Britain's new 'state-of-the-art' fighter jets have a catalogue of flaws that are set to cost hundreds of millions of pounds to fix

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Britain's new state-of-the-art fighter jets are reportedly set to cost hundreds of millions of pounds over budget.

The RAF's new, US-built F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter have been hailed  as the 'most powerful' fast aircraft in history by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon.

But the jets have been plagued by a catalogue of problems which have sent costs soaring.  

And there are concerns shortcomings in the technical systems underpinning the new generation of  war planes will leave them unable to function properly.

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin has said the jets will cost the UK between £77 million and £100 million each.

The F-35B fighter jet, pictured, has been hit with a catalogue of problems which has reportedly sent costs spiralling 

But The Times said the true cost of the planes delivered this year will be more than £150 million each to cover 'extras' such as software upgrades and spare parts.

The newspaper has uncovered a series of shocking failures with the new generation of warplane which raises serious questions about the project. 

It found that the 'stealth' F-35 are unable to transmit data to British ships and older aircraft without revealing its position.

The plane's software system is vulnerable to cyber attack and cannot be tested independently by the UK.

While the weak broadband on the Royal Navy's principal aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is also hampering the jet's abilities.

And some of the planes are expected to be too heavy to safely conduct a vertical landing - a key function which the jet had been designed to carry out. 

And the problems face further problems as the department responsible for the computer networks essential to the aircraft's operation needs to find savings of £400 million this year. 

Officials are reportedly aware more cash needs to be poured in to ensure the jets are properly connected to the networks of their aircraft carriers, but believe funding cuts mean there will not be enough money to buy the systems. 

General Sir Richard Barrons, who was in charge of the military's information networks until last year, told the newspaper: 'The real virtue of the joint strike fighter is it's a stealthy information platform which happens to shoot down aircraft and bomb.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said the new fighter jets will be the most 'powerful and comprehensive' of their kind, but the MoD has faced criticism over reports they have problems transmitting data and with cyber securuty

'You need enough capacity to communicate with all of the other platforms: ships, aircraft and headquarters. [The Queen Elizabeth] may look impressive as a ship but technologically it's stuck ten years ago.' 

Sir Richard said it was 'utterly pathetic' that Britain had prioritised 'metal and platforms' over 'warfare in the information age'. 

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said all the issues raised had been reported in the past and were under 'active management' by the Joint Strike Fighter joint programme office and the MoD.

It said the programme remained 'wholly with its cost approval' and that it did not recognise the £150 million cost figure cited by the newspaper. 

An MoD spokesman said: 'The F-35B Lightning II aircraft is the world's most advanced fighter jet.

'Whether operating from land or with the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers as a central component of the UK's carrier strike capability, they will ensure a formidable fighting force.

'We are committed to the F-35 programme, which is on time, within costs and offers the best capability for our armed forces.'