Sunday, November 14, 2010

DTN News: First Deliveries Of F-35s Appear Delayed

Defense News: DTN News: First Deliveries Of F-35s Appear Delayed
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Sue Book - Sun Journal Staff
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - November 14, 2010: The Joint Strike Fighter under development to replace many aircraft in all branches of the U.S. military appears to be landing late for training.

The first delivery of F-35s was expected this month at Eglin Air Force Base, where pilot and support training squadrons were formed for Air Force, Navy and Marines in April 2010. But the first two aircraft are now destined for Edwards Air Force Base in April 2011.

Joint Strike Fighter program officials told the Northwest Florida Daily News that Lockheed Martin needs additional time to make aircraft modifications to support testing.

“While at Edwards, the two aircraft (AF-6/AF-7) will accrue flight hours and supplement Block 1.0 mission avionics flight test,” spokesman Joe DellVedova said in an e-mail to the Daily News, a sister publication of the Sun Journal.

“We anticipate training at Eglin to begin late summer 2011 after the completion of independent operational assessment of the training syllabus and corresponding support system,” he said.

A spokesman for the training squadron said the delay will not slow training, which is initially done on simulators anyway.

It does, however, give more credence to continued rumblings that difficulties with the plane’s development are making its entry into the military’s aircraft arsenal and its cost unpredictable.

The Marine Corps recently announced its final draft choice for basing the vertical lift version of the Joint Strike Fighter would put eight squadrons, probably 128 F-35Bs and about 1,200 personnel, at Cherry Point air station. Marine aircraft training squadrons and three operational squadrons would go to Beaufort, S.C.

A decision is expected in December and North Carolina’s politicians in Washington, Raleigh, and Craven County are lobbying for the other three operational squadrons for Cherry Point. Many fear the aircraft’s cost and the country’s economic difficulties will cut the number of planes bought and deal Cherry Point out of its share.

Delays officially announced in March 2010 put full production off until November 2015 and costs in March up by more than 25 percent. A Pentagon projection last week adds another 10 percent increase.

But Sen. Kay Hagan said last week, “This has been in the plans for quite awhile. I can’t imagine that we will not be able to fund this program.”

And Bloomberg Business News reported Nov. 5 that a Pentagon report on the aircraft’s development showed that all three variants of the plane are meeting key performance requirements.

Bloomberg also reported that fourth production contract recently signed by the Defense Department and Lockheed Martin shows the actual cost of building the F-35 to be about 25 percent below the cost now being projected by the Pentagon.

Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665 or sbook@freedomenc.com.


*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News: Karzai Wants US To Cut Back Afghan Military Operations

Defense News: DTN News: Karzai Wants US To Cut Back Afghan Military Operations
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources VOANews.com
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - November 14, 2010: A prominent U.S. newspaper says Afghanistan's president wants the U.S. to reduce the visibility and intensity of its military operations in Afghanistan.

A prominent U.S. newspaper says Afghanistan's president wants the U.S. to reduce the visibility and intensity of its military operations in Afghanistan.

In an interview published Sunday in The Washington Post, Hamid Karzai says he also wants the U.S. to stop night raids that he says aggravate Afghans and could incite some people to join the Taliban insurgency. The newspaper reports the Afghan president is seeking veto power over the nighttime operations.

Mr. Karzai told the newspaper the time has come to "reduce the intrusiveness into the daily Afghan life." He said Afghans have become impatient with the presence of U.S. soldiers in their homes and armored vehicles on their roads.

The president says Afghan troops are ready to take more responsibility for Afghanistan's security.

Mr. Karzai told The Washington Post he hoped his candid remarks would help improve what he called a "grudging" relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan.

The newspaper says the Afghan president talked about his deep skepticism of U.S. policy in Afghanistan, including last year's presidential election, which he said was manipulated by U.S. officials.

The Washington Post story says Mr. Karzai's comments come as U.S. officials are stressing the combat mission in Afghanistan will not end until 2014. The newspaper says U.S. officials are "playing down" the importance of July 2011, the date U.S. President Barack Obama has set to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Comments made Sunday by the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan seemed to support that strategy, when Richard Holbrooke emphasized to journalists in Pakistan that "substantial combat forces" would not be phased out in Afghanistan until 2014.


*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News: China - Breaking Headlines News Dated November 14, 2010

Defense News: DTN News: China - Breaking Headlines News Dated November 14, 2010
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - November 14, 2010: Comprehensive daily news related to China Breaking - Headlines News for the world of TODAY.*Comprehensive daily news related to China - Breaking Headlines News for the world of TODAY

*XINHUA News
President Hu advocates unity, development at G20, APEC meetings
President Hu's attendance at G20 and APEC meetings on Nov. 11-14 has achieved the goals of enhancing understanding, advocating cooperation, working together in times of difficulty and jointly promoting development.
Politics >>
Voice of China >>
Health >>
Entertainment >>
China & World >>
Culture & Edu >>
Sci & Tech >>
HK/Macao/Taiwan >>
Business >>
Society >>
Sports >>
Opinion >>
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com
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