Almost half of US F-35s not airworthy

A highly critical US government report has revealed that almost half of the nation’s fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth jets are unworthy at any one time. A report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that delays in establishing service centres, a lack of trained maintainers and a shortage of parts mean that only 55% of the force is operational at any one time. The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to spend an estimated $1.7 trillion on