More Turbulence Ahead?

More Turbulence Ahead?: Fresh off

of a major restructure earlier this year, the Defense Department's F-35 strike fighter program may be facing additional schedule delays up to three years and cost increases approaching $5 billion. Reuters news wire service reported Tuesday that these are the draft findings of a comprehensive program review conducted to help prepare Pentagon officials for a defense acquisition board meeting on Nov. 22 to discuss the F-35 in depth. Software issues and technical problems with the F-35B short takeoff and landing variant are the causes of the new delays, which would also impact the Air Force F-35A model and Navy F-35C version, according to the report. The F-35 is already the costliest weapons program in DOD's history, with an estimated price tag of $382 billion. As part of the recent restructure, DOD officials added 13 months to the fighter's development. Coming out of that restructure, Air Force officials had expected to field the first combat-ready unit of F-35As in early 2016. (See also Bloomberg report)

11/3/2010

On the Record

Mission One
"The health and safety of our pilots—all of our pilots—is our utmost priority. Our operational flight surgeons and our medical staff interact with our pilots on a daily basis."
—Brig. Gen. Daniel Wyman, Air Combat Command command surgeon, speaking to reporters during a teleconference, May 9, 2012. He was emphasizing that the Air Force is doing all it can to ensure the safety of F-22 pilots as service officials continue to home in on the cause of why some Raptor pilots have experienced hypoxia-like symptoms in the cockpit like difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, and nausea.

On the Record

Message to Congress
"If you give us force structure back, give us the money, too. Because the quickest way I know to a hollow force is to give us structure without money. Simple as that. . . . 'Make it work' is not a satisfactory solution."
—Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz articulating his message to lawmakers on the Air Force's Fiscal 2013 budget proposal during a speech at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012. The Air Force leadership has proposed reducing force structure and personnel next fiscal year in order to maintain a ready and capable force as the service absorbs significant spending cuts.