Watchdog Group Responds to Reports of $30B F-35 Jet Deal

For Immediate Release                                                                             Contact: Abigail Graham: (202) 417-7235

July 19, 2022                                                                                                                

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) responded to recent reports that the United States Department of Defense (DOD) is nearing a deal with Lockheed Martin Corp to purchase 375 F-35 fighter jets—one with a $30 billion price tag.

Patrick Hedger, TPA Executive Director, offered the following comment:

“While Congress is currently considering proposals to fund a second F-35 engine, now is not the right time to be pouring billions of dollars into purchasing jets while the current engine’s future is in limbo.

“Three years ago, in the last block buy, the Pentagon purchased 478 F-35s for $34 billion. Now, they are receiving over a hundred fewer planes for almost the same cost. Just as the cost of everyday Americans’ groceries goes up, so too does the unit price of the world’s most advanced weapons system. However, as taxpayers are forced to make increasingly difficult financial decisions, the responsible choice from the DoD would be to wait until a more affordable agreement is available.

“As TPA encouraged Congress to study these costly endeavours surrounding the F-35 just last week, we again urge the DoD to responsibly analyze how a $30 billion purchase will affect American taxpayers across the country.”

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Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.