Sign-up to receive weekly Defense email updates with news, commentary, photos, videos and more!
Focusing on the critical interplay of programs, policy, funding and operations to provide integrated intelligence and global perspective to defense and government leaders worldwide.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report is relied upon for the latest, critical intelligence on programs, budgets and policies in defense, as well as military and civil space.
Unmanned Horizons is a dedicated section of AviationWeek.com's defense coverage of unmanned systems.
Access news, blog posts, videos, photos and other exclusive unmanned systems-related defense content.
Aviation Week is proud to announce its new Innovation Special Topic page supported by Booz Allen Hamilton.
Check out articles, white papers, interactive features and more related to aviation, aerospace and defense innovation.
Brought to you by: , , , and
Following up last week's report on developments in the JSF alternate-engine fight, I asked Pratt & Whitney whether they were providing funds to Citizens Against Government Waste, which has singled out the GE/Rolls-Royce F136 engine in a shrill, high-profile campaign. P&W representative Erin Dick replies: "As a policy we do not disclose the support we provide to public interest groups."To which one might respond: "Why not?" One obvious reason is that CAGW's status as a self-appointed watchdog for the taxpayer could be undermined if they turn out to be cashing checks from Daddy Warbucks. Another is that neither party is forced by law to do that. But it could be argued that contributing to a general "public interest" group is something that a company should be proud of. CAGW has been caught in this behavior before - including an attack on avocado subsidies which turned out to be linked to grants from Mexican avocados. Now, it's the F136-versus-F135 debate that seems to be sinking ever deeper into something that looks like guacamole but smells rather differently. In the words often attributed to Otto von Bismarck: "No man who likes law or sausage should watch either being made."
Following up last week's report on developments in the JSF alternate-engine fight, I asked Pratt & Whitney whether they were providing funds to Citizens Against Government Waste, which has singled out the GE/Rolls-Royce F136 engine in a shrill, high-profile campaign. P&W representative Erin Dick replies: "As a policy we do not disclose the support we provide to public interest groups."
To which one might respond: "Why not?" One obvious reason is that CAGW's status as a self-appointed watchdog for the taxpayer could be undermined if they turn out to be cashing checks from Daddy Warbucks. Another is that neither party is forced by law to do that. But it could be argued that contributing to a general "public interest" group is something that a company should be proud of.
CAGW has been caught in this behavior before - including an attack on avocado subsidies which turned out to be linked to grants from Mexican avocados. Now, it's the F136-versus-F135 debate that seems to be sinking ever deeper into something that looks like guacamole but smells rather differently.
In the words often attributed to Otto von Bismarck: "No man who likes law or sausage should watch either being made."
Tags: ar99, f135, jsf