Air Force Confirms Its F-35As Were Mission Capable About Half the Time in 2023
The Air Force's F-35A mission capable rate was 51.9% in fiscal year 2023, down from 56% the previous year due to spare parts availability issues. Despite investments, mission capable rates declined for most Air Force fleets. The Air Force aims for 80% minimum and 90% objective performance targets for the F-35A, focusing on specific unit requirements for each aircraft type.
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The Air Force has confirmed that its F-35A aircraft were mission capable about half the time in fiscal year 2023, with a rate of 51.9%. This decline from the previous year's 56% was attributed to spare parts availability issues. The Government Accountability Office reported a peak mission capable rate of 71.4% in 2020, which decreased to 51.9% in 2023. The Air Force aims for an 80% minimum performance target and a 90% objective performance target for the F-35A. Despite investments in maintainability and reliability, mission capable rates for most Air Force fleets declined in fiscal year 2023. The Air Force emphasized that mission capable rates do not directly reflect readiness, which also depends on factors like trained personnel and spare parts availability. The service has abandoned setting an overall mission capable goal, instead focusing on specific unit requirements for each aircraft type. The Air Force plans to operate the F-35A for a longer period but with reduced flight hours per year.
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