Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Tenth Report - Aviation Procurement: Winging it?
Defence Committee
HC 178
Published 10 September 2023
Conclusions (2)
3
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 35
Increasing the UK’s F-35 fleet beyond the 74 aircraft already planned would be one way to address the combat air capability gap, and this was an approach supported by several of our witnesses. However, although acquisition costs for the aircraft may have reduced, sustainment costs remain unacceptably high. The fleet’s …
Government Response Summary
The government states it will procure a further 27 F-35 aircraft by the early 2030s and will consider increasing the overall fleet size in the mid-2020s as part of the next Strategic Defence Review. It also states it has adapted plans to increase F-35 maintainer numbers by 20% to improve resilience.
9
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 60
Whilst the E-7 is undoubtedly a capable aircraft, its procurement has been a woeful but depressingly familiar story of MoD failings and contractor underperformance combining to deliver a programme over time and over budget. Our recent report on defence procurement made a series of recommendations to tackle the systemic procurement …
Government Response Summary
The government has deflected this recommendation by stating it has responded separately to the Defence Sub-Committee’s report on Defence Procurement.