Lockheed in Defensive Strike for JSF

[unhappycamper]

Lockheed in Defensive Strike for JSF
January 06, 2009
Dallas Morning News

Seven years ago, Lockheed Martin Corp. won a bitterly fought contract for what would end up being the world's most expensive fighter jet program.

Today, it finds itself in an odd position: having to defend the plane it won the right to build.

A flurry of criticism about the Joint Strike Fighter's capabilities this fall "was a wake-up call for us," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed's general manager for the nearly $300 billion program for jets being built in Fort Worth. "We just assumed people understood the value proposition of the aircraft. We've launched a program where we're going to resell the JSF."

The jet is designed to replace thousands of fighters in U.S. military branches and air forces around the world because it's able to do the work of several aircraft. It can fly bombing runs, intercept fast-moving enemies and even support ground troops. One version can land vertically like a helicopter.

For some, the knock on the JSF, or F-35, is that while it appears able to do all the missions asked of it by designers, it's not great at any of them.


Rest of article about the $239,000,000 f-35 at: http://www.military.com/news/article/lockheed-in-defensive-strike-for-jsf.html?col=1186032310810