Posted on 11/19/2010 4:50:46 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has learned that development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be further delayed, on top of the 13-month slip that was disclosed in March.
Gates also was advised in a Nov. 2 briefing that operations and support costs for the F-35 will be re-budgeted at 1.5 times the aircraft it replaces, more than twice the original goal and 50% more than more recent projections, according to reports.
The briefing also covered other tactical aviation issues, and reportedly included data from the technical baseline review (TBR) that was launched by the new director of the JSF Program Office, Vice Adm. Dave Venlet. He succeeded Marine Maj. Gen. David Heinz, who was dismissed and has since retired. The TBR supports a Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) review of the program that is due on Nov. 22.
Reports suggest that the U.S. Air Force/international F-35A and Navy F-35C variants will be delayed another 12 months and the Marines’ F-35B – still suspended from powered-lift flight testing due to a problem with an auxiliary inlet door – will be two to three years late. It is not clear whether that refers to the completion of developmental testing or to the initial operational capability date.
The need for more time to carry out flight testing and to mature software is the main reason for the delay. Although two USAF F-35A prototypes have been flying at a higher-than-expected rate at Edwards AFB, Calif., the F-35B program at NAS Patuxent River, Md., has fallen further behind schedule since last March, and the planned start of shipboard trials (in March 2011) will now be missed. Only six aircraft were delivered to customer flight test centers in Fiscal 2010 out of 12 planned in September 2009.
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...
Ping
STOVL flights resumed prior to Sweetman writing this. That "journalist" of questionable credibility likes to write bad gouge thinking that no one is keeping tabs on what he's writing. One wonders how long it will be before Aviation Week suspends him again for his antics.
Announced today at 6:41 PM EST:
Lockheed gets $3.48B deal for Lot IV F-35s
Deal includes 16 F-35Bs and I'm sure Sweetman will be PO'd whenever he gets around to reading about it.
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