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| CreThe United Arab Emirates was in talks to buy 50 F-35 fighter jets from the US in a deal initially agreed last year by the Trump administration © Wilson Ring/APative Commons. |
International Military - F-35 is a fifth generation fighter aircraft coveted by many countries, including the US itself. With its capabilities, the F-35 is believed to be able to significantly increase military strength, especially a country's air force. Carrying the most advanced technology compared to its competitors (considering, there are not many competitors), even China itself wants to have it.
We are back a few months ago, the Japanese F-35 had an incident and crashed in the South China Sea. There was a conflict between the two countries and the US, where there was a seizure of the F-35 carcass on the seabed. The US is concerned that if China finds the wreckage first, Beijing will use the technology in it for their warplanes.
Why did China do that? Because it is undeniable, the F-35 brings many of the latest features for modern fighter aircraft. Continuing, the ability of the F-35 has paid off, many countries have owned and ordered the aircraft. We can conclude, they are western countries and NATO allies are the initial line that was given permission by the US to have it.
One of our neighboring countries has also flown the F-35 in its air force, namely Singapore. He is the first country in ASEAN to have the fifth generation fighter aircraft. But, the "weird" decision was made by the White House, they cut the budget for the procurement of the F-35 and chose the F-15EX.
Modernization is not buying
The Pentagon report at the end of 2019 was very clear, they would buy 94 F-35s for 2023. That number has increased, because in 2022, they acquired 85 F-35s. But that decision changed, with the Dallas News reporting that on March 27 the Pentagon purchased “only” 61 F-35s.
Instead, the US Air Force is seeking to increase the purchasing power of the Boeing F-15EX fighter. A source at the Dallas News added that the budget cuts for the F-35 are part of a government effort to ask Lockheed Martin to improve its performance on technology upgrades for the F-35 in future orders.
This is reinforced by top Pentagon officials who attribute the reduction in the number of F-35s to a desire to see improvements in the technology. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III said "the priority is to modernize open procurement".
"So we remain committed to the F-35," said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III. “Attempts to shorten modernization and choose to buy is a wrong choice and will jeopardize our national security. Because now, China and other adversaries continue to invest in combat capabilities.”