Friday, March 24, 2023
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

Lockheed Martin Statement on 2011 F-35 Selected Acquisition Report (SAR)

by Lockheed Martin
April 3, 2012
in Air Force News
4 min read
0
F-35B Completes Successful Initial Shipboard Vertical Landing Aboard USS WASP
14
VIEWS

As recently reported, the Office of the Secretary of Defense issued the 2011 F-35 Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) to Congress, which updated the total cost estimates to develop, build, operate, upgrade and maintain all aspects of the F-35 program and its military support infrastructure for the next 55 years.

Lockheed Martin remains confident that F-35 operations and support costs will be comparable to or lower than that of the seven legacy platforms that it will replace and our statement on the Selected Acquisition Report may be found below, including answers to frequently asked questions.

———————————————————

Today, the Office of the Secretary of Defense issued to Congress the 2011 F-35 Selected Acquisition Report (SAR). It included estimates of the total cost to develop, build, operate, upgrade and maintain all aspects of the F-35 program and its military support infrastructure for the next 55 years. The total estimated cost, including adjustments for anticipated inflation—which represent more than one-third of the total—is $1.51 trillion.

The cost projections estimated in the SAR are based on a number of variables that are subject to considerable fluctuation over the next 55 years, making the estimate inherently imprecise.

For example, media reporting on the 2010 SAR estimate included only operations and support costs, while recent reports on the 2011 SAR estimate add the cost of acquisition and development which the U.S. government currently estimates at $396B. This results in the appearance of cost growth year over year.

The DOD’s decision to shift the delivery of 179 aircraft beyond 2020 also added cost growth. This shift caused a $60 billion increase in operations and support costs due to inflation and the two-year program extension. The SAR estimate also added four squadrons, grew staffing requirements and increased scope. For example, the 2011 estimate added 2,650 personnel for maintenance and security for the U.S. Air Force at an additional cost of $24.3 billion. The government also included the cost of lifetime modernization to the aircraft to improve its capabilities — expenses that are not included in the cost projections for other aircraft.

Lockheed Martin remains confident that F-35 operations and support costs will be comparable to or lower than that of the seven legacy platforms that it will replace. The F-35 also provides our Armed Forces and allies with the unprecedented 5th Generation fighter performance capabilities of radar-evading stealth, supersonic speed, agility and the most comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft. The F-35 will achieve cost advantages over the platforms it will replace by leveraging economies of scale – gained through deployment by the three U.S. service branches and international partnerships – and a common logistics, maintenance, training and supply chain infrastructure.

The F-35 will also achieve lower or comparable operation and support costs than legacy systems while providing greater capabilities.

Lockheed Martin believes there are realistic opportunities to further reduce the cost of the F-35 through manpower adjustments based on the aircraft’s reliability and maintainability, planned support concepts and adjustments to basing. We are committed to working with our partners and customers to efficiently and effectively produce an affordable F-35 for our Armed Forces and allies.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. What costs are included in the SAR projection that estimates F-35 Operations & Support (O&S) costs will exceed $1 trillion?

A1. Any estimate that projects costs for 55 years of operations of a 2,443 aircraft fleet is going to result in a large figure. In fact, more than one-third of the F-35 O&S cost projection is assumed inflation over the next half-century. What is important is that F-35 O&S costs will be comparable to or lower than that of the seven unique legacy platforms it will replace, while providing our Armed Forces and allies with unprecedented 5th Generation fighter performance capabilities, including radar-evading stealth, supersonic speed, agility and the most comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft ever.

The F-35 achieves cost advantages over the platforms it will replace by leveraging the economies of scale – gained through deployment by the three U.S. service branches and international partnerships – and a common logistics, maintenance, training and supply chain infrastructure. Long-term projections like these are useful for identifying potential cost risk areas and in enabling the program to develop mitigation strategies for the next 50+ years, but they need to be viewed through that long lens. The entire Lockheed Martin and F-35 teams are continuously focused on further reducing overall cost.

Q2. How has the recent program restructuring affected O&S costs?

A2. The recent decision to delay production of 179 F-35s to beyond 2020 has resulted in a $60 billion increase in operations and support costs because these aircraft will now be delivered in later years when inflation is factored in at a higher rate. The delay also extended the program life cycle by two years.

Q3. How was this estimate calculated?

A3. Never in the history of U.S. aviation has the Pentagon tried to project the cost of an aircraft program over a 55-year period. The F-35 is the first aircraft program to undergo this type of review. The cost figures recently released for the F-35 represent projections for a half-century of supporting 2,443 aircraft within 111 squadrons at 49 bases around the world in future-year dollars. More than one-third of this estimate is assumed inflation. Because the F-35 is not yet fielded, a large percentage of the estimate is based on legacy historical costs—from other aircraft—and does not fully reflect design and maintenance attributes that were designed into the program from the start to reduce overall lifecycle costs. We expect to realize the benefits of these attributes as the program matures. In fact, 50 percent of the design Key Performance Parameters—which we met—were associated with minimizing sustainment costs. Lockheed Martin is fully committed to fielding an F-35 that is both effective and affordable.

Tags: acquisitioncostF-35F-35 costFighter Aircraftlockheed martinreportSAR
Previous Post

Russia rejects deadline for Annan’s Syria peace plan

Next Post

Thales Delivers First Production RBE2 AESA Radar to Dassault Aviation

Related Posts

Su-35 Fighter Aircraft, Russian Air Force

Iran says deal reached to buy Russian fighter jets

March 13, 2023

Iran has finalized a deal to buy Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, state media reported, as defence cooperation between...

USAF F-16 fleet undergoing largest modification work in history

US jets intercept Russian aircraft near Alaska

February 15, 2023

Two American F-16 warplanes intercepted four Russian aircraft near Alaska, the joint US-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said...

Next Post
Kuwaiti MPs oppose deal for French Rafale warplanes

Thales Delivers First Production RBE2 AESA Radar to Dassault Aviation

Latest Defense News

Russian navy in show of strength with 26 new ships this year

Russian navy ‘repelled’ drone attack on Crimea port

March 23, 2023
Officials provide details on building the Space Force, its structure, and operating imperatives

Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ at 40: Battle of the satellites

March 23, 2023
China will ‘never commit to abandoning the use of force’ on Taiwan: Xi

China diplomatic offensive lays down new challenge for US

March 22, 2023
Hwasong-17 ICBM

North Korea fires ‘long-range’ missile as S. Korea president heads to Japan

March 16, 2023
North Korea fires multiple suspected cruise missiles

North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, Seoul says

March 14, 2023
Australia to get nuclear submarines in new US, British partnership

Australia to buy US nuclear subs in ambitious new pact

March 14, 2023

Defense Forum Discussions

  • Australian Army Discussions and Updates
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
  • NZDF General discussion thread
  • (4K) 2 Eurofighter Typhoon German Air Force Luftwaffe departure at Neuburg Donau Airbase ETSN
  • Italian Air Force Update and Topic
  • Indian Navy Discussions and Updates
  • Russia and the West
  • Warbirds (Historical, Veteran & Vintage Military Aircraft)
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com