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Story perspectives

Pentagon classifies GAO F-35 report; 1 in 4 mission-capable.

7/16/2026

26 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Pentagon classified the Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s annual F-35 report, preventing public release.
Department of Defense (DOD) marked the report Controlled Unclassified Information and has no release plan.
GAO found only one in four F-35s fully mission-capable, noting spare-part shortages and limited industry capacity.
DOD has paid Lockheed Martin hundreds of millions in incentives since 2020, with no improvement in readiness.

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Story summary

Pentagon classified the Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s annual F-35 report, preventing public release.
Department of Defense (DOD) marked the report Controlled Unclassified Information and has no release plan.
GAO found only one in four F-35s fully mission-capable, noting spare-part shortages and limited industry capacity.
DOD has paid Lockheed Martin hundreds of millions in incentives since 2020, with no improvement in readiness.