Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Trump takes another shot at F-35 program

  • Other
  • by Ana Radelat
  • January 11, 2017
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"
President-Elect Donald Trump at his news conference Wednesday.

PBS video stream

President-Elect Donald Trump at his news conference Wednesday.

Washington – President-elect Donald Trump took another swipe at the F-35 program Wednesday during his first press conference since November’s election.

“It’s way behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget,” Trump said of the Joint Strike Fighter program. “I don’t like that.”

In a statement, the plane’s builder, Lockheed Martin, said, “We understand President-Elect Trump’s concerns about the F-35 program, and we’ve given him our full commitment to drive down cost aggressively.”

The engine for the F-35 is made by Pratt & Whitney.

Trump has slammed F-35 cost overruns in a series of tweets and indicated he might look at the Boeing F-18 Super Hornet, which is powered by a General Electric engine, as a substitute.

But on Tuesday, Trump said he also may review the Super Hornet program.

“We’re going to do big things on the F-35 program and perhaps the F-18 program, and we’re going to get those costs way down and we’re going to have some competition. And it’s going to be a beautiful thing,” Trump said.

This has not been a good week for the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon’s outgoing testing director, urged the Trump administration to “rigorously and comprehensively” review the program, citing the plane’s “significant, well-documented deficiencies in critical combat capabilities.”

Gilmore made the suggestions in a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry of Texas, who’s a strong supporter of the F-35 since Lockheed Martin produces the fighter in his state.

In addition, Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall informed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., this week that developmental test flights for the F-35 could be pushed back to May of 2018 from original plans to complete the System Development and Demonstration phase in October of 2017.

“The F-35’s dismal record on cost, schedule, and performance is a predicable consequence of a broken defense acquisition system,” said McCain, the head of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Lockheed Martin CEO Marllyn Hewson met with Trump on Dec. 21 and promised she was personally committed “to drive down costs aggressively.”

In a statement released Tuesday, Lockheed Martin said, “We are fully committed to delivering the best capability possible at the best value for the American taxpayer.”

“The price of an F-35A has come down 60 percent from the first lot contract to the recent ninth contract, and we fully expect the next contract will show another significant price decrease,” the company said

Lockheed Martin also said it is working to reduce the cost of the program by $5 billion through 2022.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ana Radelat Ana has written about politics and policy in Washington, D.C.. for Gannett, Thompson Reuters and UPI. She was a special correspondent for the Miami Herald, and a regular contributor to The New York TImes, Advertising Age and several other publications. She has also worked in broadcast journalism, for CNN and several local NPR stations. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Journalism.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
GOP retains Monroe-Newtown seat in CT House
by Mark Pazniokas

Republican Tony Scott of Monroe won a special election Tuesday in the 112th House District of Monroe and Newtown.

The calculus of cannabis: How legalizing pot became a political puzzle
by Mark Pazniokas

Whether Connecticut legalizes marijuana depends on two legislators solving a puzzle of politics and numbers.

Cardona taps a top Lamont staffer to join him at the U.S. Department of Education
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

Nick Simmons was director of strategic initiatives in Lamont's office for nearly two years.

Lamont, top lawmakers make progress streamlining emergency orders issued during pandemic
by Keith M. Phaneuf

It remains unclear whether the two parties will agree on the extent of the governor’s emergency powers during future crises.

Clark Chapin is the GOP choice for state auditor
by Mark Pazniokas

Clark Chapin has been nominated to succeed the late Rob Kane as the Republican auditor of public accounts.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion SB 1018: Connecticut’s effort to increase prosecutorial accountability and why it will not work
by Olivia Louthen

Senate Bill 1018 does not solve Connecticut’s largest criminal justice problem: outcomes for crime victims and defendants vary based on zip codes because judicial districts operate independently of one another.

Opinion Debunking the CBIA’s takedown of the public option healthcare bill
by Bill Shortell

I am writing to those struggling to defend the public option healthcare plan, under the burden of a mass of disinformation put out by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA). The latest version of the Public Option (SB 842) will offer a state-run healthcare package to small businesses, individuals, and not-for-profits.

Opinion A crisis and complaint about Anthem mental healthcare coverage
by Rebecca Burton, Rebecca Toner, Jorge Fernandez, Emily Stagg and Carrissa Phipps

We write on behalf of the Mental Health Clinicians Action Network of Connecticut (MHCAN-CT), a multidisciplinary group of mental health professionals aiming to improve access to mental health care by bridging the gaps between clients, clinicians in private practice, legislators, governing bodies, and insurance companies. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been advocating for permanent pay parity for telehealth services as well as more power to hold insurance companies accountable for meeting the standard of care.

Opinion Ensure that undocumented individuals have access to COVID-19 vaccine
by Moe Uddin

Now that the COVID-19 vaccine is available for all Connecticut residents over the age of 16 years, we must ensure equal access to the vaccine for all community members, especially vulnerable populations. In Connecticut, one such population that deserves our attention and support are our migrant farmworkers.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO