JSF Costs Up - Again...

Let us not be too quick to call out others for strategic blunders, because that is exactly what the Joint Strike Fighter program may well be to the United States before it is all said and done.

The projected cost of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the most expensive U.S. weapons program, is now $382 billion, 65 percent higher than the $232 billion estimated when the program started in 2002, according to a government official.

This projection from independent Pentagon analysts is being sent to Congress today.

The Pentagon’s cost-analysis office reports that the price per plane -- including research, development and construction costs -- is now $112.4 million, the official said. That’s about 81 percent over the original estimate of $62 million.

The production cost alone of each plane is estimated at $92.4 million, almost 85 percent higher than the $50 million projected when the program began in 2002, the Pentagon will tell Congress.

If the number of airframes purchased is reduced, we could potentially end up paying more money for new Joint Strike Fighters than we would have had we purchased new F-22s the last few years.

And with the higher price, we almost certainly will buy fewer airframes. This is one part of Robert Gates legacy in waiting few want to acknowledge exists.