F-35 jet order may be slashed as true costs become clearer

RISING costs may force the Ministry of Defence to cut its planned order of 138 stealth jets, officials have suggested for the first time.

MPS on the Commons defence committee heard it was impossible to accurately forecast the long-term costs of the F-35 programme. As costs become clearer as they enter service, the MOD “will make adjustments in our programme accordingly”.

The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review declared Britain would “maintain our plan to buy 138 F35 Lightning II aircraft” over the coming decades.

The fighter is considered the most advanced combat jet ever and will fly from the new aircraft carriers as well as from RAF bases. Britain has already signed a contract for the first batch of 48, with an estimated cost of £9.1bn by 2025, including support such as training and maintenance.

But Stephen Lovegrove, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defence, said it would be “imprudent” and “misleading” to give an estimate for the cost of the rest of the aircraft.

Mark Francois MP, a former defence minister, said the failure to give a figure for costs was “extraordinary” and said the public would be “shocked”. He said: “Is it any wonder people have some scepticism about budgeting in the Ministry of Defence?”

Lt Gen Stephen Poffley, deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, said once the jets become operational, there would be an annual review of their costs to help forecasts.

Julian Lewis MP, committee chairman, suggested this meant the order was likely to be “on a similar course” to previous large defence procurements, such as the original plan to buy a dozen Type 45 destroyers, which was subsequently cut to eight, and finally six.

If later batches of the F-35 were delayed, or costs went up, then “we are going to have to adjust the numbers of these aircraft that we order”, Mr Lewis added. Lt Gen Poffley said he was “sympathetic” to that logic.

Mr Lewis went on: “What’s clear, then, is that the 48 are safe, secure, done and dusted… as far as the financial cost is concerned, but after that, there is inevitable uncertainty, that’s what you are telling us?” Lt Gen Poffley said: “I am afraid that is the reality of the world we are living in.”

If a decision to scale back purchases was made, the MOD would consider keeping older jets the F-35 is due to replace.