Global ridicule: Britain's air power exposed with only 37 F-35 Fighters due to lack of funds

The United Kingdom has only 37 of the planned 138 F-35 aircraft in service, almost four decades after the conception of the US-led program. The continued delay of the UK's multi-billion-pound F-35 fast jet program due to lack of money has increased costs and harmed the aircraft's ability to fight, according to a report published by Parliament's Public Accounts Committee. Furthermore, the "unacceptable" lack of pilots and engineers is restricting the frequency of the aircraft's flights, as revealed by the Public Accounts Committee. The report also challenges a major announcement by Sir Keir Starmer in June that the UK would purchase a variant of the aircraft capable of carrying US nuclear weapons, noting that there appears to be no timetable for when this capability will be operational, nor an estimate of the additional cost.

Storm of reactions

The strong criticism will likely make for uncomfortable reading for Sir Richard Knighton, the new head of the British armed forces. Sir Knighton previously served as Chief of the Royal Air Force and before that was the Head of Military Capabilities at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), responsible for military capabilities. The United Kingdom has only 37 of the planned 138 F-35 aircraft in service, almost four decades after the conception of the US-led program, and nearly 25 years since the start of its multi-billion-pound funding. These aircraft are among the most advanced, stealthy, and deadly on the planet, provided they have the correct technology, weapons, and - most crucially - software updates. However, continuous pressure on the UK's defense budgets has led military leaders into bad habits of delaying the acquisition of the F-35s and limiting orders to save money in the short term, resulting in taxpayers ultimately paying a much larger sum and the RAF (Royal Air Force) and Naval Air Arm being left with aircraft that cannot be used to their full potential. The Public Accounts Committee highlighted the impact of this behavior, pointing out five key issues:

Decisions for cost savings:

A decision by the MoD in 2021 to delay investment in facilities required for the F-35's stealth capabilities (known as the Air Signature Assessment Facility), in order to save £82 million, will add an extra £16 million when completed in 2032. This delay restricts the UK's ability to deploy the aircraft.

Delays in infrastructure construction:

The six-year delay in building infrastructure for the naval squadron operating the F-35s has increased construction costs from £56 million to £154 million.

Inadequate acquisition cost estimates:

The MoD's failure to accurately update the total acquisition cost of the F-35s. The current estimate, announced this year, puts the lifetime cost of the program for 138 aircraft until 2069 at £57 billion, up from £18.4 billion for the first 48 aircraft until 2048.

Inability to supply missiles for conventional attacks:

The UK's existing F-35B fleet will not be ready to launch conventional missiles for long-range target strikes until the early years of the 2030s, a critical capability for modern warfare.

Ineffective personnel management:

The military leadership maintains that the F-35Bs will achieve "full operational capability" by the end of the year, a timetable that is already significantly delayed, despite the aircraft lacking long-range missiles and facing other difficulties. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Chair of the Committee, stated that "short-term cost-saving decisions have always been dangerous if you are a homeowner with a leaky roof, let alone when managing such a complex warplane program - and yet such decisions have been frequent in the F-35 management." The UK's F-35Bs are designed to fly from the Royal Navy's two aircraft carriers. The A variant, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, operates only from land. The MoD has stated it will purchase an additional 15 F-35B and 12 F-35A at a cost of £3.2 billion. However, there is still no cost estimate for certifying the F-35As for NATO missions, carrying American nuclear missiles.

Lack of personnel

The Committee also expressed concern about the lack of personnel and how this affects the availability of F-35s operating in the country. The United Kingdom needs 168 additional engineers - a 20% increase in existing personnel. The situation is compounded by the "sub-standard" living conditions at RAF Marham, where the F-35 force has been based since 2013, due to budget deficits. The MoD spokesman's statement reads: "Many of the decisions referred to in the report were taken under the previous government, and we have drawn up plans to address historical problems with procurement, infrastructure, recruitment, and skills through the Defence Strategic Review."

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