Pentagon confirms cost of Lockheed Martin's F-35 up by 60-90 per cent

Domain-B ^ | March 12, 2010

[myknowledge]

Inspite of strenuous efforts by the world's largest defence contractor, Lockheed Martin, to contradict reports that the Joint Strike Fighter programme was heading for substantial cost and time overruns, it has now been confirmed in Pentagon testimony before the US Congress's Senate Armed Services Committee that the cost of the programme has increased 60 to 90 per cent in real terms since 2001.

Even as the Pentagon steps into overdrive trying to reassure stakeholders, which are three armed services of the United States and eight partner nations that it will take all required steps to deal with the problems, Congressional auditors have said the program was likely to haemorrhage in terms of costs and suffer time overruns.

The F-35 Lightning II is a single-engine stealth fighter designed primarily for ground attack roles. It is meant to form the backbone of American and allied air forces over the next several decades.

The US Air Force, the US Navy and the US Marine Corps plan to buy 2,443 of the planes. Eight allied nations have also invested in the programme, and though not committed to buy any, are ready to purchase hundreds of additional planes.

The JSF project has eight partner countries and two Security Cooperative Participants (SCPs). The partners include the United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark, and Norway. The two SCPs are Israel and Singapore.

The latest cost and schedule estimates are likely to embarrass not just Lockheed Martin, but the respected defence secretary, Robert M Gates, who promoted the new jet at the expense of another costly defence acquisition, the F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter.

Christine H Fox, a top Pentagon official said at Thursday's hearing that the estimated price of each F-35 had jumped to $80 million to $95 million, as measured in 2002 dollars, from $50 million when Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract in 2001. This would equal to $95 - $113 million for each plane in current dollars.

Secretary Gates recently fired the general in charge of the programme and announced measures aimed at getting the programme back on track.

Michael Sullivan, an analyst at the Government Accountability Office, said the programme could eventually cost $323 billion, near to double the original $200 billion estimate. He also said that though recent changes could help ease problems, ''further cost growth and schedule extensions are likely.''

[myknowledge]

Related articles:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2470208/posts

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-NOTAM-170809-1.html

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-NOTAM-111109-1.html

The fighter program has not gone too well, behind schedule and cost overruns for LockMart. The GAO is asking why. The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most expensive fighter programs, so expensive it is almost five times that of the F-22 Raptor and makes the latter more attractive for continuity of production (and it makes a superior fighter, with supercruise and all-aspect stealth).

[Bulldawg Fan]

Obama’s idiots in DC (including his excuse makers at the Pentagon, in and out of uniform) made the decision to ditch the world’s best aircraft, the F 22. If only Georgia had been a blue state........ (thats how their key defense and other decisions are made)

[PhiKapMom]

Last October, the head of Lockheed told everyone that the plane was under price and he would go to three shifts to keep it on schedule. He should be fired along with seom AF people who have been covering up — more then just the head of the Super SPO.

The reorganization of the AF from the early 90’s is catching up with the in more ways then one.

[Waverunner]

It’s all about the money and futzing around with the total aircraft buy.. The F-22 was about 24 million per airframe when they were going to buy 750 over ten years in the early nineties, a production rate of 6-7 planes a month. Now they are buying 180 planes over twenty years. Of course the price went through the roof. The entire support structure for manufacturing and building was kept in place longer and produced less. When Congress enacted inventory taxes back in the 70’s the whole concept of EOQ ( economic order quantity) went out the door. Manufacturing engineers used to plan costs based on optimum production lot size, now it’s how much will it cost to make one JIT ( just in time).
Way more expensive.... Thanks Congress .. once again lawyers and politicians stick the taxpayer for their lack of business experience.

[The Sons of Liberty]

If only Georgia had been a blue state........ (thats how their key defense and other decisions are made)

That's exactly correct, but I rather live in a shack and eat dirt than vote for 0bamao.

[Aqua225]

It’s sad about the F-22, killed over politics, but worth every billion ... And replaced by a overpriced underperformer, one size fits all jet. The only positive here is that manned aggressive flight is nearly a dead concept, and the F-35 is as good as dead within 10 years anyway.

[PIF]

“I rather live in a shack and eat dirt than vote for 0bamao.”

Under 0bamao we will live in shacks and eat dirt... and have only the People’s Choice to vote for ... 0bamao.

How else can we get to the dusty villages populated with starving people that 0bamao can drive through in his motorcade to see the wisdom in his people’s eyes - something he has long been nostalgic to see again?

Defense? What’s that? Who needs it? The UN will take care of whatever needs 0bamao has.

[PIF]

“F-35 is as good as dead within 10 years anyway.”

Which is when it will come on line - possibily - just in time to be shot down by Russsian/Chinese drones... Ah, the forward thinking in DC is awesome, awesome I thell you!

[celmak]

Please clarify; both are Lockheed planes, where is the F-35 made?

.

[Overtaxed Patriot]

If only Georgia had been a blue state........ (thats how their key defense and other decisions are made)

That's exactly correct, but I rather live in a shack and eat dirt than vote for 0bamao.

In due time comrade. In due time.

[InterceptPoint]

There’s an old saying in the Defense business about any program that is “Joint”, like Joint Strike Fighter. Maybe someone remembers it but the essence of it is that “Joint” programs which are generally jointly sponsored by the Army, Navy and the Air Force, are doomed to failure. Too many cooks, spoiled soup.

[myknowledge]

The F-35 Lightning II is assembled at LockMart’s factory in Fort Worth, TX (the F-22 Raptor is assembled at Marietta, GA).

[rcofdayton]

We simply cannot afford Lockheed anymore. This is par for the course for them.

[Tolsti2]

I used to work for TI, and there was a real sense of pride in the defense division to keep costs down and deliveries on time. Lockheed sure doesn’t seem to have that!

I’m not sure what’s going on with these defense companies lately, but they this is soooo disappointing.

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[Aqua225]

I think of the F-35 as a FDR style public works project. Unfortunately that fact makes the F-35 offend me that much more.

[celmak]

"The F-35 Lightning II is assembled at LockMart’s factory in Fort Worth, TX (the F-22 Raptor is assembled at Marietta, GA)."

Then what is the politics? Both are red states.

[Sequoyah101]

These Aussies have never liked it (the F-35). I have been trying to absorb their assessments for some time and have not found their evaluations to be seriously flawed...they seem to be rational and without axes to grind. I don’t like what I see for us and feel it is a great travesty that our military has been used as a political tool...we will pay the price in young men and perhaps freedom.

We can only contemplate the use of UAV and cheap interdiction aircraft because we have no serious threats to at will use of the airspace we are fighting in. As for UAVs replacing manned aircraft...how does one control an attack UAV if control signals are jammed? How does one adapt to a fluid battlefield with a set attack plan programmed internally so as to avoid jamming? Is it possible to build fully capable flexible thinking self-contained systems incorporating sufficiently capable “fuzzy-logic”, such as is possible with a human, into an autonomous computer driven UAV?

They say in respect to the PAK-FA:

“Detailed strategic analysis indicates that the only viable strategic survival strategy now remaining for the United States is to terminate the Joint Strike Fighter program immediately, redirect freed funding to further develop the F-22 Raptor, and employ variants of the F-22 aircraft as the primary fighter aircraft for all United States and Allied TACAIR needs.

If the United States does not fundamentally change its planning for the future of tactical air power, the advantage held for decades will be soon lost and American air power will become an artefact of history.”

[Bulldawg Fan]

The F 22 is built outside of Atlanta, not sure about the other air craft.

[PIF]

At least FDR actually produced something which is more than 0’s will do...