Canadian JSF Briefing Notes.

Thanks Michael!  This should spark some debate...they definitely contradict information given on ARES Defense Blog.

UPDATE*
This is the actual article written by Sweetman over at ARES.  Just to flesh out the information that Michael sent me and is contained in this presentation document, here are the more 'inflammatory' statements made by Bill...

Canada is likely to be headed for new national elections by the end of the day, following a vote of no confidence inspired, in part, by the majority Conservative party's handling of the F-35 issue.

A single defense project...not even one as important as the F-35 could bring down a government.  Bill knows this...

This figure was challenged by a Canadian reporter who noted that the U.S. Government Accountability Office, in its latest report, is projecting an average acquisition cost of $133 million. No, Ross said, that number includes research and development -- a direct misstatement of facts.

This is a favorite tactic of F-35 critics...they parse numbers, compare apples and oranges and use different dynamics than that being used by the Department of Defense (US) and the F-35 Program office.  Its not dishonest...but it is misleading.

DoD acquisition czar Ashton Carter has also made it clear that, absent new management initiatives and efficiencies ("should cost") the program is headed ("will cost") towards a price that the customer cannot afford in planned numbers.

Another misleading statement.  Carter has already taken steps as has Lockheed Martin to drive down the price of the F-35 toward the established goal.  To be honest at this point in the program, the airplane is already remarkably affordable.  I can't help but restate that the F-15K, being sold to S. Korea costs 110 million dollars.  For the F-35 to have a cost of approx 130 million dollars per plane at this stage is quite simply astonishing.  Well done DoD, Lockheed Martin and the Program Office.



Presentation Deck 15 Mar 11_blue_FINAL