Forum: Program and politics

Last edited by spazsinbad on Jun 15, 2012 - 09:51 PM; edited 1 time in total

GAO'S Latest F-35 Report; 2011 Performance 'Mixed' 14 June 2012

http://defense.aol.com/2012/06/14/gaos- ... nce-mixed/

JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
DOD Actions Needed to Further Enhance Restructuring and Address Affordability Risks June 2011

1.1Mb PDF report here: http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage ... report.pdf
OR
http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/591608.pdf

"The drumbeat of mostly negative news about the F-35 from the Government Accountability Office continues. Here's what GAO said in its latest report, just released:

"The new program baseline projects total acquisition costs of $395.7 billion, an increase of $117.2 billion (42 percent) from the prior 2007 baseline.

Full rate production is now planned for 2019, a delay of 6 years from the 2007 baseline."

I'm on dialup speed for the next day or so whilst I can access this site below I cannot get to AOL.com.

http://nosint.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/g ... -2011.html

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The reporting on the F-35 is fascinating to read really.

Yes cost are up since the 2007 estimates but they are not really up in any appreciable sense since 2010. The rise is 3.4% but if I account for two years of inflation it seems the acquisition cost have actually dropped in inflation adjusted dollars the past two years. I am not sure why they are using "then-year" dollars to compare the cost.

Hell, if we adjust the 2007 baseline for inflation the program is still over-budget but on a scale more like 22% of the approved 2007 budget. Not ideal but certainly not the cost blowout it has been portrayed at.

It would seem to me that it is quite accurate to state at this point that cost have stabilized over the past several years.

The GAO seems to have a quite negative tone while saying flat out that flight testing is ahead of or meeting schedules. There are some complaints about unmet goals but only two of those appear serious to me and both are being addressed. The contract stuff is just a bunch of legal wrangling by both sides.

bigjku wrote: "The GAO seems to have a quite negative tone while saying flat out that flight testing is ahead of or meeting schedules. "

GAO reports all read like that. It's their job to nit pick everything and be hypercritical. As a reader, you have to keep things in perspective.