Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Republican Rep. Bob Bishop, whose district includes Hill Air Force Base, says President-elect Donald Trump's criticism of the high price tag of the F-35 is "appropriate," but stresses the importance of the fighter jet to U.S. security.
At a rare press conference, Trump said Wednesday he wanted to get costs associated with the F-35 jet "way down."
"I’m very much involved with the generals and admirals on the airplane, the F-35, you’ve been reading about it. And it’s way, way behind schedule and many, many billions of dollars over budget. I don’t like that," Trump said.
"We’re going to do some big things on the F-35 program, and perhaps the F-18 program," he said. "And we’re going to get those costs way down and we’re going to get the plane to be even better."
Trump didn't go into further specifics about F-35 production Wednesday, only to note that he wanted to introduce "competition" in the process. Last month, the president-elect tweeted that the fighter jet cost "is out of control."
In a statement delivered in a prepared video, Bishop said Trump's "concerns about this (F-35) program are appropriate."
"They arise from ... illogical production delays," Bishop said. "The cost can and will continue to go down. Each production lot is approximately about 5 to 6 percent cheaper than the lot that preceded it. But by eliminating delays, you can save even more."
The F-35 carries a $400 billion price tag in total, making it the most expensive weapons program in the history of the United States military, The Associated Press reported last month. Currently, there are plans to build close to 2,500 F-35s for use by the U.S.
Bishop said Wednesday he's confident that the costs associated with the F-35 will lower with increased and hastened production of the jet.
"We need to be producing this plane at the same rate as we did the F-16," he said. "The cost per plane is greater when you only build a handful per year, so increasing production and the economy of scale saves the taxpayers billions of dollars over the life of this program."
The development and implementation of the F-35 has created more than 146,000 jobs in 45 states, according to Lockheed Martin. A Hill Air Force Base spokesman said the program is responsible for roughly 500 jobs there.
Bishop on Wednesday re-asserted his belief in the F-35 as a major military assets and took the opportunity to tout Utah as a prime destination for its development and maintenance.
"The F-35 is the future of U.S. air superiority and Utah is the perfect place for this mission, because you can house it at the base, repair it at the (Ogden Air Logistics Center) and train it at the Utah Test and Training Range and there is nowhere else in this nation where you can find that kind of efficiency," he said.
Hill Air Force Base has been the site of important milestones for the F-35. In July 2015, it was announced that the once-defunct 34th Fighter Squadron at the base would return to service and become the first Air Force unit to fly combat-ready F-35A fighter jets.
The squadron deployed laser-guided bombs from the F-35A in February 2016, marking the first time live weapons had been released from the aircraft. Six months later, the Air Force formally declared the fighter jet ready for combat.
The F-35 has also received vocal support from other members of Utah's congressional delegation in light of Trump's criticisms.
"In future conversations, I plan to emphasize the superior capabilities of the F-35 and the indispensable role this aircraft plays in our national defense strategy," Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch said last month after Trump's critical tweet.
Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, has also thrown his support behind the F-35, though he said in a statement Wednesday that he's "thrilled to have a president who is focused on budget savings."
"There is certainly a cost to maintaining our technological edge, but that’s absolutely worth it to deter our adversaries," said Stewart, a former Air Force pilot himself. "The F-35 is a critical weapons system that will be protecting the U.S. and our allies for many years."
Sandi Rindlisbacher, who helps run Mike's Golden Spike Barber Shop next to Hill Air Force Base, keeps photos of fighter jets plastered all over her business. Rindlisbacher said many of her customers who work at the base have expressed worry over the future of the F-35 program.
"From some of the support positions (I've heard) that if that goes away, their job goes away," she said Wednesday. "That's kind of a scary thought for a lot of people that are on base."
Contributing: Sean Moody
