Article

2011-12-02 Science & Technology

Pentagon Official Calls for F-35 Production Slowdown

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2011-12-02 10:29|| || Front Page|| [11137 views ] Top

#1 I have a suggestion:

cancel the F35.

Instead use the money to purchase more F22s for air superiority and have the Air Force and Navy buy more F-18 E/Fs for ground attack. The latter may not be as 'good' as the F35 but it's here today and it flies (like a lawn dart, but...).

Canceling the F35 would send a clear, unmistakable message to the military, the politicians, and to the military-industrial complex: produce or else. No longer can you gold-plate weapons systems. No longer can you insist on getting 0.0001% more 'performance' at a cost of billions. No longer are cost overruns and long term, inordinate delays acceptable.

Cancel that sucker. We'll manage.

Posted by Steve White 2011-12-02 10:36|| 2011-12-02 10:36|| Front Page Top

#2 Lot's more diplomatic repercussions to cancelling the F-35 than the F-22. We'll need to build them for export, but cut the domestic buy to pay for UCAVs as the production stretches. It's ugly, but the Navy is in worse shape.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2011-12-02 10:45|| 2011-12-02 10:45|| Front Page Top

#3 Diplomatic repercussions?

You mean, the Europeans?

I shall be polite: screw 'em.

They aren't standing with us, they're trying to get us to finance their irresponsible bailouts of Greece and Italy, they're planning to surrender gracefully over the next half-century to whomever comes along.

The Japanese? They don't have the cash and besides, they'd want to build the F35 themselves. Let them.

Anyone else? They'll buy F18s, or modified F22s, or Eurofighters. Let them.

Cancel the F35. We don't need it at the price we're finally going to have to pay.

Posted by Steve White 2011-12-02 11:40|| 2011-12-02 11:40|| Front Page Top

#4 United Kingdom (signed 17 Jan 2001 for $2B)
Italy (signed 24 Jun 2002 for $1B)
Netherlands (signed 17 Jun 2002 for $800M)
Turkey (signed 11 Jun 2002 for $175M)
Canada (signed 7 Feb 2002 for $150M)
Australia* (signed 31 Oct 2002 for $150M)
Denmark (signed 28 May 2002 for $125M)
Norway* (signed 20 Jun 2002 for $125M)
Israel

Potential exports

Brazil
Finland
Greece
India
Japan
Taiwan
South Korea
Spain
UAE

What they should probably buy if we cancelled the F-35 is the F-15SE. F-22s are not available for export.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2011-12-02 13:24|| 2011-12-02 13:24|| Front Page Top

#5 We could generate an export version of the F22 if we wanted.

Yes, the F15SE is a good plane, as is the F18E/F. India apparently wanted a better plane than either of these, but that is perhaps for bragging rights.

Most of the Euro countries that signed up would be happy to walk away from the F35 if they could, since it's going to cost them a lot more money to finish buying the planes than they've put in so far. It's not like they're flush.

Posted by Steve White 2011-12-02 16:45|| 2011-12-02 16:45|| Front Page Top

#6 Yah, it is really over-built. Too many systems and not enough basis structure. Just like my sluggish home computer.

Posted by Clem Unort1053 2011-12-02 19:46|| 2011-12-02 19:46|| Front Page Top

#7 The USDOD may retire the ENTERPISE + at least one NIMITZ-CLASS CVNS iff the proposed budget cuts goes through.

I say give or sell the NIMITZ(S) to the Brits, so that thier RN will have carrier capability unitl the CF QUEEN LIZ fully comes on-line [2030's].

E.g. CHINA BLOGGER = claims that, despite rhetoric to the contrary, China isn't worried about USMC in AUS as they are about AUS + ASEAN Nations + Japan + ROK, etc. developing fuel-fired CV's FASTER, + PAR OR BETTER, VEE PLAN'S EX-VARYAG = nka PLAN "SHILENG".

Posted by JosephMendiola 2011-12-02 23:30|| 2011-12-02 23:30|| Front Page Top

#8 Many, Faster, + Better.

AUS' proposed CANBERRA-class is already deemed by Analysts as superior to the PLAN SHILENG, which iff true all but foces the PLAN to rely on their follow-on, post-SHILENG classes of CV's, CVNS? for REGIONAL Carrier superiority.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2011-12-02 23:35|| 2011-12-02 23:35|| Front Page Top

#9 F-35=Too much system integration without the anticipated systems' participation.
CANX/Zero-Out/De-Fund/Re-Prioritize RDTE APN, AP, etc...

Posted by Grease Jith3343 2011-12-02 23:47|| 2011-12-02 23:47|| Front Page Top

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