F-14 Program Builds Historic Business Bridge to Poland

TransFormation DoD ^ | Dec 6, 2005 | Chuck Wagner

[Grzegorz 246]

Lower costs are the reason.

[Matrix33]

And offset duties... Hidden one.
This is my guess as all F-16 deal offset discussion has been silenced.

[SAMWolf]

Poland has proved a reliable U.S. ally since the end of the Cold War, and has been among the U.S.’s staunchest allies in Iraq. U.S. officials have been eager to establish ties with Poland that both reward and solidify the relationship.

It's about time we appreciated Poland.

[kaiser80]

And what about the southern one? ;)

[Technology Tracker]

Pls note that the article mentions US small business participation. Even though it does not mention the companies by name (for fear of being hassled by the big boys) have heard that at least one of the participating companies is located in Oklahoma.

Am glad to see optimum use of precious taxpayer funds to support/protect our folks in the field.

[Technology Tracker]

Not a sheet metal part, but a highly sophisticated composite structure that integrates the protection into the replacement panel structure.

[Technology Tracker]

Can assure you that this has nothing to do with offset. The basic contract agreement was established long before LM and others attempted to screw up relations. The silence is a result of the overwhelming embaressment that we as US taxpayers are having to contend with as a result of a deal with good intentions that have gone bad.

[Tarpon]

Poland is becoming a solid faithful ally. In return they want help establishing a viable democracy and a growing economy. Sounds like a really good deal to me.

[Matrix33]

Thank you for your explanations.
The offset story, although forgotten by majority of polish community, left bad taste of being screwed and feeling of being just stupid tool in power hands...
On the other hand mentioned in main topic contract is good for relation improvement.
Well, you have to understand polish mentality - we were abandoned by our allies too many times. We are distrustful and every attempt to screw us is noticed for long time. On the other hand we badly need strong and trustful ally - we are to weak alone and NATO seems to be split. So we've decided to try US.
We hope this time we've chosen right... Regards

[Grzegorz 246]

"And offset duties"

I doubt It, these parts seems to be ordered directly by US Department of defense.
The F-16's offset deal was really screwed but that's our government's fault.

[nochancepaddles]

Sounds like you might have inside information about the program. I work part time for a non-profit org that tracks US companies and Govt orgs that violate the Buy-American Act. We have been following this one for the past 2 yrs and it is everything that the article indicates with true work sharing and labor building on both sides of the Atlantic. I also like the fact that they have been sponsoring team building between US small business orgs and Polish industry and not just the big five (Boeing, LM, Bell, Sikorsky and NGC). They have given the little guy a say in what happens. The program seems to have hit a snag recently with the Project Manager being fired outright from the F-14 program for attempting to establish additional cooperation links between Polish and US industries. Appears to be a top-level/congressional inquiry into the details that have surrounded his dismissal. If you are familiar with the workings of the tomcat, you will know that this same guy was responsible for fixing the age old hydraulic swivel leaking problem, or creating a tomcat specific manufacturing line for structural components up in hucklebuck, west, va. the same company from hucklebuck was involved with the Polish company in producing the trans bay access panel for the tomcat. I also know that this guy's actions have given large qtys of bucks back to the taxpayers coffers. The US Navy has a strange way of rewarding its managers for a job well done. So maybe the big five has had the last word after all.

[Technology Tracker]

You appear to know a great deal about this program, certain aspects of the tomcat and various inside politics at NAVAIR. I worked around the project pm for a relatively short amount of time and yes he did get things done, but his methods were not what the Navair locals would refer to as being traditional. I would say that his execution plans were unconventional, however I do not wish to imply that he was performing illegal actions. His actions and that of his teammates were above board. My take is that he did not believe in talking so much as taking actions, and was doing things while others would talk about only doing something. This didn't sit well with the power bubbas; especially since it would place the tomcat in a good light and other programs in a not so good light. I actually suspected that the guy might have tripped and hit his head one too many times when someone announced that he was going to Poland to build parts. That swivel thing that you refer to was doomed to failure for a number of reasons. I know that it was attempted at least three times in the past with much larger budgets and had failed miserably, but he and his team were able to pull it off. I wouldn’t have believed it had I not heard the positive feedback from the fleet guys. I always new that he was going to be ate up and spit out by the system. Makes sense to shit can him along with the tomcat, when you can ill afford either one of them, or at least that is what certain people would want you to think. What else do you know about the Poland deal? How many polish made panels actually made it onto fleet tomcats before the program was terminated? Are you a former tomcat driver or maintainer? And I would not refer to Bridgeport as being Hucklebuck.