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Usa: Virginia Tech; Bush, sì a armi ma non a scuola

NEW YORK - "Inorridito" dalla strage di Virginia Tech, il presidente George W. Bush si inchina alla lobby dei pistoleri e ribadisce, di fronte alla tragedia di una cinquantina di famiglie i cui figli sono morti o feriti nel campus del politecnico, che gli americani "hanno il diritto di portare armi".
http://www.swissinfo.org/ita/mondo/agenzie/detail/Usa_Virginia_Tech_Bush_s_a_armi_ma_non_a_scuola.html?siteSect=143&sid=7722214&cKey=1176752482000 

Che le armi piacciono a Bush lo si è capito da un bel pò.
New York, 10 apr 2007 - Il dipartimento della Difesa degli Stati Uniti ha reso noto che i suoi 89 programmi militari più importanti costeranno circa 1.680 miliardi di dollari, il 3,5 per cento in più del previsto. Sono aumentati sia i costi degli aerei che quelli dei radar e delle reti di comunicazione. 

Summary Explanations of Significant SAR Cost Changes
As of Dec. 31, 2006

Army:
ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) – Program costs increased $1,787.4 million (+49.6 percent) from $3,602.8 million to $5,390.2 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 144 aircraft from 368 to 512 aircraft to support the Air National Guard combat aviation brigades (+$901.6 million). There were estimating allocations* (+$85.0 million) as well as increased spares and support (+$570.3 million) associated with the quantity increase. Costs also increased due to higher estimates for production (+$295.7 million) and the application of revised escalation indices (+$41.0 million).
FCS (Future Combat System) – Program costs decreased $2,698.2 million (-1.6 percent) from $164,628.3 million to $161,930.1 million, due primarily to the program adjustments that deferred the Class II and Class III Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Armed Robotic Vehicles-Assault (ARV-A), Armed Robotic Vehicles-Reconnaissance (ARV-R), and Intelligent Munition Systems (IMS) (-$17,557.9 million). These decreases were partially offset by revised cost estimates based on a more detailed design (+$1,364.9 million), and a procurement stretchout from 1.5 brigade combat teams (BCTs) to 1.0 BCTs per year (+$10,573.7 million) and associated increases in support costs (+$3,260.7 million).
FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles) – Program costs increased $3,351.9 million (+19.2 percent) from $17,450.1 million to $20,802.0 million, due primarily to the addition of Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS) A-Cab (+$1,257.1 million) and associated LTAS installation kits (+$1,319.1 million). There were also increased recurring costs for planned model mix changes (+$672.8 million) and the application of revised escalation rates (+$64.6 million). These decreases were partially offset by an acceleration of the annual procurement buy profile 
(-$149.7 million).
GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) – Program costs decreased $9,262.2 million (-57.8 percent) from $16,034.7 million to $6,772.5 million, due primarily to a quantity reduction of 96,444 rockets from 140,004 to 43,560 rockets (-$8,922.7 million) and associated schedule and estimating allocations* (-$1,645.2 million). These decreases were partially offset by a stretchout in the annual procurement buy profile (+$292.7 million) and increased unit costs of the lower annual buys (+$936.3 million).
HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) – Program costs decreased $1,249.4 million (-37.4 percent) from $3,338.1 million to $2,088.7 million, due primarily to a quantity reduction of 210 launchers from 591 to 381 (-$924.1 million) and associated schedule and estimating allocations* (-$448.1 million). These decreases were partially offset by higher estimates based on actuals (+$96.7 million) and the application of revised escalation rates (+$29.6 million).
Land Warrior – Program costs decreased $3,382.8 million (-83.4 percent) from $4,054.2 million to $671.4 million, due to termination of the program by the Army Acquisition Executive.
Longbow Apache – Program costs increased $1,629.6 million (+17.3 percent) from $9,405.2 million to $11,034.8 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 29 war replacement aircraft (+$850.0 million) and 24 Extended Block II aircraft (+$309.5 million). As a result, the total quantity increased 53 aircraft from 613 to 666 aircraft. There were also programmatic changes in Longbow Apache requirements, such as the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (MTADS/PNVS), which increased the estimated costs (+$412.6 million).
Longbow Apache Block III – Program costs increased $896.5 million (+11.1 percent) from $8,093.9 million to $8,990.4 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 37 aircraft from 602 to 639 aircraft (+$395.5 million). There were also increases in software maintenance and system engineering/program management costs due to the increase in aircraft quantity and a stretchout of procurement profile (+$353.0 million).
Stryker – Program costs increased by $1,770.1 million (+15.6 percent) from $11,360.8 million to $13,130.9 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 256 vehicles from 2,641 to 2,897 vehicles (+$1,058.9 million) and associated spares and support (+$254.2 million). There were also increases from an extension of the procurement schedule from fiscal year 2011 to fisal year 2012 (+$213.8 million), and the addition of development effort for the mast-mounted sensor, active protection systems, and mobile gun system environmental control (+$236.9 million). These increases were partially offset by a change in the mix of models to be procured (-$357.1 million).
WIN-T (Warfighter Information Network-Tactical) – Program costs increased by $2,190.9 million (+15.5 percent) from $14,170.5 million to $16,361.4 million, due primarily to an increase in communications equipment to procure for the Total Army (+$1,517.9 million). Costs also increased due to a refinement of the estimate for recurring engineering (+$559.4 million), an increase in flyaway cost to account for technology changes during the procurement schedule (+$417.5 million), and an increase in fielding and initial spares (+$386.6 million). These increases were partially offset by a decrease due to the removal of Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) equipment (-$482.0 million) and a reduction in technical refresh and post deployment sustainment and support (-$483.1 million). 

Navy:
ADS (Advanced Deployable System)– Program costs decreased $883.8 million (-62.6 percent) from $1,412.6 million to $528.8 million, due to termination of the program by the Navy Acquisition Executive in October 2006.
E-2D AHE (Advanced Hawkeye) – Program costs increased by $1,765.5 million (+11.2 percent) from $15,721.5 million to $17,487.0 million, due primarily to higher Mission Electronics, general procurement, and mission systems pricing (+$653.7 million), a stretchout of the annual buy profile in fiscal year 2009-2020 (+$374.8 million), and additional pilot production funding (+$169.0 million). There were also increases for the addition of the automatic identification system, dual transit satellite communication, and in-flight refueling requirements (+$137.1 million), a revised estimate to reflect new pricing for the system development and demonstration contract (+$234.3 million), and increases in initial spares, peculiar support equipment and training, and other production support costs (+$159.1 million).
F/A-18E/F– Program costs increased by $2,358.3 million (+5.4 percent) from $44,030.5 million to $46,388.8 million, due primarily to the increase of 32 aircraft from 462 to 494 aircraft (+$1,716.0 million) and associated schedule, engineering, and estimating allocations* (+$334.1 million). There were also increases in support costs related to the higher quantity (+$446.5 million).
LCS (Littoral Combat Ship) – Program costs increased $237.0 million (+13.9 percent) from $1,701.9 million to $1,938.9 million, due primarily to longer than expected development time for Flight 0 and the postponement of Flight 1 (+$162.2 million). There was also additional scope for Mission Module development and Flight 0 training and testing (+$73.0 million) and sea frame pricing increases (+$25.9 million).
LPD 17 – Program costs increased by $1,107.4 million (+8.9 percent) from $12,486.6 million to $13,594.0 million, due primarily to the addition of Hurricane Katrina Supplemental funding (+$1,155.4 million).
SSN 774 (Virginia Class) – Program costs decreased by $2,813.5 million (-2.9 percent) from $95,821.7 million to $93,008.2 million, due primarily to a lower estimate for labor, materials, rates, and profit (-$1,971.1 million). Cost estimates also decreased for the technology insertion of the advanced sail program (-$541.8 million) and a reduced estimate of plans, change orders, hull, and mechanical/electrical changes (-$549.2 million).
V-22 - Program costs increased $4,139.7 million (+8.2 percent) from $50,497.1 million to $54,636.8 million, due primarily to revised airframe and engine costing methodologies (+$3,147.9 million), and a stretchout of the annual buy profile (+$218.8 million). There was also additional schedule variance for manufacturing inefficiencies, outyear labor rates, and sustaining work impacts from delaying 22 MV-22 aircraft beyond fiscal year 2013 (+$538.4 million) and the application of revised escalation rates (+$283.6 million). 

Air Force:
AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile) – Program costs increased $1,603.2 million (+12.2 percent) from $13,188.7 million to $14,791.9 million, due primarily to lower-than-expected Foreign Military Sales (FMS) projections (+$557.9 million) and an acquisition strategy pricing change (+$859.2 million). There were also increases related to a stretchout of the annual procurement buy profile (+$93.7 million), additional special tooling and test equipment (+$54.8 million), and an overrun in the AIM-120D (Phase 4) system development and demonstration contract (+$32.7 million).
C-5 AMP (Avionics Modernization Program) – Program costs increased $551.2 million (+64.1 percent) from $859.3 million to $1,410.5 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 51 kits from 59 to 110 (+$291.4 million), and associated increases in initial spares, peculiar support equipment, and other weapon system costs (+229.1 million).
C-17A – Program costs increased by $2,909.9 million (+4.9 percent) from $59,552.7 million to $62,462.6 million, due primarily to an increase of 10 aircraft from 180 to 190 aircraft (+$2,093.9 million) and revised peculiar support estimates (+$618.5 million). There were also Congressional adds in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) (+$227.5 million), higher estimates for continuing development (+$126.0 million), and an extension of the development program out to fiscal year 2012-2013 (+$450.1 million). These increases were partially offset by revised project estimates and Air Mobility Command priorities (-$364.0 million) and a revised production shutdown estimate (-$271.2 million).
C-130 AMP (Avionics Modernization Program) – Program costs increased $1,047.8 million (+21.2 percent) from $4,933.2 million to $5,981.0 million, due primarily to increases in labor rates and install hours (+$691.4 million) and increases in mission support equipment, simulator/trainers, depot costs, and other weapon system costs (data, peculiar support equipment, interim contractor support and training (+810.5 million). These increases were partially offset by a quantity decrease of 166 aircraft from 434 to 268 aircraft (-$560.6 million).
EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) – Program costs increased $3,825.9 million (+12.0 percent) from $31,903.0 million to $35,728.9 million, due primarily to increased costs for Buy 3 Launch Services (+$3,943.5 million) and Launch Capabilities contracts (+$298.4 million). There were also increases for the application of revised escalation rates (+$214.5 million) and an adjustment to the annual mission procurement buy profile (+$55.0 million). These net increases were partially offset by budget reductions (-$365.4 million) and estimating adjustments (-$319.7 million).
F-22A – Program costs increased $2,692.7 million (+4.3 percent) from $62,600.0 million to $65,292.7 million, due primarily to a revised estimate for the replan of Increments 3.1 and 3.2 (+$1,987.1 million), the additional of funding for the first year of multiyear procurement (+$1,416.5 million), an increase in peculiar support for two operating locations (+$311.1 million), and the application of revised escalation indices (+$197.1 million). These increases were partially offset by reductions in development funding for the modernization program (-$110.0 million), revised estimates for the second and third years of multiyear procurement (-$980.6 million), and an acceleration of the annual procurement buy profile from a 4-year to a 3-year schedule (-$161.1 million).
GBS (Global Broadcast Service) – Program costs increased $111.3 million (+15.0 percent) from $744.0 million to $855.3 million, due primarily to a new GBS Simplified Robust Architecture (SRA) that will address broadcast shortfalls. The SRA upgrade is scheduled for implementation in fiscal year 2008-2010. Beginning in fiscal year 2008, the SRA upgrade will develop custom software, procure commercial hardware/software, integrate into the Defense Enterprise Computing Centers (DECCs), integrate joint internet protocol modem (JIPM) hubs into two ultra-high frequency follow-oOn (UFO) uplink sites, establish JIPM upgrade kits for receive suites, transition to DoD teleports as required for wideband gapfiller satellite (WGS) broadcasts, and perform developmental/operational tests leading to follow-on operational test and evaluation events.
JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) – Program costs increased by $882.3 million (+18.0 percent) from $4,914.0 million to $5,796.3 million, due primarily to engineering increases for JASSM extended range, weapon data link, and maritime interdiction (+$133.9 million), implementation of a robust reliability improvement program (+$599.8 million), and stretchout of the annual buy profile (+$79.7 million).
MP-RTIP (Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program) – Program costs decreased by $321.7 million (-20.6 percent) from $1,559.7 million to $1,238.0 million, due primarily to the termination of MP-RTIP Wide Area Surveillance (WAS) radar development efforts associated with the E-10A technology development program (-$351.0 million).
NPOESS (National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System) – Program costs decreased by $2,649.6 million (-19.2 percent) from $13,810.2 million to $11,160.6 million, due primarily to the decisions made as a result of a Nunn-McCurdy certification process that concluded in June 2006. The findings and recommendations coming out of the Nunn-McCurdy certification resulted in significant changes to the satellite procurement quantity, launch dates, sensor payloads, and funding. The Conical Scanning Microwave Imager/Sounder (CMIS) and seven other sensors were demanifested from the program (-$570.6 million), the development baseline program was restructured (-$506.2 million), the quantity of procurement satellites was reduced from 4 to 2 (-$594.5 million), the procurement baseline program was restructured (-$772.2 million), and the procurement costs were reduced due to the demanifestation of the sensors (-$292.1 million). 

DoD:
BMDS (Ballistic Missile Defense System) – Program costs increased by $17,377.4 million (+20.2 percent) from $85,910.7 million to $103,288.1 million, due primarily to the addition of fiscal year 2012 and fiscal year 2013 funding (+$19,350.1 million), increases in Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program content (+$1,036.0 million), restructure of the Sea-Based Terminal program (+$860.4 million), additional sensors to support a proposed European site (+$2,489.3 million), and revised escalation indices (+$727.6 million). These increases were partially offset by delaying the Space Tracking and Surveillance System beyond fiscal year 2013 (-$1,472.3 million), restructuring the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program (-$3,396.5 million), and program-wide reductions (-$2,304.4 million).
F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) – Program costs increased by $23,365.2 million (+8.5 percent) from $276,458.9 million to $299,824.1 million, due primarily to a decrease in the annual procurement quantities and a stretchout of the production buy schedule from fiscal year 2027 to fiscal year 2034 (+$11,207.8 million), revised estimate for airframe materials due to commodity market increases (+$5,472.8 million), increase due to revised assumptions based on contractor LRIP I proposals and methodology (+$8,307.1 million), and support increase due to aircraft configuration update, revised procurement profile, and methodology changes (+$6,423.2 million). These increases were partially offset by revised assumptions for prime and subcontractor labor rates (-$3,576.3 million) and revised assumptions for subcontractor costs (-$5,201.4 million).
JTRS (Joint Tactical Radio System) Waveform – Program costs increased $317.5 million (+17.8 percent) from $1,786.6 million to $2,104.1 million, due primarily to revised estimate for Network Engineering Services (NES) (+$241.0 million) and fiscal year 2008 President’s Budget updates (+$65.7 million).
* Note: Quantity changes are estimated based on the original SAR baseline cost-quantity relationship. Cost changes since the original baseline are separately categorized as schedule, engineering, or estimating "allocations." The total impact of a quantity change is the identified "quantity" change plus all associated "allocations." 

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=10714