GAO: JSF Costs Likely to Rise

The Defense Department’s plan to accelerate production of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will likely increase overall costs, according to a May 20 report to Congress by the Government Accountability Office. At present, the DoD intends to buy 2,456 planes during the next 25 years, at a cost of more than $300 billion. According to the GAO, that dollar figure will likely rise between $2.4 billion and $7.4 billion, due to "contract cost overruns and extended time needed to complete flight testing." Completion will likely be delayed as well, GAO stated in the report, by one to three years. Congress owns some of the responsibility for the price hikes if they materialize, GAO stated. While DoD has not asked for funding to produce an alternate engine for the plane, lawmakers have nonetheless provided it anyway – to the tune of more than $8 billion. Of that, more than $6 billion was awarded to the main engine contractor; more than $2 billion went to the second-source contractor for the alternate engine. And while DoD officials still expect to see nine remaining test aircraft delivered by early next year, GAO stated, "The contractor has not yet demonstrated mature manufacturing processes, or an ability to produce at currently planned rates."