Gordon England makes case to accelerate F-35

http://www.star-telegram.com/100/story/1011964.html

Deputy defense secretary says he’ll make strong case to accelerate F-35

Right at the top of England’s priority list is pressing ahead with plans to make the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter the backbone of American air-warfare capabilities.

England, in Fort Worth this week for a speaking engagement, said he will strongly advise the next administration to continue and even increase funding for F-35 development and production.

“In my judgment, it will be the best-performing airplane out there,” England said when asked about criticisms of the F-35 from inside and outside of government.

England confirmed reports that the 2010 defense budget the Pentagon will propose to the next president lays the groundwork for increased funding to speed up F-35 purchases and production as soon as 2011.

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Other critics have said the Air Force, faced with a rapidly aging fleet of F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, should be required to buy new versions of those planes to save money and to ensure that the service has enough combat-ready planes to meet future contingencies.

But England said the money is better spent going directly to the F-35.

“We’re investing a lot of money in the F-35, and we want to get the maximum out of that investment,” he said.