F-35B Costs

October 25, 2011 by Galrahn - informationdissemination.net 

This is not perfect analysis by Bill Sweetman, but when your talking about a money target the size of the Joint Strike Fighter program, it doesn't need to be a bulls-eye to hit the target.

What Bill has done is break down an estimate for how much STOVL capability has cost the Joint Strike Fighter program. After long hand analysis, he is able to produce an estimate:

Total Pentagon investment for 340 F-35Bs, according to the program of record: about $92 billion, or $270 million per unit.

It's probably closer to $300 million per, because there are some commonality savings between F-35A and F-35C that cannot be calculated. The question I would ask is whether commonality with other variants of the JSF has cost the Marine Corps more than it could ever potentially save in the future? I think the safe answer is yes.

We really cannot afford to make these types of mistakes in weapons development in the future - the Joint Strike Fighter is the mother of all bad ideas by being Joint and International Acquisition. It is hard to believe any politician would allow that many hands into a cash filled cookie jar the size of JSF and think it is a good idea. Lack of wisdom and foresight is an understatement.

I will note one thing though. If the F-35B was a separate program today and not integrated with the rest of the Joint Strike Fighter program, during these times of budget cuts does anyone honestly believe a unique Marine Corps VSTOL stealth fighter aircraft would survive the accountants? As part of the JSF program, the F-35B will almost certainly will survive. As a unique program - even if it was less expensive, on cost, and on schedule - Congress would have probably canceled it today.

So while I think it is safe to say the Marine Corps paid more for STOVL by participating in the JSF program, I think it is also true to suggest the Marine Corps also paid the extra cost as a form of insurance from the politics of Washington.

No one has ever suggested watching the sausage get made in Washington DC was worth the price of admission.