F-35 Fighter Jet Program Oversight Hearing
January 1, 2020
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The Frame
The F-35 is the Department of Defense's most expensive weapon system, with costs projected to exceed $406 billion, impacting federal defense spending and military operational readiness.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Department of Defense
The agency manages the procurement, testing, and sustainment of the F-35 fleet.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
The company is the primary contractor responsible for the production and development of the F-35.
U.S. Military Branches (Air Force, Navy, Marines)
These branches operate the aircraft and are responsible for integrating them into combat missions.
Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
Key Facts
- The F-35 program is the most expensive weapon system in the Department of Defense.
- Projected acquisition costs for the F-35 program are expected to exceed $406 billion.
- Over 450 F-35 aircraft have been delivered to the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and international partners as of November 2019.
- The fleet is projected to grow to more than 1,100 aircraft across 43 operational sites by 2023.
- The aircraft has officially entered its operational testing period.
- The aircraft has been deployed globally and has completed its first combat missions.
- The hearing was a joint session between the Subcommittee on Readiness and the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces.
Why It Matters
The F-35 is the Department of Defense's most expensive weapon system, with costs projected to exceed $406 billion, impacting federal defense spending and military operational readiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current status of the F-35 program?
How many F-35s are expected to be in service by 2023?
News Coverage
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition to Operational Status
The hearing marks a critical pivot point where the F-35 moved from a development project to an active, combat-deployed fleet.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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