F-35
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The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program has two new problems to deal with. According to Stars and Stripes, the program's manager, Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, told a House Armed Services subcommittee that his office wants to make the 5 1/2 pound helmet about 6 ounces lighter to prevent pilots that weigh less than 136 pounds from having their necks snap if they have to eject from the aircraft. The other problem is one of the international partners committed to buying the aircraft looks like it's going to bail out. New Canadian Prime-minster Justin Trudeau's campaign platform included cancelling Canada's participation in the F-35 program. Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis at the Teal Group, offers his take on In Depth with Francis Rose.
October 22, 2015 -
The Navy is analyzing results from F-35 Joint Strike Fighter testing off the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower. The latest problems of the F-35 program are pilot weight limits due to ejector seat problems, a promise from the new prime minister of Canada to cancel his country's participation in the program, not to mention budget and scheduling issues with the Ford-class aircraft carrier program. Retired Navy Capt. Jerry Hendrix, senior fellow and director of the Defense Strategies and Assessments Program at the Center for a New American Security, talks the future of naval aviation with In Depth with Francis Rose.
October 21, 2015 -
The Defense Department will test its new F-35 joint strike fighter against an aging A-10 Warthog starting in 2018. The Pentagon says it wants to see whether both jets can perform high-threat close air support. But Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh calls the testing a "silly exercise." Richard Aboulafia is vice president for analysis at the Teal Group Corporation. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose what the F-35 can do that the A-10 can't.
September 01, 2015 -
The F-35 fighter jet takes part in a major military exercise this week, and the Defense Department wants to buy about 450 F-35s in three years -- starting in 2018. DOD says it sees some progress with the program. Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition Frank Kendall says the program is performing better and costs will stay down. Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis at the Teal Group, tells In Depth with Francis Rose where the program stands now, and whether confidence from DOD is improving.
June 03, 2015 -
The Defense Department depends on its partners in the F-35 coalition to keep the price per copy of the aircraft down. But one of those partners may be having second thoughts and is even thinking about specific alternatives. Dave Perry is senior analyst for the Canadian Defense and Foreign Affairs Institute, and author of "Putting the Armed Back Into the Canadian Armed Forces: Improving Defence Procurement in Canada." On In Depth with Francis Rose, Dave explained the current status of the F-35 program in Canada.
February 03, 2015 -
The F-22 Raptor made its combat debut against the Islamic State in Syria this week. The F-22 project cost about $70 billion over a decade. The Pentagon expects the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to be combat-ready in four years, and it's already the most expensive weapon system in Defense Department history. Cary Russell, director of Defense Capabilities and Management Issues at the Government Accountability Office, estimates the cost of running the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. He told In Depth with Francis Rose after DoD activates the F-35 for combat, the cost could reach about $1 trillion.
September 24, 2014 -
"Cut it some slack" is what Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall asks critics of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Kendall made those comments Thursday at a ceremony marking the delivery of two F-35s to Australia. The F-35 isn't likely to go away soon, but the buzz about what would replace it may be getting a little louder. Robert Farley is assistant professor at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. He writes in The National Interest about five options for replacing the F-35. He said on In Depth with Francis Rose that one choice is restarting the F-22 line.
July 28, 2014 -
The shrinking Defense Department budget has the Pentagon looking for alternatives to fund its most expensive program. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program has faced years of delays and skyrocketing costs. Now, the Pentagon has a new strategy to control the F-35's bottom line. It is asking the builders to put skin in the game. Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan is the F-35 program director. He described the F-35's progress as slow but steady, when he joined Tom Temin and Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive.
June 30, 2014 -
The most expensive defense program ever, the F-35 fighter plane, is running into more problems. The Government Accountability Office says software delays could force the Marine Corps to push back its roll out scheduled for next year. What's more, the auditors say the Defense Department will have to spend more than $12 billion annually on the program for the next 22 years. For more on the future of the F-35 program, Federal Drive host Emily Kopp spoke to Rob Levinson, a senior defense analyst for Bloomberg Government. Read our related story.
March 26, 2014 -
A new Government Accountability report finds that the DoD will have to spend $12 billion annually over the next 22 years on the F-35 program. Rob Levinson, Bloomberg Government senior defense analyst, explains the impact.
March 26, 2014 -
Martin Libicki of Rand Corp talks about managing cyber attacks. Kevin Brancato of Bloomberg Government discusses the Canada's decision to pass on the F-35. John Templeton of BlackMoney.com talks about being an African American in IT. Belva Martin of GAO discusses the new network communications strategy.
January 14, 2013 -
This past summer, defense experts gathered into teams to map out how to cut DoD's budget by a half trillion dollars over 10 years. The results from the game provide some guidance on ways to make the cut happen in real life based on strategic choices, the organizers say.
November 28, 2012 -
On this week's Bloomberg Government Capital Impact show, analysts will talk about what's next for sequestration, options for repairing the Harrier jet, technology that Israel could use to respond to the Iranian nuclear threat, and why certain medications may be in short supply. October 4, 2012
October 04, 2012 -
The Air Force says the evaluations will set the standard for larger training programs for airmen and U.S. allies.
September 12, 2012 -
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to the interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day and links to additional resources.
June 22, 2012