Availability, Use, and Operating and Support Costs of F-35 Fighter Aircraft
Report
CBO analyzes the recent availability, use, and operating and support costs of F-35 fighter aircraft. As F-35s have aged, their availability and use have decreased and have been lower than those of other fighter aircraft of the same age.
In this report, the Congressional Budget Office analyzes the recent availability, use, and operating and support costs of stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft. Programwide operating and support costs exceeded $5 billion in 2023. The F-35 has three variants: the F-35A, operated by the Air Force; the F-35B, operated by the Marine Corps; and the F-35C, operated primarily by the Navy.
Availability and Use. As F-35s have aged, their availability and use have decreased, CBO finds. The availability and use of F-35s have been lower, in some cases much lower, than those of other fighter aircraft of the same age. For example, the average availability rate of a 7-year-old F-35A has been about the same as that of a 36-year-old F-16C/D and a 17-year-old F-22. The availability of the Navy's F-35Cs has been closer to that of its earlier fighter aircraft at the same age.
Operating and Support Costs. Per aircraft and per flying hour, operating and support costs of F-35s have stabilized after a period of decline, CBO finds.
F-35As. Operating and support costs per aircraft and per flying hour have been more variable than those of the Air Force's other fighter aircraft. In recent years, costs of F-35As have been similar to those of F-15Es, below those of F-22s, and above those of F-16C/Ds.
F-35Bs. In 2023, operating and support costs per flying hour fell below those of the Marine Corps' AV-8B fighter aircraft for the first time.
F-35Cs. Operating and support costs per aircraft and per flying hour generally have been higher than those of the Department of the Navy's other fighter aircraft.
