JSF Likely Far More Expensive Than Aircraft They're Replacing.
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http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/122579/pentagon-budget-request-confirms-jsf-cost-explosion.htmlThis morning, veteran defense aerospace reporter Bill Sweetman took a look at the different unit costs of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) variants in the new fiscal year 2012 budget request.
His findings suggest that the JSF fighters will be far more expensive—even more than previously believed—than the aircraft they are set to replace, which include the F/A-18, F-15, F-16, A-10, AV-8B and other planes. The budget request, unveiled yesterday, is “the first to fully reflect the major changes in the F-35 program that started early last year,” Sweetman wrote.
Sweetman found the following average per-unit costs, or APUCs:
--F-35A: $110 million ($7.7 billion for 70 aircraft)
--F-35B: $150 million ($2.71 billion, for 18 aircraft)
--F-35C: $139.5 million ($2.79 billion for 20 aircraft)
In contrast, the U.S. is buying 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for an APUC of $86 million—around 60% of the APUC of the F-35C. The F-35C is the JSF variant that is supposed to replace the Navy Super Hornet. Super Hornets are being purchased now because the JSF program is behind schedule and the Navy is hedging its bets because there could still be more delays.
There are, as always, caveats to these figures. Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the F-35, may (and probably will) argue that these costs could come down over time because of the “learning curve.” Lockheed will also likely argue that the per-unit price will come down as the U.S. and other customers buy larger amounts of aircraft in the future, creating economies of scale. However, it remains to be seen how much more the F-35 will benefit from economies of scale. As Sweetman noted, the F-35A alone will be rolling off the line in higher quantities than the Super Hornet.
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