F-35 Program Doubles in Cost - Looks Like time to dust off all those old Phantoms down in Tucson!

Musicman59 · 2010-03-13T00:43:07+00:00

Pentagon's future fighter aircraft doubles in costBy Mike Mount, CNN Senior Pentagon ProducerMarch 12, 2010 12:32 p.m. ESTThe cost of the F-35 aircraft has gone from $50 million a jet in 2001to about $113 million.STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe cost of the F-35 aircraft has gone from $50 million a jet in 2001to about $113 millionF-35 joint strike fighter is most expensive Pentagon weapons programeverPentagon wants to buy more than 2,400 of the technologically advancedaircraftEven with delays, cost overruns, first planes expected in service asearly as 2012RELATED TOPICSMilitary Aircraft TechnologyMilitary WeaponsMilitary TechnologyWashington (CNN) -- The cost of the Pentagon's newest fighter jet willbe more than double the original price, solidifying the F-35 jointstrike fighter as the most expensive Pentagon weapons program ever.At a Capitol Hill hearing on Thursday, the Pentagon's chief weaponsbuyers said numerous problems over the almost 10-year program haveforced the cost of the aircraft to go from $50 million a jet in 2001to about $113 million.That cost overrun has also forced the Pentagon to justify the programto Congress.Outrage about the cost among the Senate panel was expected, includingthat from the chairman of the Armed Service Committee, Sen. CarlLevin, D-Michigan."This committee has been a strong supporter of the JSF program fromthe beginning, however, people should not conclude that we're going tobe willing to continue that strong support without regard to increasedcosts coming from poor program management," Levin said.Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, the ranking member, had been pushing fora hearing on the program."The taxpayers are a little tired of this, and I can't say that I canblame them," McCain said."It's a bit frustrating to hear the secretary of defense as short atime ago as last August to tell us that everything is OK," McCainsaid.McCain was referring to a visit to the joint strike fighter assemblyplant last year where Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said...