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John McCain was a prominent American politician and military officer who served as a United States Senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. A member of the Republican Party, McCain was known for his bipartisan approach and commitment to national security. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he was a prisoner of war for over five years, an experience that shaped his political career and views on military and foreign policy.
It was produced behind closed doors. It was produced with unsavory -- I say that with respect -- deal-making -- the Louisiana purchase, the funding of $300 million for one state, the Cornhusker kickback, which has, I understand, now been…
It was produced behind closed doors, it was produced with unsavory -- I say that with respect -- deal making, the Louisiana Purchase, funding the $300 million for one state.
Secretary Carter, what is your assessment of the prime contractor's earned value management system (EVMS)...
What concerns, if any, do you have about the potential impact that the new plan to restructure the JSF... have on the proper conduct of operational testing?
Have there been any changes in the planned block capabilities or overall planned capabilities for any variant of the JSF?
Exactly by when do you expect that the program will transition into using fixed-price-type production contracts?
Secretary Carter, the Marine Corps expects to take delivery of its version of the JSF with IOC on 2012.
Secretary Carter, what impact, if any, will the new plan to restructure the JSF program have on the dates by which each of the program's international partners can expect to take delivery of the aircraft and the cost at which each will…
Dr. Gilmore, while the test plans associated with the initial software blocks... are sufficiently defined...
Secretary Carter, how much of the available fee, if any, remains to be earned on the prime contractor's efforts to develop the aircraft?
Do you believe that the revised plan improves the process by which the mission capability of LRIP systems will be accurately and credibly predicted well before delivery?
Secretary Carter, on the JSF program, what is the history of award fees paid to the program's prime contractor since the beginning of SDD?
Exactly when does the JSF exceed weapons-carrying capabilities of the fourth-generation aircraft they are replacing?
Senator McCain. Secretary Carter, how meaningful will those capabilities be, given the fighter gaps the Departments of the Navy and the Air Force are forecasting?
Secretary Carter, please describe what price effect any change in the procurement quantity of JSF aircraft sought by each of the program's international partners will have on the unit cost of the JSF under the overall program.
I support the F-35 and the program. I believe it's an extremely important program and that we have to do everything that we can to prevent or mitigate the so-called fighter gap that we have coming at us in the not too distant future.
Basically what we're doing here to reduce this delay is putting aircraft out into operational mode without having completed the originally planned testing and evaluation.
I wonder, Secretary Carter, when the contractor is willing to submit a unit cost?
I thank the witnesses and I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing.
If you follow the example of the F-22 and the C-17, the units' numbers produced go down and the unit costs continues way up.
Secretary Carter, does the new restructure plan have any impact on the capabilities of any JSF aircraft that any of the program's international partners intend to buy?
I'm very concerned about these development delays and potential reductions in the number of aircraft that are planned for the program.
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