Fixed-Wing Farewell?

By Jason Sherman / November 19, 2010 at 4:54 PM

With the Marine Corps' variant of the Joint Strike Fighter set next Monday to face the judgement of Pentagon leaders, we hear from a reader -- a seasoned Washington hand and retired Marine -- who believes the outcome of the Nov. 22 JSF milestone review carries implications far beyond the F-35 program.

Senior Pentagon leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, have questioned the fundamental need for the F-35B to the nation in recent weeks following a technical review that determined the Marine Corps' variant will require another substantial infusion of cash in the fiscal year 2012 budget and additional time to develop in order to address new technical challenges. Could this line of questioning be prelude to dramatic changes to Marine Corps, which potentially are now in play?

Our reader opines:

I think I understand why Bob Gates picked Jim Amos as Commandant and it makes me an even greater admirer of Gates. Only by having a Marine Aviator as Commandant, and a fixed-wing jet pilot at that, could Gates have the Marines start down a path towards doing away with their fixed-wing jet assets. When Amos says, after the new year, that “middleweight forces” do not need to possess organic fixed-wing assets no one in Marine Aviation will argue with him. Only Gates would have thought of using that sort of velvet knife to surgically remove “another Air Force” from DoD’s balance sheet.  Once Amos shows he has the “mettle” to give up on fixed-wing aviation, the concept of ship-to-objective maneuver (STOM) via EFVs will be next package to be unceremoniously heaved overboard.

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