DTN News - JAPAN DEFENSE NEWS: Japan Proceed To Order Initial Four F-35 JSF With Option Of 38 From Lockheed Martin

DTN News - JAPAN DEFENSE NEWS: Japan Proceed To Order Initial Four F-35 JSF With Option Of 38 From Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 3, 2012: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress April 30 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan for a possible sale of an initial four F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft with an option to purchase an additional 38 F-35 CTOL aircraft. The estimated cost is $10 billion.

All aircraft will be configured with the Pratt and Whitney F-135 engines, and 5 spare Pratt and Whitney F-135 engines.  Other Aircraft Equipment includes:  Electronic Warfare Systems, Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence/Communication, Navigational and Identifications (C4I/CNI), Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS), Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), Flight Mission Trainer, Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities, F-35 unique infrared flares, reprogramming center, and F-35 Performance Based Logistics.  Also included:  software development/integration, flight test instrumentation, aircraft ferry and tanker support, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.  The estimated cost is $10 billion.  

Japan is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key ally of the United States in ensuring the peace and stability of this region.  The U.S. Government shares bases and facilities in Japan.  This proposed sale is consistent with these U.S. objectives and with the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2012/05/dtn-news-japan-defense-news-japan.html

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Singapore Seeks F-15SG Pilot Training In U.S. At Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) - Worth $435 Million

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Singapore Seeks F-15SG Pilot Training In U.S. At Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) - Worth $435 Million 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 3, 2012: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. Congress April 30 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Singapore of a possible sale of follow-on support and services for Singapore’s Continental United States (CONUS) detachment PEACE CARVIN V (F-15SG) based at Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) for a five-year period. The estimated cost is $435 million. 

The Government of Singapore has requested a possible sale of follow-on support and services for Singapore’s Continental United States (CONUS) detachment PEACE CARVIN V (F-15SG) based at Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) for a five-year period. MDE includes: 40 GBU-10 PAVEWAY II Laser Guided Bomb Units, 40 MXU-651/B Air Foil Groups, 84 GBU-12 PAVEWAY II Laser Guided Bomb Units, 84 MXU-650/Bs Air Foil Groups, 124 MAU-169L/Bs Guidance Control Units, and 3 P5 Combat Training System Pods. Also included: commercial vehicles, publications and technical documentation, tactics manuals and academic instruction, clothing and individual equipment, execution and support of CONUS exercise deployments, airlift and aerial refueling, support equipment, spare and repair parts, repair and return, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated cost is $435 million.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2012/05/dtn-news-singapore-defense-news.html

DTN News - CANADA DEFENSE NEWS: Canada May Re-Think Acquisition Of F-35 JSF On Damning Report By Auditor General

DTN News - CANADA DEFENSE NEWS: Canada May Re-Think Acquisition Of F-35 JSF On Damning Report By Auditor General 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 4, 2012: The Harper government froze spending Tuesday on the multi-billion-dollar plan to buy new jet fighters minutes after the auditor general produced a withering report accusing the Department of National Defence of keeping Parliament in the dark about spiralling problems with the F-35 purchase.

The government also announced it would take away DND's ability to buy new weapons systems and hand it to Public Works — all in an effort to shield itself from the ensuing assault in the House of Commons that followed the release of the report by new Auditor General Michael Ferguson.

The Defence Department faced wide-ranging scorn over its management of the a plan to buy 65 new F-35 radar-evading stealth fighters for what the military initially insisted would cost $9 billion. The cost of the purchase, which is already the largest single purchase of military hardware in Canadian history, will almost certainly be far higher than originally budgeted, Ferguson said.

He added that Public Works should have done a better job of overseeing the purchase, but Ferguson was particularly scathing about DND's failure to come clean on potential problems with buying the F-35.

“Briefing material did not inform senior decision makers, central agencies, and the Minister of the problems and associated risks of relying on the F-35 to replace the CF-18," Ferguson said in his report. "Nor did National Defence provide complete cost information to parliamentarians."

DND pointedly rejected criticism that it did not exercise due diligence in managing the project.

The auditor general's criticism does not mean the government will scrap the F-35 purchase or even consider opening up the sole-source procurement to other competitive bids.

Ferguson's mandate limits his criticism to the conduct of bureaucrats, but his findings could be incendiary for the Harper government. The audit came just one week after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced $5.2 billion in cuts to public spending in his deficit-fighting budget.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/dtn-news-canada-defense-news-canada-may.html