Wednesday, March 24, 2010

F-35 News Updates -- March 24, 2010



Gates: Lopsided F-35 Costs "Drove Me Nuts" -- Reuters

* Gov't paid 70 pct overhead, project used 6 pct of plant.

* Pentagon declines to name the contractor involved

* Gates not referring to a Lockheed Martin plant (Adds Gates veto threat over second engine, C-17)

WASHINGTON, March 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he was driven "nuts" by the revelation that taxpayers were funding 70 percent of the overhead at a plant involved in the increasingly expensive F-35 fighter jet, even though the work used only 6 percent of the floor space.

Read more ....

More News On The F-35

Gates confident F-35 program will stay on track despite costs -- The Hill
Gates assures no more F-35 cost, schedule woes -- Government Executive
Gates to Recommend Vice Admiral to Head F-35 Program -- Department of Defense
Gates backs JSF project -- ABC News (Australia)

F-35 Lightning II Cost has Doubled; F136 Engine Completes Afterburner Test -- Daily Tech
F-35 Lightning II Cost has Doubled; F136 Engine Successfully Passes Afterburner Test -- Military Technologies
VSI’s F-35 Lightning Gen II Helmet Mounted Display System achieves first flight -- Defence Professionals

If we’re stuck with the F-35, let’s at least do it right -- Nieman Watchdog opinion
Forward Observer: Kill The F-35? -- Government Executive
F-35 JSF: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Do No Good -- Air Power Australia
Moses and Jesus Christ assure us F-35 program is on track -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog
F-35 jet cost increase is speculative -- Examiner
Can We Trust Under Secretary Carter's F-35 Predictions? -- Center For Defense Information
F-35 fighter has become a clumsy white elephant -- Global Times (a Chinese perspective)

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