F-35s Operating In Middle East Maintaining High Mission Capable Rates, ACC Official Says

Air Combat Command says F-35 units deployed in the Middle East are sustaining high mission-capable rates during active operations. The disclosed performance indicates that maintainers, spares and regional support infrastructure are keeping a large share of aircraft available despite demanding sortie schedules and environmental conditions. Mission-capable rate measures whether an aircraft can perform at least one assigned mission, so it is not equivalent to full-mission-capable status or combat effectiveness. Fleet-wide percentages and a complete comparison period were not provided, limiting broader conclusions about long-term F-35 readiness.