On 30 September 2008, or nearly three years ago, members of Florida's Okaloosa County economic development council received a rare treat. Major General Charles Davis, then-programme manager for the Lockheed Martin F-35, briefed the council's regularly scheduled roundtable sympoisum. Okaloosa County is the proud home of Eglin AFB, the F-35's centralised training centre, and Davis clearly hoped to impress the local business leaders. Slide 24 surely drew a few smiles in the room.
That was then.
Today, the picture looks vastly different, and not for the better. The US Senate, meanwhile, looks set to make it even worse for the F-35's supporters.
One year ago, everything still seemed roughly on track. Negotiations over the fourth lot of low rate initial production (LRIP-4) dragged on for several months, but the Fiscal 2010 order for 32 aircraft in total was in line with Davis' briefing chart.
The 2011 order (LRIP-5), however, was coming apart. It was supposed to be a contract for 47 aircraft, but the Department of Defense already trimmed its request to Congress to 43 aircraft. When Congress finally approved the FY2011 budget seven months late in April, the final number was cut to 32. That froze F-35 production at the FY2010 level.
This year, the DoD didn't even try. The request sent to Congress in February asked for 32 aircraft in LRIP-6. In 2008, LRIP-6 was supposed to be an order for 118 F-35s, including 82 aircraft for the US services and 36 aircraft for the international partners. Foreign orders have not solidified yet, but the US order for 82 aircraft is out of the question. Anticipating a Senate move to free F-35 production, the DoD asked the Congress for only 32 F-35s in FY2012, a 50-aircraft cut from the 2008 production profile.
The Senate's appropriations subcommittee now wants to extend the 32-aircraft production plateau into LRIP-7. According to Davis' chart in 2008, the DoD planned to buy 90 F-35s in FY2013, with the partners chipping in for another 42 aircraft.
If the Senate's proposal sticks, F-35 production could be frozen at 32 aircraft for four years straight.
That was then.
Today, the picture looks vastly different, and not for the better. The US Senate, meanwhile, looks set to make it even worse for the F-35's supporters.
One year ago, everything still seemed roughly on track. Negotiations over the fourth lot of low rate initial production (LRIP-4) dragged on for several months, but the Fiscal 2010 order for 32 aircraft in total was in line with Davis' briefing chart.
The 2011 order (LRIP-5), however, was coming apart. It was supposed to be a contract for 47 aircraft, but the Department of Defense already trimmed its request to Congress to 43 aircraft. When Congress finally approved the FY2011 budget seven months late in April, the final number was cut to 32. That froze F-35 production at the FY2010 level.
This year, the DoD didn't even try. The request sent to Congress in February asked for 32 aircraft in LRIP-6. In 2008, LRIP-6 was supposed to be an order for 118 F-35s, including 82 aircraft for the US services and 36 aircraft for the international partners. Foreign orders have not solidified yet, but the US order for 82 aircraft is out of the question. Anticipating a Senate move to free F-35 production, the DoD asked the Congress for only 32 F-35s in FY2012, a 50-aircraft cut from the 2008 production profile.
The Senate's appropriations subcommittee now wants to extend the 32-aircraft production plateau into LRIP-7. According to Davis' chart in 2008, the DoD planned to buy 90 F-35s in FY2013, with the partners chipping in for another 42 aircraft.
If the Senate's proposal sticks, F-35 production could be frozen at 32 aircraft for four years straight.
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