Defense Technology International - March 2008 - (Page 21)

SPOILING FOR A FIGHT Conference underscores tensions between Pentagon and Capitol Hill But the conference also heard worrisome news about the Pentagon’s biggest program, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). On the development side, there BILL SWEETMAN•WASHINGTON has been a great deal of publicity about rocurement problems, techni- cism. For example, lawmakers are no the failure of a third-stage low-pressure cal and management challenges, longer willing to accept budgets that are turbine blade in an F135 engine, which and forthright criticism were on full of projects that are not a ordable in came to light on the same day that the the agenda at DTI’s Defense Technology the future. James Finley, deputy under- Pentagon announced (for the third year & Requirements (DTAR) conference in secretary for acquisition and technol- running) a plan to cancel the alternative Washington. On one side were military ogy, says that the Defense Dept. wants F136 engine. The failure pushed back the and civilian professionals; on the other, programs properly funded—“don’t start ﬁrst ﬂight of the ﬁrst F-35B short takemembers of the Democratic majority in things that are not funded through the o , vertical landing (Stovl) prototype by [ﬁve-year defense plan]”—and is trying a month, and Stovl testing by more than Congress. that. When the F-35B ﬂies, not before Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), to cut cycle times by half. One change taking place at the Penta- June, it will be with a conventional takechairman of the House air-land subcommittee, made it clear in a blistering ad- gon is a return to engineering and manu- o and landing-rated engine. Plans to conduct hover-pit testing dress that Democrats are before ﬁrst ﬂight have been going to be more aggressive canceled. But the program in dealing with the Pentao ce, ultimately, believes gon. Armed Services Comthat long-term engine ﬁxes mittee Chairman Rep. Ike will work. Skelton (D-Mo.), he said, Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, is going to launch a major JSF program o ce direcreview of service roles and tor, sees manufacturing as missions. “It hasn’t been the biggest challenge. “I’m updated in 60 years.” worried about getting the Congressional experts manufacturing lines down will listen to the military the learning curves,” he “and see if their ideas martold the conference. The ry up [with proposals from JSF program is showing Congress],” Abercrombie some of the problems that added. But he also proma icted the Airbus A380 ised “a much needed reand Boeing 787 programs minder that the Pentagon (although no major delays is not the fourth branch Stovl variant of the JSF has problems, but the cost are manifest yet). “There’s of government. If anyone of all versions could be a bigger challenge. lots of commonality, and thinks that they’re going to come to Congress with a plan that we facturing development, rather than sys- lessons learned.” Work is being performed out of setems development and demonstration. will rubber-stamp, they’re wrong.” Abercrombie dismissed the Penta- That, says Finley, means that “we have quence—for instance, many of the 650 gon’s current budget proposals. “If I more than a PowerPoint; we have draw- brackets in the wing are installed after could sum it up, it would be ‘everything, ings we can build from.” Echoing a point the wing is mated to the body. Behind now.’ It’s not a plan, not even a prayer, that has been made by Boeing’s George such problems are issues like “requireMuellner (DTI January/February, p. 50), ments received late to schedule,” i.e., by not even a proposal. “It’s not the military’s job to come up Finley talks about “integration maturity” the time part design is ﬁnalized it is too with a national security strategy,” he as a step beyond conﬁdence in the indi- late to ramp up production as planned. Moreover, with the high price of titasaid. Nor, in his view, is it the admin- vidual technologies. Another back-to-the-future move is a nium, the fact that 90% of the metal istration’s role: “It says nothing [in the Constitution] about the President sus- renewed emphasis on prototypes. Both the bought for the program ends up as scrap taining, preparing and funding the U.S. Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), a bet- is a major issue. Davis is also concerned about the military.” As for Congress at large: “The ter-protected replacement for the Humaverage member of Congress doesn’t vee, and the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile, complex integrated subsystems on the a replacement for Hellﬁre and Maverick, JSF, which separate auxiliary, secondhave a clue what we’re talking about.” Some of Abercrombie’s complaints will see more extensive competition than ary and emergency power systems and environmental control. These are packare being taken as constructive criti- has been the case in recent years. P BAE SYSTEMS CONCEPT AviationWeek.com/dti MARCH 2008 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 21 http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Defense Technology International - March 2008

Defense Technology International - March 2008 Contents Sweden Cancels SEP; Israel Launches Imaging Satellite; Geotextiles Secure Ammo Dump U.S. Navy Taps Neural Architecture Software to Assure Job Satisfaction Shrapnel-Like Pieces of Reactive Materials Increase Explosive Force of Bombs Technology is Rapidly Closing the Gap Between Sensors and Shooters Italian Army Program Aims to Develop a Fully Networked Land Force Political and Military Uncertainties Plague U.S. Defense Budget Democrats Put Pentagon on Notice Over Spending and Policy at DTAR Conference Russian Combat Vehicle Protects Tank Formations from Anti-Armor Weapons European Battlelabs Use Simulation to Verify Technologies and Stretch Defense Funds Malaysia Accelerates Fleet Modernization to meet Long-Term Goals U.S. Navy Says Composite Raiding Boat May Reduce Injuries From Wave Shocks Seeing Isn’t Believing When it Comes to Deciphering Funds for Secret Projects Advances in Sensors and Propulsion Make Torpedoes Ever More Lethal FAA is in No Rush to Approve Rules that Let UAVs Fly in Civil Airspace USS Truman Carrier Strike Group Patrols a Rough Neighborhood 24/7 U.S. says Sino-Russian Space Disarmament Plan is Riddled with Pitfalls Hyperspeed Projectile; “Sound Cloak” Hides Subs; Improving Nuclear Forensics Dutch Air Commodore Theo ten Haaf Analyzes the Impact of Rotary-Wing Operations One Soldier’s War is a Behind-the-Headlines Look at Russia’s Campaigns in Chechnya Black Budgets are Huge and Growing, and Often Conceal Amazing Failures

Defense Technology International - March 2008

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