F-35A CTOL Not to be Cancelled!

11/28/2005
Here’s a news flash that is sure to impact a few ongoing threads…
In the the Quadrennial Defense Review that is currently taking place in DC, acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England has given up on his plan to cut the F-35A CTOL version of the Joint Strike Fighter!

Instead, it has been determined that total numbers of F-35A’s to be acquired for the USAF will drop from the original goal of 1,763 units to 1,100 to 1,200 units.

Lockheed has now apparently decided to slowly ramp down the end of the Raptor production and slowly ramp up the beginning of the F-35 production thus bridging the gap between the 2 programs and securing employment for their specialized fighter-building workforce.

Source: DoD Press Release; 11/28/2005

Why slow the production of the Raptors? Balancing the production of both the F-35 and F-22s? Diverting resources to both projects maybe?

Originally posted by deltaboy
Why slow the production of the Raptors? Balancing the production of both the F-35 and F-22s? Diverting resources to both projects maybe?

Apparently the additional F/A-22's the USAF wanted which was the reason they were willing to give up the F-35A's got canned - with the possible exception of maybe a couple of dozen.

Had the USAF gotten the total 70 something additional Raptors, then the production timeline would have taken the workforce all the way to the start of production on the F-35.

This ramping up and ramping down of the 2 programs will slow the conclusion of the Raptor line without causing layoffs as the F-35's start rolling down the production lines.
The budgetary benefit to this solution is that it negates the USAF's wishes to have several dozen more Raptors, but does not impact Lockheed in any major way.

[edit on 11-28-2005 by intelgurl]

Thanks for reporting this, Intelgurl. Do you have a link to the origional source, I can't seem to find it on any of the military websites I usually check.

Thanks in advance.

Originally posted by Zion Mainframe
Thanks for reporting this, Intelgurl. Do you have a link to the origional source, I can't seem to find it on any of the military websites I usually check.

Thanks in advance.

No links yet, I got this in an interoffice - open source of course.
I'll keep checking the trades websites and post a link when I find it.

Originally posted by intelgurl
No links yet, I got this in an interoffice - open source of course.
I'll keep checking the trades websites and post a link when I find it.

Oh ok. I was able to find something about it on AWST:
www.aviationweek.com.../11285p2.xml

It sais:

"Over this last weekend, they convinced England that [the cut] is a very bad idea, and that has taken the CTOL-killing fervor out of him," he says. England has proposed killing one or more versions of the JSF several times over recent months.

Originally posted by Zion Mainframe
Thanks for reporting this, Intelgurl. Do you have a link to the origional source, I can't seem to find it on any of the military websites I usually check.

Thanks in advance.

Found it!
QDR Recommends Cuts Milder than Analysts Had Predicted
Aviation Week & Space Technology - (Subscription Only Area)
11/29/2005
4th paragraph down:
"In another budget adjustment, after giving up his plan to cut a version of the Joint Strike Fighter, acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England has decided to save money by simply cutting the F-35 fighter program's topline. Total numbers bought by the U.S. Air Force may drop to 1,100-1,200 from the earlier goal of 1,763."

[edit on 11-29-2005 by intelgurl]

Originally posted by deltaboy
Why slow the production of the Raptors? Balancing the production of both the F-35 and F-22s? Diverting resources to both projects maybe?

I believe it was because of the Iraqi war... Not even USA is amde of money, Bush had to make some cuts... And they chose the F/A-22...

intelgurl
Lockheed has now apparently decided to slowly ramp down the end of the Raptor production and slowly ramp up the beginning of the F-35 production thus bridging the gap between the 2 programs and securing employment for their specialized fighter-building workforce.

It sounds like a Lockheed issue to me. Guess thats what happens when you give the 2 biggest fighter contracts to one company...they (AF) should of went with the f-23, then it sounds like there wouldn't be a problem. right?

I don't mind losing some F-35's, but I hate to see those extra Raptors go

The JSF can much more easily be replaced by UCAV's, while I do not see unmanned aircraft replacing frontline fighters anytime soon.

In any case, I guess it is good that all 3 versions are still going to be made. I am sure it will really help export of the aircraft in the future as well.

Howdie,

I honestly think that if the A version was cut, the F-35 program would have folded, just that simple. The A version is the base design that all others are based on not to mention the one version that has nearly 3/4 of the sales attributed to it.

I know for one think, the UK government would have been pissed, not to mention a few of the european nations that plan on taking up one version or another of that design.

As for the F-22, if it can do every thing on the tin, surely they will never be shot down I know a little over exagerated but with all the hype we have seen, it sure does feel like it.

Its a good call on behalf of this fella but if they are talking about increasing cuts even before the program has started production, I can see more in the offing.

- Phil

yeah, the F-35A wont ever get cut...it will replace a lot of aircraft, but a bigger reason is all of the international funding as well.

Judging by the overall numbers the R&D spendings by the customer countries are rather.... symbolic

[edit on 3/12/2005 by Lonestar24]

The overseas contribution to development funding is small because the numbers of aircraft to be acquired are small by comparison with the US forces, the amount of risk sharing investment is always relative to the numbers of aircraft required in any sort of collaborative venture (see also Typhoon workshare arguments when Germany cut its numbers required, thus making BAe the majority partner in the programme when they had previously been equal). I think the significance is that there is any such overseas investment at all in a brand new US weapons system, this is a first I believe.

[edit on 3-12-2005 by waynos]

i guess this only have started, in the future there will be more serous cuts in the 35 proyect -well a cut of 30% is serious-, and will have nothing with a increase in the f22 order, that will never happen -i think-

anywaty we must wait and see

Murcielago, is that the chinese Red Flag on one of the JSFs????(crescent moon and star)

Shattered OUT...

Originally posted by ShatteredSkies
Murcielago, is that the chinese Red Flag on one of the JSFs????(crescent moon and star)

Shattered OUT...

That would be Turkey...



[edit on 12-4-2005 by intelgurl]

Originally posted by Murcielago
yeah, the F-35A wont ever get cut...it will replace a lot of aircraft, but a bigger reason is all of the international funding as well.

The thing is , not all of those countries are wanting the F-35A

eg , the brits only want the F-35B to replace the harriers