Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted
Set out plans to ensure F-35 standoff capability and increase aircraft availability.
Recommendation
The UK’s F-35 does not have a standoff weapon, and aircraft availability is inadequate. The Department states that its biggest concern with its F-35 fleet is the lack of a standoff weapon to strike ground targets from a safe distance. The Department wants to equip its F-35s with the Spear 3 missile but this is not likely to be in place until the early 2030s, partly because of problems with the supplier and partly because of global programme delays to the required software upgrades. The Department is attempting to bring forward Spear 3 delivery and integration and is considering other weapons for the interim as part of the Defence 2 Investment Plan. The Department acknowledges that, in addition to this limitation on capability, the F-35 fleet is not available as often as it should be, in large part because of personnel shortages and a lack of spare parts. recommendation a. The Department should set out in the Defence Investment Plan how it will ensure a standoff capability in the coming years before Spear 3 is fully integrated onto the aircraft b. The Department should write to the Committee, alongside its Treasury Minute response to this report, setting out how it intends to increase F-35 availability so that its targets are consistently met.
Government Response Summary
The government agreed to increase F-35 availability by increasing aircraft engineers, supporting efforts to improve spares availability, investing in F-35 technical infrastructure, and enhancing supporting enablers, with a full report on availability to follow later.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. to increase F-35 availability; this longer timeline is needed to ensure that the response can draw on lessons from the recent Carrier Strike Group 25 deployment. Aircraft availability is dependent upon a number of factors including workforce, spares, infrastructure and supporting enablers. Now the department has a better understanding of operating and maintaining a fifth-generation aircraft, the number of aircraft engineers is being increased to align with Force readiness requirements. Although the department has funded additional engineering positions, it will take time to recruit and train the necessary personnel. The UK is also supporting the US-led F-35 Joint Programme Office in efforts to reset the Global Support Solution to improve performance and increase spares availability. The department is planning further investments in F-35 technical infrastructure at RAF Marham and enhancements to supporting enablers through improvement initiatives.