Gates Recommends Ending Key Military Aircraft Projects

[Matt Molnar]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates today has laid out some recommendations for drastic cost cutting moves at the Pentagon.

Marine One/VH-71 program ($13 billion): Scrapped

Boeing Airborne Laser: Will not be expanded beyond the single test vehicle they have now.

F-22: Orders will not be expanded after current order of 187 aircraft is filled.

More details to come.

[cancidas]

i've got to agree with scrapping the airborne laser and the current VH-71 proposals. they should also just buy 767 tankers!

[Matt Molnar]

We'll see if all these things really happen. There couldn't be much worse a time to layoff tens of thousands of people.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates today has laid out some recommendations for drastic cost cutting moves at the Pentagon.

Marine One/VH-71 program ($13 billion): Scrapped

Boeing Airborne Laser: Will not be expanded beyond the single test vehicle they have now.

F-22: Orders will not be expanded after current order of 187 aircraft is filled.

More details to come.
Marine One/VH-71 program ($13 billion): Scrapped- Good

Boeing Airborne Laser: Will not be expanded beyond the single test vehicle they have now.- I liked the idea but we can wait

F-22: Orders will not be expanded after current order of 187 aircraft is filled.- OK between that and the F-35's and Silent eagles we should be good.

[Matt Molnar]

More...
* F-35 program will be expanded from 14 planes to 30

* Cutting the ground component of Boeing's Future Combat System for the Army

* Scrapping a $15 billion replacement program for USAF search and rescue choppers

* Aerial tanker replacement bids will go on as planned this spring. At this point I would imagine Boeing will be the only bidder.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

More...
* F-35 program will be expanded from 14 planes to 30

* Cutting the ground component of Boeing's Future Combat System for the Army

* Scrapping a $15 billion replacement program for USAF search and rescue choppers

* Aerial tanker replacement bids will go on as planned this spring. At this point I would imagine Boeing will be the only bidder.*
F-35 program will be expanded from 14 planes to 30-Very good

* Cutting the ground component of Boeing's Future Combat System for the Army-eh, no

* Scrapping a $15 billion replacement program for USAF search and rescue choppers- Very bad we need those

* Aerial tanker replacement bids will go on as planned this spring. At this point I would imagine Boeing will be the only bidder.- They should go with the northdrop one.

[cancidas]

* F-35 program will be expanded from 14 planes to 30
while not as good as straight F-22s, i think i could live with that idea.


* Scrapping a $15 billion replacement program for USAF search and rescue choppers
maybe we ought to just buy more MH-60s... i like that idea!


* Aerial tanker replacement bids will go on as planned this spring. At this point I would imagine Boeing will be the only bidder.
Boeing ought to be the only bidder. IMO the KC-30 is unecesary.

[Alessio]

More...


* Scrapping a $15 billion replacement program for USAF search and rescue choppers

* Aerial tanker replacement bids will go on as planned this spring. At this point I would imagine Boeing will be the only bidder.
USAF search and rescue choppers, why not the V-22?
Aerial tanker, go for more KC-10s.