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Trump is already saving billions for the US, meanwhile Obama is passing out and receiving medals on the way out.
Posted on 01/13/2017 1:17:02 PM PST by SeekAndFind
If nothing else, we may be seeing what can happen when a little more competition gets introduced into government contracting. A few weeks ago, Donald Trump publicly complained about the price of the F-35, being produced by Lockheed Martin, calling it “out of control,” and suggested that he’d check in with Boeing on whether they could do any better. This wasn’t too long after Trump slammed Boeing for the cost of the new Air Force One fleet, and suggested that he’d cancel the program and look for someone else to build it.
How did all that work out? Boeing and Lockheed both pledged price cuts to keep their contracts — and Lockheed CEO Marillyn Hewson topped it off with an announcement of 1800 new jobs in Texas. It’s not a bad way for a president-elect to end a weekly news cycle:
BREAKING: Lockheed Martin CEO says company will add 1800 jobs at its Ft. Worth operation pic.twitter.com/EHExBdGoGR
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) January 13, 2017
Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) is close to a deal to significantly lower the cost of its F-35 aircraft, Chief Executive Officer Marillyn Hewson said on Friday after meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
“I certainly share his views that we need to get the best capability to our men and women in uniform, and we have to get it at the lowest possible price,” Hewson said to reporters in Trump Tower.
Hewson had previously assured Trump she would drive down the cost of the company’s fighter jet, after he tweeted last month that he was asking rival aerospace company Boeing Co (BA.N) whether it could offer a cheaper alternative to the F-35.
This kind of pressure could raise eyebrows when applied to private-sector firms, but this is unlike Carrier and GM. The federal government is the customer for both the Boeing and Lockheed deals, and so this is more of a direct negotiation context rather than outside interference by a regulator. It raises the question about just how well the government performs in negotiating deals with its contractors. Donald Trump hasn’t even taken the oath of office yet and he’s restructured two multi-billion dollar deals and got a commitment for almost two thousand more jobs out it. That doesn’t exactly speak well for previous administrations on contracting, and not just the most recent.
Of course, this process will only work to a limited extent. The DoD needs significant reform in its contracting processes, part of which has been worsened by consolidation in the industry. For job creation, downsizing regulation and putting Congress back in control of lawmaking will provide a better incentive than Oval Office wheeling and dealing, but the point has been made by the latter.
You’re on a roll, too ...
This is good press for Trump. But it is clear that Lockheed is only doing this to spite Obama because he is black!
The F-35 is beyond repair. It needs to be scrapped. It is expensive. It doesn’t do what it is supposed to do. It is likely to be very dangerous to fly.
Scrap the thing immediately.
Any politicians in office AFTER Trump’s administration is over, are in deep trouble. Trump as set the bar so high, I doubt any politician htreafter can achieve the same results. It appears we are about to be SPOILED for 4-8 years!!
Hey did you hear? Trump is on a roll!
Mister President, my head is spinning so much I beg you to stop winning.
Is he on a jelly roll or a kaiser roll?
So awesome, it NEEDS to be said 12 times!
:D
I’m starting to get tired of winning...
Wait until he actually becomes president!!
You lying POS. If you were interested in getting capability to the military at the lowest possible price, it would already be there, or close to it.
I used to work for Lockheed Martin, and I had never seen a more unethical, price-gouging organization in my life. The sh!t your ISG portfolio pulled in Afghanistan is shameful to the taxpayers. Your views changed because the next POTUS called you out.
FU!
fill in the lyrics at your leisure
I have. 13 times, so far. ;)
More winning! Just wait til he really has the power?
Please adjust your selector switch to semi-auto.
Trump is already saving billions for the US, meanwhile Obama is passing out and receiving medals on the way out.
I hope all this winning doesn’t lead to hospitalization. Some freepers are having a hard time coping.
Every statement you made is false. Except the expensive part... and that is less true than before per the article.
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