Pentagon Failed to ‘Defend’ Lockheed’s F-35, Says U.S. Senator
The U.S. Defense Department’s “failure to sufficiently defend” Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT)’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is leading to calls in Congress to curtail the program, according to Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas.
Cornyn, in a letter today to the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, Ashton Carter, who has been nominated to become Deputy Secretary of Defense, asks for his “personal commitment” to the success of the $382 billion program -- the Pentagon’s largest.
“I write to express disappointment with your apparent lack of commitment to the success” of the F-35, said Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which must approve Carter’s nomination. “I strongly encourage you to step up defense of this key program.”
Congress will return to Washington next month. A 12-member congressional committee has been charged with finding $1.5 trillion in budget savings.
The F-35 is built in Cornyn’s state. He and other lawmakers will be using their leverage to protect federal spending in their states.
“I am concerned that the DoD’s failure to sufficiently defend and advocate for the F-35 program has enabled and even invited unwarranted criticisms from many corners, including partial or complete cancellation of the program,” Cornyn said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Roxana Tiron in Washington at rtiron@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net.
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