To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated cost of the F-35 fighter was when the Government placed its order for the aircraft.
Answered on
26 February 2018
When the Ministry of Defence placed its order for the procurement and support of 48 F-35 aircraft in 2001, the total approved budget for the UK F-35 programme was £9.1 billion out to 2026-27. The programme remains within its budget. F-35 aircraft are procured in lots, the costs of which are individually negotiated by the F-35 Joint Program Office on behalf of the partner nations. The UK's first aircraft was delivered in 2012 and the cost was $161 million. The Joint Program Office is continuing to drive down overall programme costs through improved effectiveness and efficiency, which is demonstrated by a 25% reduction in aircraft flyaway costs since 2012.