Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen on the Extra Engine

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on February 16, 2011


ADM. MULLEN: One of the things that we do in this town is we focus on getting stuff out the door as opposed to what it costs for life cycle. And this -- and it certainly applies on aircraft carriers, but it applies actually in all three services. This is two separate lines, two separate training, two separate maintenance manuals, two separate supply sources, all those kinds of things. And they lag each other significantly. I mean, I've been doing money a long time. I cannot make sense out of this second engine. It is two to three years behind. It's not going to compete, quite frankly.

We cannot afford to buy the second engine, I mean, from my perspective. And there have been multiple airplanes that are single- engine airplanes that are single source.

So I don't accept it; 95 percent of the fleet is going to go down at once. It just doesn't happen. We're better than that. If -- you know, the first engine will be, I think, more than adequate to meet the needs that we have for that airplane. And if I thought any different, I would, you know, be encouraging this engine, the second engine. I just categorically can't see that it's going to make any difference. It's going to cost us a lot of money, not just to get it out at the door, but over the life of its -- over the life cycle.

1 comment:

  1. Anytime I fly commercially & have the opportunity to chat with the cockpit crew, I inevitably ask what kind of engines are powering their aircraft? And I am pleased when they tell me "Pratt & Whitney." The 'dependable engines' part of your logo is not just a slogan. It's a reality made possible by dedicated folks I've known who worked with pride of craftsmanship for your company. And I know it carries over to state-of-the-art engines used in the F-35 for our military. I have no financial interest in United Technologies Corp.
    Sincerely,
    Lon Landis

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