COST OF AIR FORCE JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER CLIMBING STRIKE FIGHTER'S COST ESTIMATE RISES.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE - The price for the Air Force version of the joint strike fighter is up $3 million a copy more than planned, but program officials say the fighter is still a bargain and that affordability remains their top priority.

Originally planned to cost $28 million each, the Air Force variant of the fighter is now projected to cost $31 million a copy. The Marine Corps version remains in the mid-$30-million-plus range while the Navy version, the most expensive of the three, is priced at $38 million a copy.

In all, the Pentagon and the United Kingdom plan to buy more than 3,000 joint strike fighters.

``The average price will be between $32 million to $32.5 million - a bargain price,'' said Maj. Gen. Michael Hough, the Marine Corps general who serves as JSF program director.

Hough called the fighter project the ``flagship program for acquisition reform.'' The aircraft will be affordable, easy to maintain, and is expected to last more than 30 years, he said.

``This is a new era. In the past, the government had oversight,'' Hough said. ``Now, instead of I want you to do this and do it this way, we say, Give us something that can do this - and that's it.''

Lockheed Martin and Boeing are competing for the right to build the aircraft. In addition to the 3,002 aircraft the U.S. and United Kingdom military services plan to buy, it is anticipated an equal number of sales could be made to other U.S. allies.

The production of the aircraft, counting foreign sales, and a lifetime of maintenance and modifications makes the program worth about $750 billion to $1 trillion to the winning contractor.

In September, Boeing began flight tests of its X-32A joint strike fighter technology demonstrator. Boeing's X-32B will begin flight tests in February.

Lockheed Martin began flight tests of its X-35A joint strike fighter aircraft in October and wrapped up tests of the Air Force requirements on Nov. 22. The Lockheed Martin X-35B is expected to begin flight tests in December.

The aircraft are being flown by two separate teams, each consisting of contractor, U.S. military and United Kingdom military pilots.

The four aircraft are considered technology demonstrators, not prototypes, which is why they have the X designations. The aircraft are testing three technologies - the ability to develop structures and systems common to versions used by the three U.S. military forces, slow speed handling qualities for the Navy, and the transition from short-takeoff to flight.

``The best thing a pilot can say about a new airplane is there are no surprises,'' said Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Smith, the lead government pilot on the Lockheed Martin X-35A. ``The handling qualities are excellent. It goes where you want it to go. It's an honest airplane.''

Smith said flying the X-35A was like ``riding a real powerful stallion.''

``You have to hold it back,'' Smith said.

The X-32A also is getting glowing reviews from its pilots.

``It's handling very well,'' said Navy Cmdr. Phil ``Rowdy'' Yates, the lead government X-32A pilot. ``It's safe to say we are meeting or exceeding expectations.''

The only hiccup in the X-32A flight testing was an Oct. 24 incident in which the aircraft did not have enough braking power during a landing at Edwards. The pilot took off again and set down on Rogers Dry Lake.

``We've very fortunate to have a lake bed to land on,'' said Yates, who was in the control room during that flight.

The problem was corrected by a modification to a hydraulic actuator.

Both the X-32A and the X-35A made simulated aircraft carrier landings using a marked-off section of Edwards' main runway.

The contractors will be submitting their production proposals for the program in February. A decision as to which contractor will produce the aircraft is expected in September.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Crowds at Edwards get a look at the Boeing X-32A, left, and the Lockheed Martin X-35 technology demonstration aircraft.

(2 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Michael Hough is director of the joint strike fighter program.

(3) Boeing's X-32A, left, and Lockheed's X-35 are competitors for contracts to supply more than 3,000 military aircraft.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer