its [F-35's] importance to our national security is immense. The F-35 will form the backbone of U.S. air combat superiority for generations to come.

I am confident that a multi-core buy strategy will generate significant savings versus the current practice of buying individual missions.

Any proposed change or changes to the current system will be evaluated carefully and consideration of those obligations will be of the highest priority.

We can't support our troops with the capabilities they need unless we do so.

We need productivity growth in the defense sector.

It is a fundamental constraint on our ability to get competition.

The Department is willing to make the tough decision to cancel programs that are not delivering.

I support, as does the Secretary, the initiatives Congress directed when it unanimously passed the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act (WSARA) of 2009.

If there's any kind of silver lining to this story, it is only this, that as between this story which was optimistic and the story that I painted last time of the JET estimate.

The JAT determined that the cost growth projections are to a significant degree reversible.

you're going to be relentlessly pursuing affordability.

I'd like to do better and I'd like to challenge the contractors to do better, more jets, faster, cheaper.