via ELP
So, the change from 2011 is an increase in 17 F-35Bs and a decrease in 17 F-35Cs.Read the entire story here.
I suspect that with DOD budget cuts, the USMC figured one U.S. aircraft carrier was going away and thus wanted to get as many F-35Bs as they could for their fantasy.
So the USMC is cutting the number of F-35C's they're buying. We all know what that means. It means that the "C" version will cost even more. We also know that the US Navy is not enthused about the plane...which means that we could well see the F-35C canceled outright.
Crystal Ball time.
If the "C" is canned and the USMC is forced to buy the Super Hornet to gain compatibility with the Navy for the carrier mission, then how safe is the rest of the program?
Not safe at all.
Think about the economics. The US dollar is gaining even more strength against the Euro and other currencies. What was already an expensive plane is becoming even more expensive as governments wait to see if a production ramp up can lower cost.
The Joint Program Office is running into a perfect storm. Economic conditions are making export harder, while the US budget along with issues in development are causing the long anticipated ramp up impossible.
Too big to fail? How about too big to succeed.
In Powerpoint all projects can be made to look simple, in reality the situation is much more complex. Failure to see those complexities leads to the underestimation of schedule and budget, plus a host of other ailments...via Why Do Projects Fail?
