The Pentagon cannot reliably track the movement and condition of approximately 26 million parts for F-35 fighter jets, worth a total of about $31 billion. This is the finding of a new audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, cited by Stars and Stripes and Air & Space Forces.
The components, including engines, tires, and replacement parts, are located at more than 700 U.S. government and private contractor sites around the world. According to the audit, inventory records are incomplete, inaccurate, and do not reflect changes in real time.
More Than $85 Million Worth of Parts Listed as Lost
As of March 2026, the F-35 Joint Program Office did not know the status of parts worth more than $85 million that had been reported as lost in a previous review. In 2023, it was found that more than 1 million replacement parts had gone missing over a five-year period.
The new report states that the office does not have sufficient procedures for tracking losses and analyzing recurring problems. This makes it difficult to determine the full extent of the shortages and reduces the ability to detect fraud, waste, or theft.
17,000 Components Not Entered into the System
Auditors also found that approximately 17,000 parts undergoing repair or maintenance had not been entered into the logistics system. Their value is estimated at between $1.3 billion and $2.5 billion, with the difference resulting from missing data on costs and other acquisition expenses.
A major problem is the lack of a direct connection between the Pentagon's logistics system and the property management systems of Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney. Data on the overall parts reserve is submitted periodically, and some records may be more than three months out of date.
The Pentagon also does not always know where components held by lower-tier subcontractors are located. Parts in transit through commercial carriers may remain outside inventory records.
The Problem Could Affect Aircraft Readiness
“Without accurate data on the location, quantity, and condition of parts, the Pentagon lacks the information necessary to determine operational readiness,” the audit warns.
Since 2020, at least $17 million has been spent on physical inspections of components at government and private sites. However, auditors found that the most recent inspections did not fully confirm whether all parts were actually located at the sites where they were recorded.
The F-35 Joint Program Office has accepted the four recommendations of the Government Accountability Office. It says it is developing new procedures, training for employees responsible for government property, and a direct real-time connection between government systems and the prime contractors.
The full inventory of F-35 parts is expected to be completed by March 2027. More accurate accounting is important not only for the Pentagon's financial records, but also for determining which replacement parts are available and what quantities the program needs.
Sources: stripes.com, airandspaceforces.com, breakingdefense.com