The administration's proposed FY2010 defense budget requested about $10.4 billion in research and development and procurement funding for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. This would fund the procurement of 10 F- 35As for the Air Force, 16 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, and four F-35Cs for the Navy. The administration's proposed FY2010 defense budget also proposed terminating the F-35 alternate engine program, which is intended to develop the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 engine as an alternative to the Pratt and Whitney F135 engine that currently powers the F-35. The Obama administration opposes further funding for the alternate engine program and has threatened to veto the FY2010 defense authorization or appropriation bill if either 'would seriously disrupt' the F-35 program. The F-35 alternate engine program has emerged as a major item of debate on the FY2010 defense budget. FY2010 defense authorization act: The conference report (H.Rept. 111-288 of October 7, 2009) on the FY2010 defense authorization act (H.R. 2647/P.L. 111-84) authorizes funding for procuring a total of 30 F-35s in FY2010, as requested. The report authorizes $430 million in Air Force and Navy research and development funding for continued development of the F136 alternate engine, and $130 million in Air Force advance procurement funding to begin F136 procurement. Section 131 of the act requires a report on the procurement of '4.5'-generation fighters that is to include, among other things, 'a discussion regarding the availability and feasibility of procuring F-35 aircraft to proportionally and concurrently recapitalize the Air National Guard during fiscal years 2015 through fiscal year 2025.' Section 217 requires future DOD budgets to provide separate line items for the F-35B and F-35C within the Navy aircraft procurement account and the Navy research and development account.


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    Title :

    F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Updated December 7, 2009


    Contributors:
    J. Gertler (author)

    Publication date :

    2009


    Size :

    129 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English