F-35 office sees improved relations with contractor →
The head of the F-35 Joint Program Office told Congress that the program is continuing to improve, in part because of turnover at primary contractor Lockheed Martin.
The USS Freedom, one of the Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ships, arrived in Singapore today as part of an 8-month Asian deployment. As far as we know, it came into port under its own power. This is the same ship, after all, that has had a whole, excuse the pun, boatload of problems since it was delivered to the Navy by contractor Lockheed Martin. We’re talking corrosion, flooding, engine failures. Things that you don’t really expect from a line of ships that cost $357 million apiece and are supposed to have cutting edge, close-to-shore combat capabilities. (Photo from the Navy’s official flickr stream)
“This is a weapons system that the Pentagon won’t use and Congress doesn’t want to fund. We shouldn’t waste any more money on a ‘missile to nowhere’ that will never reach the battlefield.”
Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. on Lockheed Martin’s latest missile defense system.
Read more: The Missile Defense System That Won’t Die
(Source: dodbuzz.com)
Why the F-35 Lightning Can’t Fly in Lightning, Yet
The Pentagon’s newest fighter jet, the F-35 Lightning II, has an embarrassing problem. Despite its name, it can’t fly within 25 miles of a lightning storm for fear of exploding.
Read more from the general in charge about why he isn’t happy with the program or the defense contractors building the jet at POGO.org.
Pentagon Slams Sequestration, Gives F-22 Another $6.9 Billion Same Day →
If you aren’t familiar with the F-22, it is the poster child for mismanaged weapons programs and will cost billions more than originally planned. The F-22 fighter jet, which costs $350 million per plane, has been operational since 2005 but hasn’t flown a single combat mission.
Lockheed VP says the F-35 stealth jet will get more stealthy with age, even though no other stealth plane has done that. Ever. →
This is coming from the company that makes the F-35, which is the most expensive weapon program of all time. Apparently the F-35’s stealth coating will “smooth out” over time, though every other stealth plane has required extensive maintenance just to maintain their stealth coatings. Read more about this dubious claim at Battleland.
