So now the evidence of LM’s corruption is the lack of evidence? Who’s grasping at straws now 😉

This article

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/129769/pentagon-paid-%241-trillion-to-fraudulent-defense-contractors.html

gives a huge insight in the real reasons behind F-35 delays; the company is concentrating on making money disapear, or doing as little as possible for the maximum amount of money possible, not on making an aircraft fly.

I noticed that while LM had a TOTAL of $61 million over the ten year period, Boeing had $645 million (over 10x that of LM) and Northrop Grumman had $410 million (6.7x that of LM).

LM looks even better once you look at what percentage of total contracts the fines/settlements involves (all figures in millions $USD).
LM had $61 out of $200,000 or 0.0305%
Boeing had $645 out of $21,000 or 3.07%
Northrop Grumman had $410 out of $9,000 or 4.55%

Boeing’s & Northrop’s fines/settlements were a whopping 101 & 149 (respectively) times larger than LM’s as a percentage of total contracts.

That being said, there is no excuse for actual fraud and I would like to see ANY company smacked hard when it happens. However, I cannot see LM (with all the oversight involved in the JSF program) doing any actual fraud as there is just too much of a chance of getting caught.

EADS should do what Turkey recently announced, that is to develop UAI drivers for their home-grown cruise missile. This will allow them to compete in the global JSF market which the competition for is currently is very small (Storm Shadow JSF IOC unknown, JSM at ~Blk4, and JASSM at ~Blk4).

I can’t tell what’s wrong with her legs…. bad tan, molting, hair? 😉

Here is the info you need from the AV-8B ops manual.

The targeted consumer of LM’s info know EXACTLY what it means and how it fits into their purchase plans.

Think of it this way: When you go and buy a car, you look at the window sticker. That is the price for just the car. You use that number to compare it to other cars on the lot, You also use that number to see if the car has gotten cheaper or more expensive vs previous model years. In addition to the sticker price, the customer knows that there are other costs that have to be considered like tax, title fees, insurance, maintenance contracts, roadside assistance, etc. Fighter contracts are even more divers as they can cover training, construction, spare parts, additional development, weapons, etc.

Since each customer’s total acquisition contract will cover much more than just the F-35 and each costumer’s contract can vary a great deal on what it includes then LM is within it’s right to give a price that only includes its portion of those contracts (ie the REC Flyaway). You may not like that , be confused by that, or it may just be that you are a card caring member of the ABJ, but by flatout comparing LM’s $65 to the total acquisition price of Australia’s first 14 F-35s my pointing out your being disingenuous was completely appropriate and spot-on.

LM’s quote of $65 million is the average REC Flyaway cost of FRP F-35As. Customers understand this, most bloggers & pundits understand this, why are you having such a problem?