Ninety members of Congress wrote a letter to President Joe Biden urging his administration to direct the Department of Defense to increase its investment in F-35 aircraft production and sustainment efforts.
“The U.S. must modernize our fighter inventory to ensure we can sustain a strong national defense and maintain an advantage to counter the pacing threat – China,” the lawmakers told Biden.
In their joint missive, lawmakers emphasized the F-35 platform’s role in national security, the domestic economy and regional collaboration to deter near-peer adversaries.
They noted that more than 254,000 jobs and 1,800 suppliers nationwide are part of the fighter manufacturing base, including skilled workers and small businesses.
“Now is the time to make the investments in America and uphold our commitments to our allies to buy a minimum of 100 F-35s for our U.S. services per year, invest in the advanced capabilities to stay ahead of the threats, and fund the sustainment profile necessary to support these aircraft for decades to come.”
