By MANDY SMITHBERGER
Is it time for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program to put up or shut up to show taxpayers that they're getting value for the billions of dollars invested in the program so far? At yesterday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Mike Sullivan from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the "time has come" for the JSF program to meet expectations on performance and schedule. "Significant risks in the program went unaddressed" until recently, and while the program seems to be turning around, scheduling delays and cost risk in technology development are still significant.
Ashton Carter, the Under Secretary for Defense Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics agreed that the projected costs for the program are "unacceptable and affordable," and that the Pentagon is working with contractors to bring costs down.
"A lot of us saw these problems coming," said Ranking Member John McCain (R-AZ).
If there was a key word from the hearing, it was alternatives. As part of the re-evaluation of the program required by a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach and the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act, the Pentagon had to certify that there weren't alternatives to the JSF program. But that wasn't enough for many senators on the Committee, and Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) asked Carter to not only explain how the Pentagon will know that they are truly adding discipline to the program to improve cost and schedule performance, but also to explain how the Pentagon will proceed if they are unsuccessful.
What do you think, should we wait another year to see if the JSF program improves, or are more draconian measures needed?
Mandy Smithberger is a POGO Investigator.
Image: Medill DC.
Yeah, let's spend $40 billion developing a fighter we never use. That's brilliant. We'll really stick it to the defense contractors that way. I mean, it's not like they made money on every single day they managed to drag out the development program. Oh wait, yes, it is just like that. So now we have a choice, spend $40 billion and get nothing or spend a small amount more and at least get some airplanes. Clearly we're better off stopping this program right now. Let's also make sure we always pay defense contractors a profit on development work, because, really, Americans are too stupid to keep their own money.
Posted by: Dfens | May 23, 2011 at 10:46 AM
An alternative already exists and is already being used. It's called the Super Hornet.
Every year the Screeching Baby Seal gets another year's delay and more orders are placed for the Super Hornet.
The dog that hasn't barked is the Silent Eagle, which is so stealthy that it seems to have completely vanished from consideration.
Posted by: Henry J Cobb | May 20, 2011 at 07:00 PM
License build the Saab Gripen next generation (it's already 50% US components) multirole fighter and buy UCAVs.
Much cheaper but basically the same operational effect.
Posted by: Charlie Davies | May 20, 2011 at 06:48 PM