Recommendation 2

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.