The Ministry of Defence has disclosed that the RAF’s Financial Retention Incentive for engineers supporting the UK’s F-35 Lightning programme is worth approximately £113.5 million.
The figure was confirmed in a written parliamentary answer by defence minister Louise Sandher-Jones, who said: “The total remuneration package for the RAF Engineers Financial Retention Incentive is approximately £113.5 million.”
The incentive scheme was introduced as part of wider efforts to address a long-running shortage of suitably qualified and experienced engineers within the F-35 enterprise, an issue repeatedly highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee.
Previous ministerial answers have acknowledged that the Lightning programme “suffers from a shortage of engineers” and that the problem has operational implications. The Ministry of Defence has said it has increased recruitment, expanded technical training capacity and introduced joining bonuses alongside the retention incentive.
However, ministers have also cautioned that workforce recovery will take time. Earlier responses to Parliament stated that “training time required for engineers means that it is expected to take three or four years before the programme has the required numbers.”
The £113.5 million figure represents the first time the full cost of the RAF engineers’ retention package has been set out in a standalone parliamentary answer, providing a clearer indication of the scale of investment being directed at sustaining the F-35 force.
Over how many years?
It wouldn’t suprise me if MoD were spinning that as it was over the full life of F35!
Hang on, who gets what and for how long ?
I have a garden with mud that’s clearer.