Fri, Dec 30, 2005
Aims To Save Cash In Expensive Development Program
Department of Defense representatives told Bloomberg News Friday
the Pentagon plans to end a development program for a backup
powerplant for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF.)
The move -- which would have to be approved by Congress -- aims
to save approximately $1.7 billion through 2011, according to a DoD
memo released last week. That's not a small amount of money by any
means -- but it is a relative drop in the bucket compared to the
$256 billion total cost of the fighter jet development program.
The backup program was initiated by Congress in 1995, according
to Bloomberg, with the intent of maintaining competition and, thus,
lowering costs of the Pratt & Whitney-designed powerplant
intended to be the primary engines for the JSF. In a $2.2 billion
deal, GE and Rolls-Royce teamed up to develop a backup powerplant
-- which also would have been utilized had technical problems
cropped up with the P&W F135 units (below).
Both powerplants had been praised by the F-35 program manager,
Admiral Steven Enewold, according to Bloomberg. In the end, the
decision simply came down to money -- ending the program now saves
$408 million in FY2007, and $438 million the following year.
Every little bit helps... and in consideration of budget
constraints, as well as redirection of available funds towards
meeting the needs of troops on the ground, the savings should make
the hugely-expensive JSF a little more palatable to congressional
leaders.
Lockheed-Martin is the primary contractor on the F-35 program,
and as was reported in Aero-News
is nearing completion of the first prototype F-35 in Fort Worth,
TX.
More News
Aero Linx: Space Medicine Association (SMA) The Space Medicine Association of the Aerospace Medical Association is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific>[...]
Jamming Denotes emissions that do not mimic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals (e.g., GPS and WAAS), but rather interfere with the civil receiver's ability to acquir>[...]
Aero Linx: Warbirds of America The EAA Warbirds of America, a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a family of owners, pilots and enthusiasts>[...]
"From New York to Paris, this life-size replica of the Webb Telescope inspired communities around the world and, in doing so, invited friends and families to explore the cosmos tog>[...]
Hold-In-Lieu Of Procedure Turn A hold-in-lieu of procedure turn shall be established over a final or intermediate fix when an approach can be made from a properly aligned holding p>[...]