Bill Sweetman at
Aviation Week is reporting what might be the most consequential news yet regarding upcoming Navy budget cuts: Bob Work has ordered the Department of the Navy to go back and examine the Joint Strike Fighter program.
Work also directed service leaders to study whether the Navy and Marines could operate fewer than the 40 squadrons of JSFs currently planned (supported by 680 aircraft, divided equally between Bs and Cs) and to look at the possibility of accelerating development of unmanned alternative systems. Canceling both the F-35B and F-35C was not identified as an option.
The instructions were included in a July 7 memo from Work to Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley, Vice Chief Of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and assistant Marine Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford. Work told the leaders to form a team to develop three alternative tactical aviation force structures, respectively representing cost savings of $5 billion, $7.5 billion and $10 billion across the future years defense plan. Ultimately, Work expects to determine “the best-value alternative, factoring in both cost and capability.
The analysis was expected to be completed by July 28th. In other words, this review was conducted and completed before the Budget Control Act of 2011 was passed.
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