Defence revises down planned availability of the F-35A jet fleet

Defence has revised down the planned availability of the fleet of F-35A fighter jets ­for the next four years, despite growing regional threats.

Australia has 44 F-35As. The fleet is scheduled to grow to 72 by the end of 2023. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Defence has revised down the planned availability of the nation’s fleet of F-35A fighter jets ­for the next four years, despite growing regional threats.

New budget estimates reveal the Joint Strike Fighters – Australia’s most potent air combat platform – have had their flying hours downgraded by 25 per cent this ­financial year, and by 17, 14 and 13 per cent in each of the following ­financial years.

The move follows repeated downgrades in F-35A flying hours, including by 36 per cent last financial year, amid US warnings the jets should be flown infrequently due to maintenance issues and parts availability.

Australia now has 44 F-35As, basing an initial four at RAAF Tindal – Australia’s most important northerly base. The fleet is scheduled to grow to 72 by the end of 2023, with an option to expand to 100 aircraft.

Defence’s latest budget estimates, published last Thursday, said the revised forecasts reflected “fleet availability issues, various roles undertaken by EA-18G (Growlers), and (the) ramp-up hours curve from introduction to service”.

“F-35A forward estimates figures are based on maturing understanding of (the) F-35A, and subject to ongoing review across the air combat program,” it said.

Labor’s assistant defence spokesman Pat Conroy accused the government of mismanaging the JSF program.

“The JSF is critical to Australia’s defence and the fact that it is flying thousands of hours less than planned is a real concern,” he told The Australian. “(Defence Minister) Peter Dutton should explain to the public why this $16.6bn project continues to be plagued with problems.”

Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Marcus Hellyer said Defence appeared to be “accepting the reality that they miss every year”.

“They have done the right thing here in adjusting those targets to something that is more in line with what they can actually achieve,” Dr Hellyer said.

He said it was unclear why Defence wasn’t hitting its JSF availability targets, “but my sense is it is the global supply chain groaning and creaking under the (parts and maintenance) demands of all the fleets in the world setting up”.

“Australia is competing with every other user for those spares. And there is a priority framework which says nations on operations have highest priority,” Dr Hellyer said.

“Well guess what? The US as a global power is always on operations. So we are competing with the US for spares in the program.”

He noted the US Government Accountability Office had repeatedly reported the US F-35 fleet was failing to meet its availability targets. The head of the US air force last year likened the F-35 to a Ferrari that should be driven only on Sundays, due to ­engine-wear problems with the advanced multi-role fighters.

“You don’t drive your Ferrari to work every day, you only drive it on Sundays,” he said. “This is our ‘high end’ (aircraft) – we want to make sure we don’t use it all for the low-end flight.”

Mr Dutton declared in an interview with The Australian this week that Australia faced its most challenging national security circumstances in a generation as a result of the Ukraine crisis and the new “no limits” partnership between China and Russia.

The downgrade in F-35 availability comes after The Australian revealed Defence engineers warned that the nation’s new $45bn Hunter-class frigates would be “substantially” slower, have a shorter range than originally intended, and could be vulnerable to detection by enemy vessels.