Congress faults Pentagon plan to scrap new engine

Posted on: May. 23rd, 2006 || Source: washingtonpost.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

Congress faults Pentagon plan to scrap new engine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional investigators said on Monday the Pentagon's controversial decision to cancel a $2.4 billion second engine for the radar-evading, supersonic Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was based on "insufficient cost, savings and performance data."

The Government Accountability Office criticized the Defense Department's decision, and said it relied mainly on selective elements from two earlier studies in 1998 and 2002 that in fact had supported the second engine program.

"In supporting the decision to cancel, officials focused only on the potential up-front savings in engine procurement costs. They did not, however, consider the full long-term savings that might accrue from competition for providing support for maintenance and operations over the life cycle of the engine," GAO concluded in a letter to lawmakers.

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