Shakeup And Firings At The F-35 Program

F-35A - Inauguration Towing (Photo from Wikimedia)

Gates Shakes Up Leadership And Funding For F-35 -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Monday that he was replacing the general in charge of the Pentagon’s largest weapons program — the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter — and withholding $614 million in award fees from the contractor, Lockheed Martin.

The surprise announcement came after Mr. Gates had touted the plans for the new plane last year in persuading Congress to kill the more expensive F-22 fighter jet program. But a special Pentagon review team had since projected billions of dollars in cost overruns on the F-35, and Mr. Gates said on Monday that the company needed to absorb some of the extra costs.

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More News On the Shakeup In The F-35 Program

F-35 Chief Fired, Money Withheld From Lockheed -- Defense News
Gates Fires Head of F-35 Fighter Jet Program -- FOX News
Heinz Gets Canned -- ARES/Aviation Week
Gates Sacks Stealth Jet Chief, Blasts ‘Troubling Record’ of Crucial Plane -- The Danger Room
In Gates's Pentagon budget, humble pie for Lockheed Martin -- Christian Science Monitor
Defense Chief Fires Head of Troubled Office -- ABC News
Pentagon chief fires head of F-35 aircraft programme -- BBC
Lockheed failures lead to Pentagon shakeup -- Financial Times
Pentagon penalizes Lockheed for F-35 delays -- Star Telegram
Lockheed’s $614 Million of F-35 Fees Are Withheld -- Business Week
Gates fires head of DOD F-35 JSF program office -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog
Costs Haunt F-35; DOD Tossing Leadership -- Aviation Week
Gates sacks head of troubled F-35 program, withholds millions from maker -- USA Today
Gates Fires JSF Program Manager -- DoD Buzz
Robert Gates warns Congress on restoring funds -- Politico

My Comment: Sec. of Defense Gates is cleaning up house today .... but the problems of the F-35 should also be laid at his feet.