Aircraft
Total Acquisition Estimate for F-35 Rises to $406.5 Billion
A reduction in the annual buy of F-35As by the U.S. Air Force is behind the overall cost increase, the Pentagon said.
The U.S. Air Force has reduced its annual rate of procuring F-35As from 80 to 60, the JPO said. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
The U.S. Air Force has reduced its annual rate of procuring F-35As from 80 to 60, the JPO said. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

The Pentagon has increased its total acquisition estimate for the F-35 Lightning II fighter by 6.8 percent to $406.5 billion, and the total program cost by 1.8 percent to $1.53 trillion. A reduction in the annual buy rate of F-35As by the U.S. Air Force drove the acquisition cost increase and contributed to a “slight uptick” in unit costs, the Department of Defense (DOD) said in its latest F-35 selected acquisition report (SAR) to Congress.