Posted on 04/07/2010 8:05:05 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Defense Department officials have told Congress that the already ballooning costs of the F-35 joint strike fighter are likely to soar much higher when new estimates are completed in the summer.
In the Selected Acquisition Report for the F-35, a detailed document sent to Congress on Thursday, the Pentagon said it expects that cost studies now under way will produce estimates dramatically higher than those used in recent months to prepare the 2011 defense budget request.
Based on figures in the document, the average cost of one F-35 -- $62 million when the program was launched in 2002 -- could rise to $115.5 million, not counting inflation, by the time all 2,457 planes that the U.S. plans to buy are built.
Including inflation, the government now expects each F-35 to cost an average of $133.6 million. But even that figure could swell to more than $150 million when revised estimates are completed in June.
The report was obtained by the online news service InsideDefense.com, which reported it in a story posted on its Web site Wednesday. The Star-Telegram obtained its own copy of the report.
It shows that Pentagon officials now estimate that the average cost of one F-35 has risen 57 percent before accounting for inflation. It predicts that the next round of estimates could show an increase of up to 87 percent, again before inflation.
Further cost increases, coming on top of a wave of recent revelations about rising costs and lengthy delays on the part of contractor Lockheed Martin in getting planes built, will give additional ammunition to defense spending critics in general and F-35 critics in particular. They could also further delay purchasing decisions of potential foreign buyers, who are already nervous about the rising costs.
(Excerpt) Read more at star-telegram.com ...
Like any other government program, the initial cost estimates are simply to get something passed. Like ObamaCare and anything else, the price will spiral out of control.
Sticker shock might persuade buyers to purchase Super Hornets or F-15SGs
Ping.
It’d almost be funny if it was so sad with all of the JSF fanboys here. The Joint Strike Failure.... less than a shadow of the F-22... will cost MORE than the F-22.
Besides a Change Order, I’ve never understood why costs suddenly change. You submit a bid and you’re bound by it unless the specs are changed.
Oh wait, that’s the real world and not the world of hidden government subsidies.
$135 million dollars a plane. Its way too much. I would try to ressurect the F-22
For the navy, bring back the design specs for the Sea Raptor. For now, use the superhornet and plasma stealth technology.
Costs suddenly change because it was low-balled from the beginning in order to get Congress to pass it I suppose.
That too.
Bring back the F-22!
In my “real” world, you’re bound by bids unless there’s a change order.
So much waste. So much fraud.
Slap a VAT on that sucker and let ‘er rip!
That is assuming that the USAF pays Lockheed to properly store the production tooling, rather than destroying it.
Rand Study on F-22 production alternatives.
has anything like this ever come in on budget? ever?
Thanks!
Or F-15SE perhaps?
Brilliant reporting...lots of what but no why and how.
Lockheed are the wrong contractor. They did good with unique and skunk works airplanes, great with the C-130, good with the C5 and the C-141 was ok but retired early for structural problems as I recall. We also spend a boat load rebuilding the C5 properly. The last fighter Lockheed built was the F-104.
Lockheed do not have a culture of production.
And we cancelled the F22 because it cost how much?
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