Still Haggling Over JSF Costs

The US hasn't yet decided what the F35 will cost. We're just asking everyone to help pay for whatever we come up with.

The massive Joint Strike Fighter project is going to be delayed and cost more, the US Deputy Secretary of Defence Bill Lynn says.

But Mr Lynn could not say by how much the cost overruns and delays would increase the price tag for the Australian government, which in November committed $3 billion to buy an initial batch of 14 yet-to-be-completed F-35 warplanes. Australia plans eventually to purchase 100 of the fifth-generation stealth warplanes at a cost of about $16 billion.

“The development was originally projected to last an additional 30 months, we think with the additional test aircraft it will be closer to a delay of about 12 or 13 months but I can't give you the cost numbers,” Mr Lynn said today during the official opening of a $300 million shipbuilding precinct in South Australia.

Earlier this month Defence Minister John Faulkner said he hoped a restructuring of the JSF program would “stabilise its schedule and cost”.

By: Brant