European F-35 fighter jet users push to drive down operating costs
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-us...-idUKKCN1LQ25X
Operating costs were a big issue when senior military officials from the United States, Israel and F-35 user nations in Europe - Britain, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Turkey, the Netherlands - met in Germany last week, they said.
“We discussed the importance of ensuring that future costs - specifically for sustainment - are kept to a minimum so that we don’t have to cut into future purchases,” U.S. Air Force Colonel Leslie Hauck, who heads the fifth generation integration office at the U.S. Air Force headquarters in Europe, told Reuters.
The latest Pentagon selected acquisition report on the programme put the cost per flying hour of the F-35 at around $30,000 per flying hour in 2012 dollars, compared to around $25,500 per hour for an older-generation F-16 fighter. Fuel cost changes could boost that sum in inflation-adjusted dollars.
The Pentagon’s F-35 programme office last week said it would compile and distribute information from users about
maintenance procedures, staffing requirements and other key metrics.
Together the allies will have some 64 F-35s in Europe by 2019 and 550 by 2034, General Tod Wolters, the head of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe, told officials at last week’s meeting.
The first U.S. F-35s are set to arrive in 2021.[ No doubt THEY will not require extensive re build to meet operational standards.]
Hmm. No mention of the use of synthetic trainers to reduce actual airframe usage.
Oh there aren't any...