The mishap on May 29th is the 30th crash for the F-35, adding to the narrative of a program marred by technical difficulties, safety concerns, and financial strain.

The Marine Corps’ F-35B variant, designed for short takeoffs and vertical landings on amphibious assault ships and shorter airfields, has itself faced repeated questions on its operational costs and readiness.

Lockheed Martin has acknowledged the loss of the government-owned test aircraft, stating, “The aircraft was a test jet equipped with Technology Refresh 2 (TR-2) and was transferring to Edwards AFB for additional test equipment modification. Safety is our priority, and we will follow appropriate investigation protocols,”

While the F-35 program has made efforts to recuperate from past incidents—Hill AFB’s ‘Franken-bird project’ stitched two damaged F-35s into one potentially operational aircraft—the latest mishap is another indicator of the challenges inherent in sustaining the fleet.

The Government Accountability Office has underscored these challenges, reporting maintenance delays and an actual mission-capable rate hovering around 55%, far short of the 85 to 90% target.

The crashed F-35B, equipped with TR-2 technology, was in transit for further equipment modifications when it met disaster.

The test plane’s loss is a dual blow, both in financial terms and in the setback to evaluating crucial upgrades that enhance the fleet’s competitive edge.

With the F-35 program’s lifecycle estimate now over $2 trillion, stakeholders are forced to reckon with the high price of cutting-edge defense—a sobering reality when each crash translates to a multi-million-dollar conflagration.

Additionally, the low mission-capable rates present a stark contrast to the ambitious operational expectations set for the fleet.

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Relevant articles:
– A $135 Million Nightmare: The Cost of the F-35B Lightning II Crash, National Intererst, 05/30/2024
– An F-35B test plane crashed into a New Mexico hillside while flying from a Lockheed Martin facility to a US airbase, Yahoo! Voices, 05/29/2024
– 35B test jet crashes in New Mexico, pilot ejects safely but sustains injuries, Breaking Defense, 05/29/2024
– $135 Million Down: Another F-35 Crash Tests Military’s Patience and Pocketbook, Defense World, 05/29/2024