Marta Gichko11:06, 11.06.25

This aircraft has been criticized for its complexity, high cost, frequent delays, and technical problems, but at the same time it remains a key element of the air superiority of the United States and its NATO allies.

The US Department of Defense has sent a new defense funding request to Congress, proposing to halve the number of F-35 fighter jets to be purchased for the Air Force, from 48 to 24. This is the lowest figure ever for the world’s most expensive defense program, Bloomberg reports .

The reduction in the request is part of a broader plan by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to cut projected Pentagon spending by 8% over five years. Despite this, the F-35 itself remains a financial behemoth: the total cost of the program exceeds $2 trillion, including $1.5 trillion in maintenance and $485 billion in the purchase of 2,456 aircraft.

The F-35 has come under fire. Elon Musk has publicly called the program obsolete, questioning the usefulness of manned fighters in the age of drones. Similar statements have been made by far-right commentators in the US, calling the F-35 a “fiasco that undermines defense capabilities.”

Despite this, the program continues: in fiscal year 2026, the Pentagon is asking for $3.5 billion for F-35s for the Air Force, another $1.95 billion for 12 carrier-based fighters for the Navy, and $1.78 billion for 11 aircraft for the Marine Corps. But these figures are also lower than previous purchases. For example, the Navy received 17 vehicles last year.

Lockheed Martin has already delivered 747 of the 967 planned under current contracts. Further purchases may depend on the political will of Congress, where the company has powerful allies.

F-35 – what is known about the fighter

The F-35 is a fifth-generation multirole fighter jet developed by Lockheed Martin. It features stealth technology that makes it invisible to radar, as well as advanced electronics, sensors, and the ability to exchange data in real time with other platforms. There are three versions: the F-35A (for the Air Force), the F-35B (with short takeoff and vertical landing), and the F-35C (for aircraft carriers).

The F-35 program is the most expensive in the world. The fighter jet has been criticized for its complexity, high cost, frequent delays and technical problems, but it remains a key element of the air superiority of the United States and its NATO allies.

It was previously reported that the United Kingdom wants to purchase such fighters capable of using tactical nuclear weapons, which would be a significant expansion of Russia’s deterrence policy.

(c)UNIAN 2025