Department of Redundancy Department
So I’m following with some interest the very public dogfight wars between GE and Pratt & Whitney over the spare engine for the F-35 Lightning.
When I was at the Pentagon in 2008, I remember sitting down with Gordon England, the then deputy defense secretary who walked me through why the extra engine was a superfluous luxury the department can ill afford.
The two defense contractors have been taking potshots at each other this week in a series of full-page ads in The Washington Post that, while are no doubt helpful to the ailing newspapers’ bottom line, do little to provide insight as what the debate is all about.
One thing the ads show is that that if you are clever enough, and the facts are complicated enough, you can argue almost anything to the point where there’s enough confusion that the safe course of action is to buy redundancy.
But the reality here is the U.S. taxpayers can’t afford an extra engine for the F-35 anymore that I can afford an extra engine for my Toyota.
For the last four years, the Pentagon has tried the scrap the redundant engine, and for four years Congress has refused.
As a vote looms, I hope the lawmakers come to their senses.
When the Pentagon says it doesn’t need something, that’s usually a pretty good sign it’s a waste of money.
http://www.lineofdeparture.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/F-35-Lightning.jpg
Tags: F-35, GE, Pratt & Whitney, second engine
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Comments (9)
0
Grumpy · 159 weeks ago
"As a vote looms, I hope the lawmakers come to their senses." Question,
"Have you lost your senses?" It'll happen right after you give birth to
identical twins. To the best of my knowledge, you are a male. Therefore
my question. Conclusion, it will never happen. This is NOT a DADT
issue! -Grumpy
0
Bull · 159 weeks ago
Well, Jamie, lets use a slightly different analogy with your Toyotas.
What if we say you had one Toyota with a Toyota gas pedal and another
Toyota with a BMW gas pedal? Now, when the Toyota with the Toyota gas
pedal was recalled (in acft terminology, 'grounded') because of a
defect, you could still drive your other Toyota with the BMW pedal See
how nice having redundancy is? AND if you could get Toyota and BMW into
real competition to supply those gas pedals...now you're talking! But a
Toyota will never get recalled for something as simple as a gas pedal...
0
C. Paul Daelemans · 159 weeks ago
The issue here is 'Affordability' and whether you can justify the costs of redundancy. The questions that need answers are:
What is the life cycle cost for P&W's "incumbent" engine? [Note these costs include the R&M cost factors]
How does the full cost of developing GE's "redundant" engine* plus its' life cycle costs compare to the P&W number?
Assuming the Program office can separate 'real' numbers from the inevitable "Vendor Fudge Factors" can we afford those 'Delta Dollars' within the total F-35 budget without sacrificing the total planned buy of aircraft?
*Once GE lost the initial competition all continuing 'parallel' development costs are in excess of the planned project budget and will impact the total program aircraft buy and thus must factor into the equation.
What is the life cycle cost for P&W's "incumbent" engine? [Note these costs include the R&M cost factors]
How does the full cost of developing GE's "redundant" engine* plus its' life cycle costs compare to the P&W number?
Assuming the Program office can separate 'real' numbers from the inevitable "Vendor Fudge Factors" can we afford those 'Delta Dollars' within the total F-35 budget without sacrificing the total planned buy of aircraft?
*Once GE lost the initial competition all continuing 'parallel' development costs are in excess of the planned project budget and will impact the total program aircraft buy and thus must factor into the equation.
0
jwdant · 159 weeks ago
TYPICAL, dont need redundancy, rebuild old if necessary, always was
spare parts in the inventory without going overboard. except in the c-5
when introduced into the system would go nors-g at the first chance.
0
jwdant · 159 weeks ago
p.s. g.e. is a big contributor to IRAN THEY dont need anymore of our
money and we dont need to spend anymore money we need to freeze the
budget and allow only, only for inflation. the government , civilian and
military are the biggest wasters of funds and material...I speak from
experience, having been both for a total of 40 years
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cjkosh · 159 weeks ago
seems to me they didn't want the A-10. everyone can be short sighted.
0
Which engine gives the most flight hours with fewest maintenance hours from ground crews ? THAT is THE ONLY
question worth answering in this debate.
Anything else is Contractor BS.
question worth answering in this debate.
Anything else is Contractor BS.
+1
Yes, but shouldn't that question be answered BEFORE you buy the plane???
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