House, Pentagon Disagree on F-35 Funds

House, Pentagon Disagree on F-35 Funds
August 02, 2008
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

In its first crack at writing a 2009 defense budget, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense ignored the Pentagon's F-35 budget request and wrote its own plan.

The Pentagon wants to spend $3.7 billion in 2009 to purchase 16 low-rate initial-production aircraft, eight each for the Air Force and Marines. An additional $3 billion would pay for continued research, development and testing.

The House panel last week cut $786 million -- four production planes -- from the Pentagon plan. It would add $320 million to buy two additional flight-test planes. The Pentagon chose to cut the flight-test planes to save money.

The House also wants to spend $430 million to pay for continued development of a second engine by General Electric and Rolls Royce, which the Pentagon opposes. The Pentagon, according to Inside the Air Force, estimates that developing the second engine will cost $3.6 billion.

Lockheed Martin spokesman John Kent downplayed the House panel's initial bill, saying the subcommittee markup "is but one point in the budget process which is far from being finalized."


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/house-pentagon-disagree-on-f35-funds.html?col=1186032310810

We don't need more planes. Nobody is going to attack us.