The report was issued on Nov. 17 amid a reported U.S. offer of 20 JSF
aircraft to Israel in exchange for the extension of a freeze of Jewish
construction in the West Bank. Negotiations on the package, which has not
been acknowledged by the administration, have been stalled by Israel's
insistence that the JSF and other U.S. offers be relayed in a formal
document.
The panel, assigned to find ways to reduce the huge U.S. debt, also
called for the termination of the V-22 aircraft, Expeditionary Fighting
Vehicle and the Medium Extended Air Defense System. The report, titled
"Restoring America's Future," cited delays in the JSF program amid
both technical and administrative mishaps.
"F-35 costs have risen sharply, leading it to breach cost-control
standards applying to Department of Defense procurement," the report said.
The administration has refused to
confirm Israeli claims that Obama offered to donate another 20 JSF in
exchange for a Jewish construction freeze.
Israel has been the only foreign country to formally order JSF from
prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Turkey, a partner in JSF, has been
negotiating a proposal to purchase up to 100 aircraft, and Qatar was
examining the fighter-jet.
"The F-35 next-generation fighter jet is intended to provide air
superiority over an adversary's air forces and close air support to land
forces," the report said. "Current generation F-15s, F-16s, F-18s, and AV-8B’s
remain superior or competitive with any other fighter program in the world
and capable of penetrating air defenses."
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