Well when these go out the budget window wait for the cost of the new drones - 100 Mil is the latest model.
F-35 program could be on chopping block
- Thread starter mentalfloss
- Start date
Well when these go out the budget window wait for the cost of the new drones - 100 Mil is the latest model.
We are still building them, rumors of their demise are just that rumors.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp is being awarded a $4 billion fixed-price U.S. Navy contract for 30 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, the fifth batch of low-rate initial production, the Defense Department said on Friday.
The deal would provide 21 conventional models for the Air Force, six carrier variants for the Navy and three short-takeoff and vertical landing versions for the Marine Corps, a notice in the Pentagon's daily contract digest said.
Details of the deal have not been worked out, said Michael Rein, a company spokesman, referring to the government announcement as an "undefinitized contract action" subject to further negotiation.
"This is welcome news for both Lockheed Martin and our many F-35 suppliers and will help ensure we continue to meet production schedules outlined by the program," he said by email.
The Pentagon currently plans to buy more than 2,440 F-35 aircraft in three separate models for the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.
http://news.yahoo.com/lockheed-4-billion-u-f-35-fighter-deal-005036820.html
The so called stripped down version is still capable of taking on any aircraft in production today, at a rate of 6-1 or better. The down side will be "
The Pentagon will end up paying Lockheed Martin Corp. between $95 million and $131 million for each next generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet -- or 60 percent to 90 percent more than the original advertised sticker price.
But that hefty tab will not include fire extinguishers.
Of course, an advanced jet does not use fire extinguishers. The F-35 was supposed to have fire suppression systems, which, for the most part, were eliminated to save weight and cost, according to J. Michael Gilmore the Defense Department's director of operational test and evaluation at Defense.
Gilmore told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the F-35 program office decided to cut costs and shave weight by eliminating the systems in all areas of the aircraft (except the engines).
The office also eliminated another fire-safety gadget: fuses on fuel hydraulic lines. Together the two omissions have increased the threat of fire if the plane is hit by an ordinance in combat. They also make the F-35 "more vulnerable to typical noncombat fires caused by fuel leaks and other system failures," Gilmore told the committee.
Gilmore testified that he remains "concerned regarding the aircraft's vulnerability to threat-induced and safety-related fires."
I have asked the Air Force and the Pentagon how much money it saved by eliminating the fire suppression systems on a project that will now cost $323 billion for 2,450 aircraft. I have not heard back.
At that whopping price tag, one would hope money could be found to provide F-35s with a factory installed fire suppression system, because I don't think there are many aftermarket suppliers.
Maybe the Pentagon should eliminate the power windows and door locks, too."
F-35: The Stripped Down Version - Defense IT: What's Brewin'
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp is being awarded a $4 billion fixed-price U.S. Navy contract for 30 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, the fifth batch of low-rate initial production, the Defense Department said on Friday.
The deal would provide 21 conventional models for the Air Force, six carrier variants for the Navy and three short-takeoff and vertical landing versions for the Marine Corps, a notice in the Pentagon's daily contract digest said.
Details of the deal have not been worked out, said Michael Rein, a company spokesman, referring to the government announcement as an "undefinitized contract action" subject to further negotiation.
"This is welcome news for both Lockheed Martin and our many F-35 suppliers and will help ensure we continue to meet production schedules outlined by the program," he said by email.
The Pentagon currently plans to buy more than 2,440 F-35 aircraft in three separate models for the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.
http://news.yahoo.com/lockheed-4-billion-u-f-35-fighter-deal-005036820.html
The so called stripped down version is still capable of taking on any aircraft in production today, at a rate of 6-1 or better. The down side will be "
The Pentagon will end up paying Lockheed Martin Corp. between $95 million and $131 million for each next generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet -- or 60 percent to 90 percent more than the original advertised sticker price.
But that hefty tab will not include fire extinguishers.
Of course, an advanced jet does not use fire extinguishers. The F-35 was supposed to have fire suppression systems, which, for the most part, were eliminated to save weight and cost, according to J. Michael Gilmore the Defense Department's director of operational test and evaluation at Defense.
Gilmore told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the F-35 program office decided to cut costs and shave weight by eliminating the systems in all areas of the aircraft (except the engines).
The office also eliminated another fire-safety gadget: fuses on fuel hydraulic lines. Together the two omissions have increased the threat of fire if the plane is hit by an ordinance in combat. They also make the F-35 "more vulnerable to typical noncombat fires caused by fuel leaks and other system failures," Gilmore told the committee.
Gilmore testified that he remains "concerned regarding the aircraft's vulnerability to threat-induced and safety-related fires."
I have asked the Air Force and the Pentagon how much money it saved by eliminating the fire suppression systems on a project that will now cost $323 billion for 2,450 aircraft. I have not heard back.
At that whopping price tag, one would hope money could be found to provide F-35s with a factory installed fire suppression system, because I don't think there are many aftermarket suppliers.
Maybe the Pentagon should eliminate the power windows and door locks, too."
F-35: The Stripped Down Version - Defense IT: What's Brewin'
So, predictably, Fantino was made to look like a fool during question period (again) yesterday. This time, they called him out on peddling the same line over and over again instead of actually answering the questions posed to him. When the opposition called him out on it, they were interrupted about four times, so it made for some pretty hilarious irony when they kept repeating their criticism of him repeating his peddling.
When the opposition finally got through, Fantino lost his cool and made a one-liner response that didn't actually address the question.
TALKING HEADS Dec. 12: The biggest joke
“I presume that the associate minister has re-found his notes. ‘We are on the right track’, they say,” Kellway began again. “The associate minister keeps saying that he is –”.
Here he was cut off, again by noise from the government side.
The Speaker called for order.
Kellway started again.
“I think I can count on the associate minister having found his speaking notes now,” he said, as members of his caucus laughed around him, all enjoying the joke. “The associate minister keeps saying that he is on the right track and yet he now says that we may not buy 65 planes –”.
Again, Kellway was interrupted.
Speaker Scheer stood up again.
“I am giving the honourable member some extra time because he has been interrupted so many times,” Scheer said. “The honourable member for Beaches—East York is entitled to put his question.”
Kellway asked how much time he had left (about 10 seconds) and started again. “All right, so we were with the speaking notes, ‘everything is on the right track,’ and yet the associate minister now says that we may not buy 65 planes. Is this plan B, i.e., fewer planes than the minister talked about–.”
Yet again, there were protests from the government.
“I am afraid we are off to a rough start this week,” Scheer said. “I will give the floor to the honourable associate minister.”
Fantino stood up at the far end of the House.
“Mr. Speaker, even my grandchildren would not stoop to answer that silly question,” he said, and sat down to a standing ovation from his party peers.
During the exchange between Kellway and Fantino in the House, MPs from both sides were laughing, some bent over completely, as if wracked with uncontrollable mirth.
They seemed overjoyed at a perfect example of exactly the kind of thing at least some of them convinced voters everywhere in May was wrong with Ottawa: that it was broken and it was time to fix it.
TALKING HEADS Dec. 12: The biggest joke | iPolitics
When the opposition finally got through, Fantino lost his cool and made a one-liner response that didn't actually address the question.
TALKING HEADS Dec. 12: The biggest joke
“I presume that the associate minister has re-found his notes. ‘We are on the right track’, they say,” Kellway began again. “The associate minister keeps saying that he is –”.
Here he was cut off, again by noise from the government side.
The Speaker called for order.
Kellway started again.
“I think I can count on the associate minister having found his speaking notes now,” he said, as members of his caucus laughed around him, all enjoying the joke. “The associate minister keeps saying that he is on the right track and yet he now says that we may not buy 65 planes –”.
Again, Kellway was interrupted.
Speaker Scheer stood up again.
“I am giving the honourable member some extra time because he has been interrupted so many times,” Scheer said. “The honourable member for Beaches—East York is entitled to put his question.”
Kellway asked how much time he had left (about 10 seconds) and started again. “All right, so we were with the speaking notes, ‘everything is on the right track,’ and yet the associate minister now says that we may not buy 65 planes. Is this plan B, i.e., fewer planes than the minister talked about–.”
Yet again, there were protests from the government.
“I am afraid we are off to a rough start this week,” Scheer said. “I will give the floor to the honourable associate minister.”
Fantino stood up at the far end of the House.
“Mr. Speaker, even my grandchildren would not stoop to answer that silly question,” he said, and sat down to a standing ovation from his party peers.
During the exchange between Kellway and Fantino in the House, MPs from both sides were laughing, some bent over completely, as if wracked with uncontrollable mirth.
They seemed overjoyed at a perfect example of exactly the kind of thing at least some of them convinced voters everywhere in May was wrong with Ottawa: that it was broken and it was time to fix it.
TALKING HEADS Dec. 12: The biggest joke | iPolitics
This is the second best Circus Side Show I've ever seen. Jim Rose was still the best but this comes a close second.
Anyone else ever seen Jim Rose?
Anyone else ever seen Jim Rose?