Because of the ongoing wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan,
many of us have seen TV images of military aircraft flying sorties, dropping
bombs, and returning to their bases. For the United States, these planes play a
critical role in military operations. But have you ever stopped to consider
what these aircraft cost? And how much money is spent on aircraft maintenance?
According to a recent Congressional audit, it will cost the U.S.
military $1 trillion to acquire, operate, and maintain a new fleet of jet
fighters. All too often, military procurement is hampered by unexpected delays,
manufacturing inefficiencies, and price increases. In a recent report about
such program deficiencies, auditors from the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
weren't trying to sugarcoat anything. Instead, they bluntly stated that they
expect development and procurement costs "to increase substantially". The GAO
also expects "schedule pressures to worsen based on performance to date."
Specifically, the GAO's report analyzed efforts to deliver a
new and improved aircraft called the F-35 Lightning II, which will be used by
the U.S. Air Force (USAF), the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), and the U.S. Navy (USN). The Lightning II is designed to replace both the USAF's F-16 Falcon and A-10 Warthog, as well as the USMC's F/A-18C/D and AV-8B Harrier. The GAO report
claims that in order to acquire the 2458 aircraft needed by all three service
agencies, the pricetag will approach $300 billion.
After these planes are purchased, of course, they must be
operated and maintained. According to the GAO, it will cost an additional $650 billion to keep the planes
running far into the twenty-first century. The GAO also reports that maintenance
and logistics costs have increased by a whopping $23 billion in one year. It
blames the increases on changes in repair plans, revised costs for depot
maintenance, higher fuel costs, and increased fuel consumption. According to
the GAO, however, many of these problems are self-inflicted and include factors
such as extended manufacturing schedules and slipping delivery dates. Production
of the F-35 Lightning II has already begun, with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. of Fort Worth, Texas
as the main defense contractor. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is contracted
to purchase this aircraft through 2034. Some U.S. allies have also signed
contracts, and have contributed $4.8 billion towards the development of the
F-35.
Many U.S.
tax dollars will be spent to build this new aircraft - with too little regard
to the number of delays and extra money required. As the U.S. economy flirts with recession,
precious resources are spent to build an untested aircraft that will replace aircraft
which are in-service and working reliably. Is the F-35 Lighting II a valuable
use of defense resources? Will the Lightning II be America's next "best in class" military
aircraft? What's your opinion on this $1 trillion aircraft?
CR4 Aerospace Blog
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