WASHINGTON - A House panel on Wednesday moved toward reviving the alternate engine for the next-generation F-35 fighter plane over objections of President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who consider it wasteful spending.
By voice vote, the Armed Services subcommittee overseeing land and air forces approved legislation that would force the Pentagon to reopen competition if it has to ask Congress for more money so Pratt & Whitney can build the chosen engine. Inevitably in military contracting, the Defense Department has to seek more funds for a highly sophisticated warplane.
The provision would apply to Pentagon spending in the next budget year.
When Congress passed a 2011 defense budget in April, it had no money for the extra engine. It was part of the deal worked out by Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. The Pentagon recently notified the General Electric/Rolls Royce group that it had terminated its contract, and work was stopped a month ago, saving $1 million a day.
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On Wednesday, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., chairman of the subcommittee, said: "Many of us believe it was shortsighted for Congress to have failed to fund the F-35 competitive engine program for the remainder of the fiscal year."
