A lack of spare parts and trained engineers has hampered the combat ability of the UK’s F-35 fighter jets, a report has said.
The findings of the National Audit Office (NAO) come as one of the warplanes is due to leave Thiruvananthapuram airport in southern India, where it made an emergency landing. Engineers have taken nearly four weeks to fix a technical problem and get the jet airborne again.
The $115 million ($155.7 million) Lockheed Martin-made stealth jet, one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft, was on a regular sortie over the Arabian Sea last month when it encountered bad weather and could not return to the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales.
"Ongoing issues facing the UK programme include personnel shortages across a range of roles, most significantly in engineering posts," the NAO said.
There is a “difficulty in securing spare parts and support equipment from the global programme”, which has meant “poor aircraft availability rates, resulting in fewer flying hours for pilots” than the UK Ministry of Defence wants, the report added.
The ministry has so far spent £11 billion on its F-35 programme. That is more than it has reported and more than it anticipated it would spend at the time of the 2013 business case, the NAO’s report said.
According to the spending watchdog, the estimated whole-life cost of the programme to the UK will be £71 billion – considerably higher than the £18.76 billion the ministry publicly reported.
“The F-35 programme offers significantly improved capability and considerable economic benefits to the UK,” said Gareth Davies, head of the NAO. “But the capability benefits are not being fully realised due to delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages. The [ministry] now needs to decide where to prioritise its resources to improve capability in a way that maximises the full benefits of the F‑35 programme to the UK.”
The UK operates 37 of the F-35B variant of the aircraft, which has vertical take-off and landing capabilities, and the jets are also used on the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier. The UK has committed to an initial batch of 48 jets, and plans to have 138 in service until 2069. The UK also plans to buy 12 F-35A jets, to carry nuclear weapons.
The NAO said delivery of the first batch is “behind schedule due to a combination of financial pressure and problems with the global programme”.
This means the ministry expects to declare full operating capability by the end of 2025, two years later than planned, and with several gaps against its initial requirements. That means plans to equip the aircraft with important weapons, including the integration of UK-developed missiles, and to assure the ministry the aircraft retains its stealth capabilities, have been pushed back until the 2030s.
The report comes as the UK and other Nato states plan to increase their military spending in response to pressure by the US and concerns about the risk of further Russian aggression in Europe.
A representative for the ministry said the programme “continues to operate within its approved budget” and that, despite delays, the UK would have two full squadrons of F-35 fighter jets ready for deployment by the end of this year.
The ministry added that the decision to buy 12 F-35As would cut the cost of each plane by 25 per cent.
The stranded military aircraft has been the subject of AI-generated memes in India. Kerala's tourism department published an image of the aircraft on the tarmac, surrounded by coconut trees, in a post with a fictitious five-star review.
“Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend,” it said.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
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%3Cp%3E1.%20Protracted%20but%20less%20intense%20war%20(60%25%20likelihood)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20Negotiated%20end%20to%20the%20conflict%20(30%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E3.%20Russia%20seizes%20more%20territory%20(20%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.%20Ukraine%20pushes%20Russia%20back%20(10%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EForecast%20by%20Economist%20Intelligence%20Unit%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
