"The report's main criticism targets the MoD's pattern of delaying purchases to meet annual budget targets, driving up total program costs while reducing operational capacity. As a result, whole-life cost estimates have tripled to £57 billion ($75 billion), excluding personnel, fuel, and infrastructure - which push the National Audit Office's estimate to £71 billion ($93 billion). And delaying support infrastructure for the Royal Navy's 809 Naval Air Squadron by six years added nearly £100 million ($131 million) in costs."
"During our inquiry, the MoD told us that they viewed these kinds of decisions costing the taxpayer many millions more in the long-term than the money saved in the short term, as a 'conventional consequence' of budget management. This is exactly the sort of attitude that our committee exists to challenge," said PAC Chair, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. The F-35 program also suffers from a shortage of suitably qualified engineers - the biggest threat to delivering the full capability of the stealth jets, the report says."
Parliament's Public Accounts Committee highlighted significant problems with F-35 procurement and management, echoing earlier National Audit Office findings. Years of short-term MoD budgeting delayed purchases and support infrastructure, increasing whole-life costs to about £57 billion (£71 billion by NAO accounting) and adding nearly £100 million for a six-year infrastructure delay. Lockheed Martin's Block 4 software is delayed to 2031, stalling Spear integration and leaving jets limited to unguided bomb attacks. Shortages of suitably qualified engineers threaten capability delivery. The MoD characterized costly long-term consequences as a 'conventional consequence' of budget management.
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