I spent a career in defense. The problem with every system is once it’s funded everyone jumps on it to convert it to the thing “they” need.
“everyone jumps on it to convert it to the thing “they” need.”
And that’s exactly what has happened to this platform.....every military branch that uses it has modified it to fit their needs.
New fighter jets are very expensive
The F-35A costs about 80 million dollars compared to 66 million for the latest version of the F-16 and 72 million in 2025 dollars for the latest varient of the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
The new F-15 EX the Air Force is buying is costing around 95 million bucks a pop and that price will rise to over 100 million in the next production batches due to Bidenflation. .
The reason so many of the F-35s are not flying is because about 100 have been built but have not been delivered and are in storage pending the requisites for the Block -4 upgrade. So they are grounded by final delivery concerns, not operational one.
The Block 4 upgrade has been delayed largely due to the world wide covid shut downs and ensuing supply chain meltdowns which still have not been restored.
The other big wild card in the Block 4 is that the technology is evolving rapidly and mission requirements are moving forward so quickly that many facets of the upgrade are kind of a moving target and being held hostage by future growth and development path concerns. .
That said, the F-35s flying in service are doing an outstanding job.
Even in the far less capable Block 3 configuration the it's capabilities are mind bending and Block 4 is science fiction for real level stuff. Not bad for an aircraft that we might not want but we cannot afford not to have.