations. DOD concurred with GAO's three other recommendations.”