via LM Press Release.
The rollout exhibits the ongoing strong partnership between the Italian Ministry of Defense, industry partner Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi, and Lockheed Martin. The Italian FACO is owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense and is operated by Alenia Aermacchi in conjunction with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics with a current workforce of more than 750 skilled personnel engaged in F-35 aircraft and wing production.Have you noticed the evolution in the talking points on the F-35? First we had talk about the airplane being part of the air dominance campaign plan and that rival nations wouldn't have anything comparable till after 2020.
The Russians and Chinese proved that wrong...especially when it became obvious that their airplanes would out perform the F-35 in speed, service ceiling, weapons payload and range.
Adjustments were made and then we were told that the airplane would be an ISR GOD! It would play quarterback for every other fighter because of its superior avionics.
But that also wasn't true. It was revealed that upgraded SNIPER and other pods would give much better resolution. We learned that EO systems that are being proposed for 4th gen fighters would outperform what we see on the F-35....and if that wasn't enough we find out that one of the premier weapons that is suppose to take care of the extremely necessary but much neglected close air support mission don't even fit the bays of the F-35B.
Yeah, the same F-35B that the USMC is rushing into service this summer and the same plane that is supposedly going to replace the AV-8B Harrier II that NAVAIR told us will be viable till after 2030.
But I digress.
Italy just became front and center on the debate over a broken procurement system found in ALL Western countries.
The Italians are under extreme financial distress, yet are still proceeding with the F-35. For their efforts they've been rewarded a production facility with 750 jobs associated with it.
The open question is simple and stark. Does a few jobs for a few people trump budget reality for an entire country? If the answer is yes then we have finally learned why the F-35 has continued on despite its obvious flaws.
Those aren't 750 McJobs, but 750 aerospace jobs. It is important for a country's national security that it maintains its high skill jobs at all cost, because it would cost even more to get those skills back once they are lost.
ReplyDeleteLook at the US struggle with manned space flights when the US was once making those space flights every couple months. Now the NASA is trying to gain those lost art of rocket skills back but look at how long it takes to take Apollo-style manned capsules back into space.
So I don't consider Italy's $1.5 billion investment a financial loss at all. Hosting an F-35 FACO wouldn't make sense for Britain and France that have their Typhoons and Rafales to preserve their combat jet skills, but it is important for Italy.
Italy invested about $1 billion in building the Cameri facility amid political infighting about the status of purchases for the F-35; it began operations last year. Cameri is the site of Italy’s hub for long-running Eurofighter Typhoon and Tornado work, and was selected in December to be the primary location for heavy airframe maintenance on F-35.
ReplyDeleteThe military leadership there had hoped to assemble at least 250 fighters at Cameri, including Italy’s original plan for 131 fighters in addition to the Netherlands’ original plan for 85.
Italy has dropped from 131 to 90, and there is a significant movement in Italy to cut that in half. The recently announced news of the F-35B price to UK, $235 million, has added fuel to the fire. Also Netherlands has dropped from 85 to 37, with eight coming (maybe) in 2017. Would they be manufactured at Fort Worth (Lot 11) or at Cameri? The program may die by then.
Recently --
LONDON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Nearly $462 million is being invested in Eastern England for facilities to handle F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the Ministry of Defense reported. The funding will be directed at RAF Marham, with work planned to begin on infrastructure and facilities by the end of this year. The construction work will create 1000 new jobs directly in the construction phase of the project and an additional 700 jobs in the supply chain, the ministry said.
I expect the F-35 depot work in northern Europe would go to UK and not to Italy.
**The aircraft, designated as AL-1, will now proceed to additional check-out activities before its anticipated first flight later this year.**
ReplyDeleteOh, why can't it fly now?The wings might fall off? It might catch fire and burn up, like the one at Eglin did?
A quarter of typhoon is produced un italy, the left or right wing, plus diverse things. It s as logical to sell his ass for plant in italty as in england...
ReplyDeleteOne obivious reason for other countries is knowhow and access to the stealth technology. Several countries would buy some even if it were otherwise a flying bathtub.
ReplyDeleteAnd in the meantime euros are planning their own 5:th generation jet.