Posted on 11/29/2010 11:14:56 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
An important skirmish in the battle over military spending is taking place in this industrial suburb of Cincinnati.
At stake is a program to develop an alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter, a stealthy, supersonic jet supposed to be the backbone of the U.S. fighter fleet for the next three decades. For the past four years, Congress has funded the development of the second engine against the wishes of the Pentagon, which maintains that only a Pratt & Whitney engine should be funded.
View Full Image
Reuters
Congress could decide within days whether to fund a second engine for the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. .Defense Secretary Robert Gates drew a line this year, saying he would recommend the president veto any bill that continues funding for the second engine, which General Electric Co. is developing with Rolls Royce PLC at GE's Evendale plant. Congress faces a decision on the issue, perhaps as early as this week, as it tries to hammer out a continuing budget resolution for the current fiscal year.
GE's argument for the second engine is simple. By developing an alternate engine, the government would get a backup supplier, and competition between two suppliers would create long-term savings over the life of the $100 billion procurement.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Ping
Pong
” ... GE’s argument for the second engine is simple. By developing an alternate engine, the government would get a backup supplier, and competition between two suppliers would create long-term savings over the life of the $100 billion procurement ... “
I believe this is a valid argument. It could be that specifics invalidate the argument, but I haven’t seen any.
PW has plied a lot money via lobbyist and perhaps direct deposit to be sole source for a reason!
But GE has spent all that money on bribing (er, green energy funding) Obama for so long!
What I don't get is "if" they want a second engine why are they not asking for "Dual Source" of the same engine.
Yes it was done before...
· Pratt was chosen to build the GE 404 "Trash Can"
· Continental Teledyne built the Williams F107 Turbofan ( Cruise Missile Engines)
The manufacturers hate it, sharing their plans with a competitor, but the logic is their to do so if one plant is incompacitiated or to force competition in cost.
Given the potential differences in performance and engine hook up points, externals, (however, these may be common) and all the "Spares" associated with it and the cost, I can't see a reason the GE Engine.
THe engine in question (P&W) is used in the F-22, common parts, lower training costs and all that.
GE bring good PORK to life.
Not harshing on you, but this has to stop somewhere.
Sole source is a bad, bad idea. Removing competition is a bad, bad idea. Generally speaking.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.