WASHINGTON — The Defense Department needs stronger controls to account for billions of dollars in F-35 aircraft parts, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Nov. 9.
GAO found that the F-35 program includes about 26 million parts, valued at approximately $31 billion, stored at more than 700 contractor- and government-managed facilities worldwide. The watchdog said Department of Defense records remain outdated, inaccurate and incomplete, limiting officials’ ability to account for the parts and report on them financially.
As of March 2026, the F-35 Joint Program Office did not know the status of lost parts valued at more than $85 million that GAO had identified in a 2023 review. The report also found that the office lacked adequate procedures for reviewing losses reported at government-managed facilities.
GAO said inaccurate inventory data and weak procedures can affect readiness and reliable financial reporting. The F-35 program is the Defense Department’s most costly weapon system, with life-cycle costs estimated at more than $1.9 trillion.
The watchdog made four recommendations, including that the department develop and implement procedures for monitoring reported losses, establish program-specific procedures and training for accountable property officers, and clarify the structure of the F-35 property-accountability program. The Defense Department concurred with all four recommendations, according to GAO.
Sources: U.S. Government Accountability Office report; The New Republic
