NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter may see its entry into U.S. military service delayed further because of problems in the stealthy jet’s software and design, further driving up its costs, according to a media reports. Draft results of a comprehensive F-35 review were presented Monday to Ashton Carter, the Defense Department’s chief acquisition officer, news services reported, citing unidentified sources.
Already the Pentagon’s costliest weapon acquisition, the price of the program’s development phase could increase by an additional 10%, to $55 billion — a price that would make the aircraft 1.5-times more expensive than the jets it will replace, according to a Bloomberg report.
Last spring, the Pentagon determined the total cost for the jet had risen by 64% above initial estimates, topping $382 billion.
The U.S. Air Force and Navy versions of the fighter jet will likely need an additional year of development, the reports said. The Marine Corps version, which would be capable of vertical take off and landings, could be delayed by two to three years.
The stealthy warplane, designed to be the backbone of the U.S. fighter-jet fleet, is currently two years behind schedule after being dogged by software and design problems.
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