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- Sequestration could affect purchase of F-35A/B/C models in FY 2014
“2014 was about momentum, maturity, and meeting milestones for the F-35 program”
no–
2014 was about a catastrophic engine failure causing yet unspecified engine redesign, a retarded twenty million line software program and a one year LRIP-8 contract negotiation which includes only four of nine JSF partners procuring faulty prototypes, still at least four years until the Milestone C production decision.
—-
“They’ve trained over 1,500 maintainers at Eglin.”
–So I guess there is no need to rob A-10 mechanics. We knew that was a concocted effort to get rid of CAS capability.
“ALIS is now a complete and up-and-running entity.”
–Perhaps. Bogdan, Sep 15, 2014: ..”We’ve got ALIS that’s behind. . .”
“We got into flight test with 3i software and completed most of the 2B testing. We have very little of the 2B testing yet to go. And 2B will be the baseline that our Marine Corps will go IOC with in July of next year (2015).”
–Block 2B software, designed to manage missiles and bombs, was supposed to have been ready for use at the end of 2012, and more recently was scheduled for completion Oct 2014. Testing has been delayed by the plane fire at Eglin on June 23, not mentioned. DOT&E: F-35s equipped with Block 2B “would likely need significant support from other fourth-generation and fifth-generation combat systems to counter modern, existing threats, unless air superiority is somehow otherwise assured and the threat is cooperative.”
“In fact, from the first production to today aircraft it’s a 57% reduction in price.”
–from Appendix I, GAO Report Mar 2013
aircraft unit cost – millions
2001 – $69
2005 – $82
2006 – $86
2007 – $104
2008 – $104
2009 – $104
2010 – $112
2011 – $133
2012 – $137
The current F-35A unit procurement cost is $185 million, as I posted with comptroller link in a previous comment. The F-35B cost is much more.
Ms. Martin made no mention of the F-35 engine failure and plane destruction at Eglin on June 23, with no design fix announced yet. There are two principal problems with the largest, heaviest and hottest engine ever put in a fighter plane — excessive flex and poor containment, which led to the catastrophic failure on June 23. What is the fix? An air worthiness certification before IOC would require safety board sign-off on engine design changes.
“The Australians added another 58 aircraft to their initial buy”
–As the JSF unit cost has increased, JSF partner Australia has decreased its buy quantity from 100 to 58 and now back to 72. This is because Australia originally estimated unit cost at $40m and it’s now $185m and climbing. Australia’s two ordered planes have been delivered, and it has no more on order.
“We also saw Turkey order its first operational aircraft”
–Turkey has been “ordering aircraft” for years. news headlines–
Feb 24, 2012 — Turkey plans on buying 100 F-35
Oct 21, 2013 — Turkey To Reissue F-35 Order
Jan 11, 2013 — Turkey Postpones Order for Its First Two F-35 Fighters
May 9, 2014 — Turkey set to order two F-35 joint strike fighters
Jun 5, 2014 — Turkey is slated to buy 100 F-35As and has placed a firm order for the first two jets.
Nov 21, 2014 — Lockheed awarded contract for LRIP-8, still none ordered for Turkey
“The UK signed up for four aircraft”
–UK JSF quantity plans, because of the escalating unit cost, have decreased from 138 to 48, fourteen of which were repeatedly promised for over a year, then a supposed announcement when the B’s were to visit the UK, canceled because of the Eglin fire and the UK no-show. Now the UK has ordered …four.
Notice how the missile misses the target for “weapons delivery accuracy.”
The accuracy of the unit procurement cost figure is also off.
On F-35 unit cost, we go to DOD data:
PROGRAM ACQUISITION COST BY WEAPON SYSTEM
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
FISCAL YEAR 2015 BUDGET REQUEST
OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER)/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
http://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/documents/defbudget/fy2015/fy2015_Weapons.pd
p. 1-7 USAF F-35A
$Millions
procurement + spares
FY2014 LRIP- 8
$3,355.9 + $172.8 = $3,528.7 for 19 = $185.7
This chart from the Pentagon Comptroller illustrates the same thing, a procurement unit cost of $185.7 million. Wow, that’s a lot, and much higher than Bogdan’s $112 million which he provides no basis for. It’s a wish, not a cost.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyMaLwF5V8g/Uui787MA6VI/AAAAAAAAES4/B7DGdmZOwIY/s400/f-35-price-fixing-figure-4-575px.jpg