Forum: F-35 Lightning II

The Pentagon’s purchase of F-35 Lightning II combat jets may have to be stretched out, the top U.S. uniformed official said.

“We are committed, that is to say, the U.S. military, to the development of the fifth-generation fighter, clearly,” Army Gen. Martin Dempsey said at an Atlantic Council event in Washington on Friday. “There are some fact-of-life changes that we’ll probably have to make based on the ability to procure it on timelines that we’d like to have.”

"Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the F-35 is threatened from a different direction: Europe’s financial troubles might undercut those partners on the eastern side of the Atlantic."

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/12/d ... ut-120911/

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Its still early in the day but at least for now they're only talking about stretching out deliveries, not reducing the overall buy. Each of the armed services seems willing to give its JSF variant the highest priority in terms of funding by cutting back in other areas. Hopefully, at the very least, Congress accommodates them by not interfering in this process.

The overall buy is never going to happen. The last QDR indicated 10 USAF strike wings. One or more of these will be flying a fighter sized UCAS not F-35A's. Even 10 wings requires around 1,100. It's also quite possible we'll see force structure reductions as a result of the budget crisis. Things change over time. The USN will be putting a fighter sized UCAS in service aboard it's carriers this decade perhaps before the F-35C hits IOC. The notion that the USAF is going to be left behind in this area is doubtful.

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

DoD’s F-35 buy may be stretched out