Explained: 3 Conflicting Approaches To USAF F-35 Buy Under Government Review

Growing frustration over Lockheed Martin’s woes is apparently showing in different defense bills with different purchase numbers of F-35s for 2025. The Technology Refresh 3 upgrade has caused around 100 F-35s to be rejected for delivery and are being stored at Lockheed facilities. While the problems are expected to be solved, it will likely take a year to clear them. There appears to be a debate in Washington about how many F-35s to purchase. At some point, a decision about how many to acquire will need to be taken.