In this era of reduction in the number of friendly and/or accessible ports, alternate methods of maintaining a military presence in a forward area requires a new approach.

 

I would suggest that the troubled F35 B STOL fighter program provides one opportunity for applying a new approach.

 

-  F18 E/F fighters currently cost $55 millon each.   The early F35 B fighters cost $207.6      each for the first 32.

 

-  One wing of 24  F18 E/F fighters costs $1,320 billion dollars while one wing of 24 F35 B

   fighters costs $4,982 billion dollars. 

 

-  Replacing F35 B fighters with F18 E/F fighters on the LHA class ships  saves ($ 4,982 -

    $1,320 = $3,662 billion dollars.

 

-  Subtract cost of two internal combustion catapult aircraft launch systems, one waist and

   one forward at 30 million each for a total savings of $3,602 billion dollars. 

 

-  If RDT&E is included for the F35, then each F35 costs $304.15 million for an air wing

   cost of $7, 299.6 billion and an overall savings due to substitution with F18 E/F fighters

   of  $5,979 billion.  

 

- If ship redesign (to include an angled deck) from LHA to CVE costs $1.5 billion, then total savings due to the redesign is $4.479 billion dollars. 

 

 

 

Light carriers

 

 

 

Statement of work and development program