Warner To Pentagon: Rethink JSF Alternate Engine

Posted on: Feb. 7th, 2007 || Source: Aviation Week | E-mail Article | Print Article

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) urged the Defense Department on Feb. 6 to reconsider plans to drop the alternate engine program from F-35 Joint Strike Fighter production.

"If we have but a single engine then we're, in effect, giving a sole source contract to one contractor, which could amount to $100 billion. I've calculated that out," Warner told Pentagon Comptroller Tina Jonas during a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing on the $481.4 billion fiscal 2008 defense budget request.

Jonas said the '08 budget did not contain funds for the second engine and that the Pentagon believes it could save "about $1.8 billion" without the program.

While SASC chairman last year, Warner led a successful fight to restore the General Electric and Rolls-Royce F136 jet engine as an alternate to Pratt & Whitney's F135 for the JSF (DAILY, July 24, 2006).

F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter Completes First Flight

Read the full article

• Eurofighter Tranche 2 Aircraft deliveries to Partner Nations Begins
• Hawgsmoke 2008 exercise to continue despite A-10 inspections
• Lockheed Receives Contract For Four C-130J Aircraft For Qatar
• Boeing Announces New Rotorcraft Program: AH-6
• Russia's arms sales to Venezuela for defense only - Lavrov
• Pentagon denies Iran forced down U.S. plane
• Boeing Awarded Initial Phase of Estimated $3 Billion Contract for C-17 Support
• B-52 squadrons set to swap out at Andersen
• Inspections ordered for A-10 Thunderbolt IIs
• DARPA Kills Oblique Flying Wing
• Stennis Puts New Growlers to the Test
• Gripen NG shortlisted in Brazil
• Russia's UAC optimistic over Indian fighter tender
• Russia's MiG fighter contract with Algeria 'still in effect'
• Sukhoi starts testing 2nd Su-35 fighter prototype