Availability, Use, and Operating and Support Costs of F-35 Fighter Aircraft

In this report, the Congressional Budget Office analyzes the recent availability, use, and operating and support costs of stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft. Programwide operating and support costs exceeded $5 billion in 2023. The F-35 has three variants: the F-35A, operated by the Air Force; the F-35B, operated by the Marine Corps; and the F-35C, operated primarily by the Navy.

Availability and Use. As F-35s have aged, their availability and use have decreased, CBO finds. The availability and use of F-35s have been lower, in some cases much lower, than those of other fighter aircraft of the same age. For example, the average availability rate of a 7-year-old F-35A has been about the same as that of a 36-year-old F-16C/D and a 17-year-old F-22. The availability of the Navy's F-35Cs has been closer to that of its earlier fighter aircraft at the same age.

Operating and Support Costs. Per aircraft and per flying hour, operating and support costs of F-35s have stabilized after a period of decline, CBO finds.

• F-35As. Operating and support costs per aircraft and per flying hour have been more variable than those of the Air Force's other fighter aircraft. In recent years, costs of F-35As have been similar to those of F-15Es, below those of F-22s, and above those of F-16C/Ds.
• F-35Bs. In 2023, operating and support costs per flying hour fell below those of the Marine Corps' AV-8B fighter aircraft for the first time.
• F-35Cs. Operating and support costs per aircraft and per flying hour generally have been higher than those of the Department of the Navy's other fighter aircraft.