Pentagon’s budget cuts could slow F-35 program, Congress told [View all]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/04/24/189577/pentagons-budget-cuts-could-slow.html



Pentagon’s budget cuts could slow F-35 program, Congress told
By Beena Raghavendran | McClatchy Newspapers
Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2013

WASHINGTON — The on-time rollout of the F-35 fighter jet for its 2017 deadline could be in jeopardy as a result of forced federal budget cuts, testified a key military official to Congress on Wednesday.

The monetary problems could lead to a loss of customers for Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas,-based program, hurting the company. Six thousand people work on the F-35 project in Fort Worth.

Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan, the Pentagon’s executive officer of the F-35 program, told a Senate Armed Services subcommittee that he has “moderate confidence” that the first two software upgrade phases needed to complete the program will be delivered on time, but is less optimistic that the final phase will be completed as scheduled because of mandated budget cuts, known as sequestration, in the current fiscal year.

President Barack Obama’s proposed budget for next fiscal year would give $6.36 billion to plan to build 29 F-35s for 2014, and would increase production to as many as 60 aircrafts a year by 2018.