![](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/57855cb2-9bd7-4c34-8c3e-f97d17fb1ca8.jpg)
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, recently came under the microscope after a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlighted increasing sustainment costs and diminished operational plans due to reliability issues.
![Lockheed Martin F-35B](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062207-ed27.jpg)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ardently defended the aircraft, stating, “I would not categorize the F-35 as a paperweight,” during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, countering assertions that the F-35 has become too costly and unreliable for the U.S. military and its allies.
![F35 of US Air Force](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062264-cbaf.jpg)
The GAO report disclosed that sustainment costs for the F-35 had escalated from $1.1 trillion in 2018 to $1.58 trillion in 2023, with the Department of Defense planning to fly the F-35 less than initially estimated, partly due to reliability issues.
![F35 of US Air Force](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062285-5e07.jpg)
Despite these challenges, Secretary Austin and the Department of Defense remain committed to the F-35 program, which is evident from the over $61 billion allocated in the fiscal year 2025 budget to “assure U.S. air dominance,” including ongoing upgrades and sustainment.
![Silhouettes of three F-35 aircraft on sunset sky background](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062308-42fd.jpg)
Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) is one such crucial upgrade delayed but expected to significantly enhance the F-35’s capabilities by improving its digital infrastructure, weapon systems, and pilot interface.
![F-35 Lightning II in Leuwardeen](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062417-33c2.jpg)
The TR-3 software will also allow the jet to carry new weapons, sensors, and cyber countermeasures, vital for maintaining the cutting edge in combat aircraft technology.
![US Air Force F-35A Lightning II pictured at the 2018 Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062437-ce92.jpg)
Amid the scrutiny, comparisons between the F-35 and the F-22 Raptor, another advanced fighter by Lockheed Martin, have resurfaced.
![F-35 Lightning II in Leuwardeen](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062460-4c85.jpg)
The F-22 excels in air-to-air combat with superior speed and climb rate, positioning it as an unrivaled dogfighter.
![F35 of US Air Force](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062477-5269.jpg)
However, the F-35 boasts an armament versatility that the F-22 lacks, including nuclear deterrence and air-to-ground strike capabilities.
![Oshkosh, Wisconsin USA - July 30th, 2022: USA Military Aircraft Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062500-3c97.jpg)
With modern combat scenarios increasingly involving advanced communications and technology, the F-35 stands out for its data connectivity and coordinative capabilities, making it the preferred aircraft for a variety of missions.
![Oshkosh, Wisconsin USA - July 30th, 2022: USA Military Aircraft Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062520-262f.jpg)
Despite criticisms and operational challenges, the F-35 program has the U.S. Defense Secretary’s support. “We continue to work to make sure that we get our aircraft operational,” Austin told lawmakers.
![Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062676-e4d1.jpg)
The steadfast commitment to the F-35 signifies its integral role in the current and future landscape of U.S. airpower, where air dominance remains a strategic priority.
![Joint Base Andrews Air Show 2015](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062764-0bab.jpg)
The DOD has not been accepting new F-35s until TR-3 is ready, though Lockheed Martin and F-35 Joint Program Office head Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt have said the Pentagon may begin taking delivery of jets with a “truncated” version of TR-3 later this year.
![LEEUWARDEN, THE NETHERLANDS - JUNE 11, 2016: F-35 Lightning II f](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715062798-35fe.jpg)
“This includes continued funding for the modernization and sustainment of the F-35 and F-22 fleets while developing the next-generation fighters and autonomous collaborative combat aircraft critical to maintaining superiority in the skies,” Austin wrote.
![US Air Force F-35A Lightning II pictured at the 2018 Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715064269-4d80.jpg)
“I agree in the future we should take [and] we should have a different approach,” Austin said. “We continue to work to make sure that we get our aircraft operational.”
Relevant articles:
– U.S. Military Declares F-35 No ‘Paperweight’ and One of the ‘Best Aircraft’, The National Interest
– F-35 Vs F-22: Comparing & Contrasting The Iconic Lockheed Martin Fighter Jets, simpleflying.com
– Austin Pushes Back on Lawmaker’s F-35 Criticism: Not a ‘Paperweight’, Air & Space Forces Magazine
– Air & Space Forces Magazine, Air & Space Forces Magazine