Crew chiefs from the 57th Wing Lightning Aircraft Maintenance Unit marshal an F-35 Lighting II, March 6, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The first two aircraft will be assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lawrence Crespo)
Crew chiefs from the 57th Wing Lightning Aircraft Maintenance Unit marshal an F-35 Lighting II, March 6, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The first two aircraft will be assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lawrence Crespo)
4/25/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFPS) -- Affordability remains the priority for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, the Pentagon's program executive officer for the Defense Department's most expensive procurement told Congress yesterday.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told the Senate Armed Services Committee's airland subcommittee that the program has made progress, but he acknowledged it is enormously complicated and has a ways to go.
Sequestration complicates the acquisition as well, the general said.
"We must use all our energy finishing development within the time and money we have, we must continue to drive the cost of producing F-35s down, and we must start today to attack the long-term life cycle costs of the F-35 weapon system," Bogdan said in prepared testimony.
The F-35 comes in three variants and is being used by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. In addition, it will form the backbone of allied nations' airpower for decades to come, the general said. He called it a "dominant, multirole, fifth-generation aircraft."
The fiscal year 2014 budget request includes $8.4 billion for continued system development, testing and procurement of 29 F-35 aircraft.
Twenty-nine F-35s are deployed in operational and training squadrons at three locations. The program is shifting from development to production and long-term sustainment.
F-35s flew 1,984 sorties for a total of 3,118 hours in 2012. Officials tested launching weapons from two of the variants last year and stood up the first operational F-35B Marine Corps squadron in Yuma Marine Corps Air Station, Ariz.
Sequestration has the potential either to stretch the development program out or reduce the capabilities warfighters can get, he said. Sequestration cuts funds for the program meaning development will be stretched out, causing the program to cost more in the long run. This will have impacts on international partners, he said.
"The increases may result in reduction of their aircraft quantities, which would, in turn, increase unit costs even more and cause them to relook their commitment to the program," Bogdan said.
Furloughs of civilian workers "will have immediate negative consequences," he added. It would cause a reduction in testing and could reduce productivity by a third, he explained.
Bogdan stressed that the basic aircraft design is sound.
"While there is still risk to the program, I have confidence in the resilience of the plan to absorb expected further learning and discovery, and stay on track, so long as it remains properly resourced," he said.
Comments
5/16/2013 6:04:25 PM ET Got too much personal to do to give this much time yet deep thought I'll rest my case on The Living Bible--- Rev. 310. RKS.
Richard K.S., RR. NM.
5/2/2013 2:11:10 PM ET Shouldn't affordability have been a consideration a decade ago when they started putting lipstick on this pig How does someone let this article get printed with that statement Stop trying to spin the 35 as anything but a profound waste of resources. A monument to contractor greed and government failure to act.
Joba, Kali
4/29/2013 6:21:05 PM ET The aircraft in and of itself is a tremendous addition to the AF's arsenal. What makes it the ugly baby so to speak is gross mismanagement by the manufacturer and inclusion of archaic union organizations. The former drove the F-22 into the death spiral the latter will never allow America to realize it's full potential through promotion of laziness and thug mentalities.
Max, OklaTex
4/26/2013 11:08:07 AM ET If we're spending 8.4 billion next FY for continued system development of an aircraft that has flown ZERO combat sorties we aren't exactly fielding the cheapest Air Force. In fact we're more like the Yankees... throwing big money at flashy projects that yield few results in today's fight.
Stuart, Planet Earth
4/26/2013 9:42:28 AM ET @Jerry Capability does you no good if you cannot afford to sustain it.
Sustainment Guy, Hill
4/26/2013 8:41:50 AM ET I am glad affordability has a greater priority than capability. It will be nice to know the United States will be fielding the cheapest Air Force rather than the best Air Force.
Jerry, USA
4/25/2013 3:56:51 PM ET Affordability....well any time now the sooner the better. As far as being a 'dominant' it has not dominated anything yet. So far it has flown and dropped a few things. Not much to show since first flight in more than six years ago. It will take ingenuity of our aircrews and maintainers to turn it into a dominant aircraft. I wish Lt Gen Bogdan luck in getting this thing on track and into service.
