McCain steamed about JSF cost overrun

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) outlined his extreme disappointment on another delay to the development phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program in a recent letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter.

Bloomberg News recently reported on a Defense Acquisition Board meeting where the F-35 Joint Program Office requested an additional $530 million to finish the program's system development and demonstration phase. McCain wrote in his letter the overrun may cost the American taxpayer an additional $1 billion.

"This latest setback appears to call into question some of the recent determinations and action of Department of Defense senior leaders regarding the development of this critical but troubled program," McCain wrote in his Nov. 3 letter to Carter.

McCain cited April testimony before his committee by F-35 program executive officer Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan that the SDD phase would wrap up in late 2017.

"Additionally, General Bogdan recently stated that while the schedule to conclude the development phase of the F-35 may slip, completion of that phase would require no additional funds," according to McCain.

The letter also cites correspondence from Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work to Senate authorizers on behalf of the program.

"What is perhaps most troubling, however, is that other senior Department leaders appear to have foreseen this latest delay and cost overrun," McCain wrote. "The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Dr. J. Michael Gilmore, warned as early as last year of delays in the completion of the development phase of the F-35, which is a prerequisite for commencing operational test and evaluation."

McCain requests the Pentagon respond to a series of 10 questions relating to the F-35's development program.

"The committee appreciates the complexity of fielding cutting-edge technologies such as the F-35 fighter aircraft and is fully committed to providing the very best equipment to our warfighters," McCain wrote. "At the same time, we owe the American taxpayer a thorough accounting of the cost, schedule, and performance of these very expensive weapons system programs."