The Pentagon’s embrace of startups could fuel hypersonic tech

On the same subject

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  May 8, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Price Drop: Lockheed Pitches $80M F-35A to Pentagon

  BY MARCUS WEISGERBER That's the cheapest price yet for the Air Force version of the fifth-generation jet. Lockheed Martin is offering to come down more than 10% on the price of the least-expensive F-35 as it negotiates the largest sale yet of Joint Strike Fighters. The company is offering to sell the Pentagon about 100 F-35As — the version flown by the U.S. Air Force and most allies — for less than $80 million each, down from $89.5 million apiece in the deal signed last September. That price point suggests the company will meet its 2020 price targets for the warplane, whose lengthy development and higher-than-expected initial costs have drawn much criticism. The 100 F-35A are part of a block buy of three production lots of the jets — in all, roughly 450 jets. The order will include F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, F-35Cs for the U.S. Navy, and a variety of the jets for allies. “We currently have an offer submitted to the Department of Defense for Lots 12-14 that is below the $80 million F-35A for lot 14 in 2020, per our longstanding commitment,” company spokesman Mike Friedman wrote in an email Tuesday. “This represents equal or less than the procurement cost of legacy jets, while providing a generational leap in capability.” The latest round of F-35 negotiations come as the Air Force is planning to buy new Boeing-made F-15 Eagle fighters for the first time in two decades. While the new Eagles would replace existing F-15s, Lockheed has arguedthe F-35 is a cheaper alternative and offers stealth and other technology that comes standard in a more modern, fifth-generation warplane. The proposed purchase of three batches of jets simultaneously is meant to get a better price than past years' annual purchases of a few dozen of the jets. A 2018 Rand study put the potential savings at more than $2 billion. Lockheed has delivered more than 385 F-35s to the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and American allies. “As we ramp up production, each year we have lowered cost, reduced build time, improved quality and on time delivery,” Friedman said. “Moving forward, we are focused on and taking action to further reduce costs across both production and sustainment.” https://www.defenseone.com/business/2019/05/price-drop-lockheed-pitches-80m-f-35a-pentagon/156825

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  August 21, 2024 | International, C4ISR

  DISA eyes more vendors, faster contracts for joint cloud successor

  The director of the Defense Information Systems Agency said Tuesday the department is in the early phases of planning for JWCC Next.

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  October 29, 2020 | International, Security, Other Defence

  Will COVID-Stressed Countries Slow Their Arms Buys?

  State Department's political-military leader sees mixed signals from abroad. Marcus Weisgerber The coronavirus pandemic might prompt U.S. allies to restructure arms deals for American-made weapons, a top State Department official. But R. Clarke Cooper, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, said there is still an appetite for U.S. weapons overseas — especially F-16 fighter jets and Patriot missile batteries. “If we're looking at long-term modernization plans across the board, we're seeing what I would say is [a] steady state in that place,” Cooper said Wednesday during a virtual Defense Writers Group meeting. Since April, the State Department has approved more than four dozen foreign arms deals with a potential total value of more than $91 billion. But just because the sales were approved doesn't mean they'll come to fruition. In some cases, U.S. companies are competing against one another and/or overseas firms for contracts. “On big-ticket modernization, while some states...may have looked to re-frame or push right to a later date particular procurements, we've not seen dramatic changes in their planning,” he said. “What it may mean is how they sequence certain procurements.” Germany last month canceled a multibillion- dollar helicopter competition between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, calling the project too expensive. At the same time, Switzerland recently moved forward with a competition to replace its F/A-18 Hornets. But economic pressures could prompt some countries to adjust payments schedules, Cooper said. “Based on their national budgets, [countries] might seek some sort of dependable undertaking,” he said. “Some states might seek foreign military financing or grant assistance.” By the way, Cooper added, the economic downturns could result in more NATO allies meeting the alliance's goal of members spending 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. “Bizarrely, we may have some states where their numbers look like they've had an increase [in defense spending] because they've had a drop in GDP,” he said. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2020/10/will-covid-stressed-countries-slow-their-arms-buys/169642/