Brig Gen David "Duncan" Heinz has lost his job at the F-35 program, a position he inherited only about a year ago from Maj Gen Charles Davis, who is now the commanding officer at the Air Armament Center. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is holding Heinz accountable mostly for the results of decisions made under Davis' watch, but maybe that's the way it goes. Although, to be fair, Heinz was Davis' deputy, so he's also at least partly responsible for the problems the F-35 program now faces. But it was also clear that Heinz adopted a different approach than his predecessor. Davis demanded that Lockheed meet first flight targets, even if the jets were not ready to enter the flight test program. Heinz changed the philosophy, allowing Lockheed to deliver the largely ceremonial first flight late if it meant the program got a more complete jet.
The question that now will be surely asked is whether Lockheed could -- or should -- make a similar leadership change. After all, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that he will withhold $614 million in performance fees from the company. In an interview this morning at the Singapore Airshow, I asked George Standridge if Lockheed could make a leadership change. Standridge, a Lockheed vice president for business development, avoided making a direct reply, but acknowledged that Lockheed accepts the DOD will hold the company accountable for its performance.
The question that now will be surely asked is whether Lockheed could -- or should -- make a similar leadership change. After all, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that he will withhold $614 million in performance fees from the company. In an interview this morning at the Singapore Airshow, I asked George Standridge if Lockheed could make a leadership change. Standridge, a Lockheed vice president for business development, avoided making a direct reply, but acknowledged that Lockheed accepts the DOD will hold the company accountable for its performance.
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