The most expensive paper tiger in Earth’s history.
The F35 continues to bleed out the treasury for no return.
The House Armed Services Committee draft version of the bill, released today, also includes $33.8 billion in defense spending at other federal agencies such as the Department of Energy, for about $883.7 billion total in national defense spending.
***
The bill also proposes slashing 10 F-35s from the Pentagon’s request of 68 jets while fencing off funding for 10 additional jets — a measure senior staff members said is meant to free up funds that would allow Lockheed Martin to make needed investments to get the program on more stable footing. Among the stipulations is a mandate to resolve all deficiencies identified in the 2024 F–35 Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation report submitted by the Pentagon’s independent weapons tester and to create a “digital twin” of the F-35.
The Pentagon is currently not accepting deliveries of the F-35 as Lockheed struggles with validating software associated with Technology Refresh 3, which has contributed to lawmaker frustrations with the program, said a senior majority staffer.
A senior minority staffer added that some members questioned whether the program should be terminated but ultimately decided, “The answer is no. We need this program to succeed.”
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/05/hasc-adds-virginia-class-sub-cuts-f-35s-in-849-8-billion-draft-defense-policy-bill/
Email me at cgpodcast@pm.me.
