Congress throws Boeing a lifeline for Super Hornet

[Suburban Warrior]

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

WASHINGTON

Congress has given Boeing's Super Hornet fighter jet a lifeline, at least for now.

The omnibus federal spending measure contains a down payment of $75 million for 22 of the fighters that the Navy didn't request.

The funding, signed into law on Jan. 17, will prod Navy officials to decide this year whether to spend as much as $2 billion for the unplanned planes as a hedge against delays of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

At stake is Boeing's staying power as a producer of fighter jets alongside Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin Corp., which builds the F-35 for the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. Any additional orders from the Navy could serve as a buffer as Boeing works to attract new customers in Europe, the Middle East and Canada.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/congress-throws-boeing-a-lifeline-for-super-hornet-fighter/article_bba621ca-e19e-5e22-8597-473bce6b7f9f.html

[BlueEye]

1. It used to be the military brass were in on the scam.

Now Congress just writes the defense contractors multi-billion dollar checks even when the military publicly states they don't need the equipment! Such a racket.

[SCVDem]

2. Well isn't that special?

How the hell are they doing on the extended unemployment?

There seems to always be money to blow shit up but none to save the American people.

Assholes!

[marmar]

3. You cannot cut off the MIC's welfare benefits.

[RC]

4. War is our most important product.

Gotta keep it going.

[packman]

5. First they'll make them

Then they will be shipped out to sit in the desert.