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I had a prior appointment and missed Wednesday's JSF press briefing, but refer you to today's Show News and a story by Rob Hewson (page 28). Hewson asked program manager Gen David Heinz about the NOK18 billion price for 48 aircraft quoted by Norway in November, when the country committed to the JSF over the Gripen NG. Heinz's response: "I do not recognize those numbers". The lowest quote he gave for the F-35A was a unit flyaway cost of $80 million in mature, full-rate production. Norway's government claimed a unit price of $70 million - but that includes all start-up costs (such as simulators, mission planning systems, initial spares and other support equipment), and Norway claimed that the cost was fixed. An odor of lutefisk is wafting out of Oslo.
Heinz's response: "I do not recognize those numbers". The lowest quote he gave for the F-35A was a unit flyaway cost of $80 million in mature, full-rate production. Norway's government claimed a unit price of $70 million - but that includes all start-up costs (such as simulators, mission planning systems, initial spares and other support equipment), and Norway claimed that the cost was fixed.
An odor of lutefisk is wafting out of Oslo.
Tags: ar99, f-35, Heinz, Norway