Thompson on the F-35.
After some initial reluctance to comment, prime contractor Lockheed
Martin has begun to forcefully rebut the absurd cost estimates being
issued by CAPE -- estimates that made the plane sound unaffordable.
Lockheed chairman Robert Stevens stated last week that the company
expects the actual purchase price of each Air Force variant will be
roughly the same as a current Lockheed F-16 or Boeing F/A-18. That
would be about $60 million in today's dollars -- less than half the
price of an F-22 Raptor -- and it includes all the necessary mission
equipment.
Read it all
here.
Ofcourse, it will be said that Thompson is a "LM spokesperson' who is on the "permanent JSF payroll" and a "propaganda stooge" and what not, so his piece will be automatically dismissed by the anti-JSF camp. Just wait for it...
ReplyDeleteI'll be laughing myself silly if in the end the F-35 really turns out to be comparable in price to a new F-16/F-18.
I'm hoping that this signals a more pro-active media strategy from LM, they kinda dropped the ball on that, with all the negativity surrounding the program.
i totally agree on all points. one thing is certain though ... the USAF, Marines have all decided that this is going to be an affordable airplane. Only the Navy appears to be wavering and that could be because Naval Aviation has traditionally been slow to adapt new technologies...in this case a powerful, single engine stealth airplane.
ReplyDeletehistory is about to be made and the detractors are running out of time to prevent this ship from leaving the dock.
i predict that they'll lose and lose badly but we'll see.
we'll see.
Kudos to LM if they can keep the plane in the 60-70m range. There would be no reason for anyone who could buy a JSF to buy anything else. Why buy a Yugo when you can get a Corvette for the same amount of money?
ReplyDeleteUSN reluctance and those wild operational cost numbers that came out are pure F18/Boeing mafia. They're pretty entrenched at NAVAIR.
However, don't think that LM is keeping costs in line out the generosity of its Corporate heart. Public scrutiny of JSF (and many defense contracts in general) have them putting the screws to costs. Which is the way it's supposed to work, I believe.
Saw two BF's fly today. Maybe they will make their goals this year. It would be nice to be wrong in this case.
ooh you hit on something.
ReplyDeletethe irony of the whole thing is that Airpower Australia might be the institution that pushes the F-35 over the finish line. without their relentless criticism...without the constant snipping...without their attempts to gather support...
this program would have stalled and been killed. they raised the alarm level high enough so that policy makers and Lockheed Martin took notice.
Goon and Kopp saved the F-35! the irony is delicious!
Think of it as checks and balances. A person --or organization-- doesn't need to be in the right to provide them.
ReplyDeleteTake care. Ferran, BCN