F-35 Attrition - do you just replace them?

[Fonsini]

With the recent loss of an F-35B the question of attrition replacement comes to mind. Days were when you would just call Hawker and order 50 extra Hunters, then came the attrition spares which were put into storage until something crashed to bring squadrons back up to full strength, and finally contract clauses allowing for extra attrition replacement options.

So what’s the deal with F-35s when they are lost, will the RN just order one more ?

[Evalu8ter]

Unlike most UK aircraft, the F-35 will be in production for decades (you can still buy a new Viper after all….). It is probably part of the acquisition strategy to buy batches in successive Blocks - keeping the fleet at about the same size, with younger and more capable airframes - cheaper than updating older aircraft. Therefore it’s likely an additional, attrition replacement, frame will be added to a future Block purchase. Although I see a maximum in-service fleet at any time of 70-80 jets, we could well end up with the circa 138 tails in total before OSD.