Air Force Still Wants 1,763 F-35 Jets Despite Cutting Back Next Year
- Reduced request from 48 to 33 partly reflects delayed upgrades
- Service remains committed to 1,763 total F-35s, Kendall says
A Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 jet.
Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg
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The Air Force’s decision to cut 15 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 jets from its fiscal 2023 budget request is a temporary dip caused by delays in a $14 billion program of upgrades and a need to shift funds to new aircraft and a new engine program, service secretary Frank Kendall said.
Among recipients of those funds is the still-classified “Next Generation Air Dominance” fighter, he said.