Along with that:
In the United States, we don't punish officials for offering misleading statements; we promote them. In 2008, the Air Force's manager for the F-35 program, Major General Charles R. Davis, asserted that the "flyaway" cost of its F-35As would be between $60 and $70 million by the time the purchase reached its fourth production lot and that it might even be less than that. Contemporary with Davis' forecast, GAO had been writing reports warning Congress about optimistic estimates of F-35 cost and schedule. The GAO reports were roundly ignored by Congress and the Pentagon, as were other insiders and experts who spoke out publicly.
In 2012, real-time Department of Defense data for that fourth production batch shows a flyaway cost about double Davis' prediction. For being wrong by a factor of at least two, Davis was given a promotion to lieutenant general and a new job: to oversee the entire Air Force acquisition budget -- more than $40 billion annually.
Similarly, from 2009 to 2011 Ashton Carter served as the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, overseeing all Pentagon weapons purchases. He took special interest in the F-35 program and frequently reported to Congress. When he came to office, Carter was confronted with an analysis from a Joint Estimating Team (JET) predicting $11.6 billion in cost growth just over the next five years, and a year later a "JET II" analysis predicted even more cost growth and delays over the long term. Carter postured, saying he favored the JET reports, but he implemented only some of their recommendations -- ignoring especially the long-term implications for cost growth. A subsequent GAO report made all that clear, and still -- two years later -- some, but not all, additional F-35 cost growth has been acknowledged by the Pentagon.
Despite Carter's half measures and disingenuous embrace of the JET recommendations, senators praised him and unanimously confirmed his promotion to be deputy secretary of defense in 2011. Today, he is a prime candidate to replace Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta if President Obama wins re-election.
2 comments:
Mr Wheeler's piece is exceptionally misleading about Canadian politicians, see:
"F-35: US and Canadian News--and an Agitprop American View"
Mark
Ottawa
I don't know about Canadian politicians being more informed or having a better understanding. We have our fair share of clueless politicos just like the US and elsewhere.
We were on a clear path to "rubber stamp" the F-35 until enough opposition pressure and journalists starred firing bullet after bullet at the F35 fiasco. Now we have Public works taking over the process, but thing shave also become very quiet at the same time.
Still not convinced we'll make the right decision to scrap the F35at this point.
If the Silent Eagle variant is successful with South Korea we may just get an option that fits with Canadian geography needs. Even an "expensive" Eagle is still a deal compared to the rediculous price of the F35.
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