Half of the "Flying Lemon" aka F-35 fleet grounded by tech problems – Pentagon report — The F-35, built by Lockheed Martin, was supposed to finish the 16-year development phase this year. The fifth-generation stealth fighter was supposed to be a modular design, with modifications adapting it for service in the US Air Force (F-35A), the US Marine Corps (F-35B) and the US Navy (F-35C). This was supposed to save money on manufacturing and maintenance. In practice, that has not worked out quite as planned, and the cost of the F-35 program has been estimated at $1.2 trillion, for operations and support through to 2070.

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