USAF to cut F-35 Purchases
Posted 1-15-2005 at 06:37 PM
The U.S. Air Force chief of staff confirmed Dec. 14 that the service intends to cut its planned buy of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
While declining to discuss specific numbers, Gen. John Jumper told the Defense Writers Group that "I think that we will see an overall decrease in the Joint Strike Fighter total requirement." The Lockheed Martin F-35 will be more capable than the F-16 and A-10 it is designed to succeed, so a "one-for-one replacement" will not be needed, he said.
Loren Thompson, chief operating officer at the Lexington Institute, has said that the Air Force wants to cut its purchase of 1,763 JSFs by about a third (DAILY, Dec. 6). The change could be reflected in the Bush Administration's fiscal 2006 defense budget request, which the White House plans to send to Congress Feb. 7.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps already have cut their JSF procurement from 1,089 jets to 680 as part of an effort to make their fighter force more integrated.
Jumper also provided more details about plans to add the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant to the Air Force's F-35 mix, saying the service intends to buy about 200 to 250 STOVLs. Jumper previously said the Air Force would buy "hundreds" of the short-takeoff planes (DAILY, Sept. 14).
The Air Force wants the STOVL variant to provide close-air support, because the aircraft will be able to use short runways located near ground troops. The service's other JSFs will be in the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) configuration.
The Air Force STOVL will be a modified version of the one the Marine Corps plans to acquire.
Full Story @
http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_aerospacedaily_story.jsp?id=news/JSF12154.xml
The U.S. Air Force chief of staff confirmed Dec. 14 that the service intends to cut its planned buy of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
While declining to discuss specific numbers, Gen. John Jumper told the Defense Writers Group that "I think that we will see an overall decrease in the Joint Strike Fighter total requirement." The Lockheed Martin F-35 will be more capable than the F-16 and A-10 it is designed to succeed, so a "one-for-one replacement" will not be needed, he said.
Loren Thompson, chief operating officer at the Lexington Institute, has said that the Air Force wants to cut its purchase of 1,763 JSFs by about a third (DAILY, Dec. 6). The change could be reflected in the Bush Administration's fiscal 2006 defense budget request, which the White House plans to send to Congress Feb. 7.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps already have cut their JSF procurement from 1,089 jets to 680 as part of an effort to make their fighter force more integrated.
Jumper also provided more details about plans to add the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant to the Air Force's F-35 mix, saying the service intends to buy about 200 to 250 STOVLs. Jumper previously said the Air Force would buy "hundreds" of the short-takeoff planes (DAILY, Sept. 14).
The Air Force wants the STOVL variant to provide close-air support, because the aircraft will be able to use short runways located near ground troops. The service's other JSFs will be in the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) configuration.
The Air Force STOVL will be a modified version of the one the Marine Corps plans to acquire.
Full Story @
http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_aerospacedaily_story.jsp?id=news/JSF12154.xml
