The Government Accountability Office reported that the Defense Department’s F-35 Joint Program Office could not reliably account for more than 17,000 F-35 Lightning II spare parts in its inventory system as of March 2026. The missing parts were estimated at $1.3 billion, while the potential value of components with unclear locations reached $2.5 billion when missing cost data and other acquisition expenses were included. The Defense Department uses the Enterprise Logistics Management System for F-35 inventory management.
What it means
GAO found that contractor maintenance and repair records were not consistently incorporated into the F-35 program’s inventory system. The program distributes approximately 26 million parts among more than 700 contractor- and government-managed facilities worldwide.
The F-35 program includes three primary aircraft variants used by the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor, and Pratt & Whitney supplies the aircraft’s engine.
Key facts
- More than 17,000 F-35 parts were absent from the inventory system in March 2026.
- The missing parts were estimated at $1.3 billion.
- Components with unclear locations had a potential value of $2.5 billion, including missing cost information and other acquisition expenses.
- Approximately 26 million parts are distributed across F-35 facilities.
- More than 700 contractor- and government-management facilities handle F-35 parts worldwide.
- The program has over 1,900 domestic suppliers and 2,100 global suppliers.
- The F-35 has specialized configurations for 19 international customers.
Source: Government Accountability Office report