Joint Strike Fighter - F35 : Avanti tutta!

[glry at ngi.it]

Nonostante la Crisi (??), i soldi per gli armamenti non mancano mai. 
Qui sotto, le ultime recenti spinte per il progetto Joint Strike Fighter - F35, cui l'Italia 
partecipa con l'interessamento personale del nuovo Ministro della Difesa ammiraglio NATO 
Gianpaolo Di Paola (cfr articoli precedenti). 

G. Ellero

---------------------- 

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=66154

U.S. Department of Defense
November 18, 2011

U.S., Canadian Defense Leaders Call F-35 Crucial
By John D. Banusiewicz

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia: Calling it crucial to the defense of North America, Defense 
Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Canadian Defense Minister Peter G. MacKay today 
emphasized that both nations are committed to developing the F-35 joint strike fighter.

At a news conference here in conjunction with the Halifax International Security Forum, the 
defense leaders said budget pressures should not stand in the way of fielding the next-
generation fighter jet.

Panetta said he´s seen media reports that the United States is not committed to the joint 
strike fighter.

"Let me make very clear that the United States is committed to the development of the F-
35, and to a cooperative relationship with the F-35 with our Canadian friends," he said. "The 
F-35 is going to be an essential fighter that will help in [the North American Aerospace 
Defense Command] and will be the future in helping us with security challenges that we 
face."

Despite looming budget cuts, Panetta said, the F-35´s capabilities are essential.

"I feel very confident that we´ll get funding for the F-35 program," he said. "This is the fighter 
plane for the future, and in some ways, we really have no alternative. This is the plane that 
is going to be able to provide the technology [and] the capabilities for the future.

"We need to have this [aircraft]," Panetta continued. "It´s true for us. It´s true for our partners 
- not only Canadians, but others - who are going to work with us and participate with us in 
the development of the F-35."

Making budget decisions involves looking for savings, the secretary said, citing areas such 
as procurement reform.

"But we also have to look at areas where we continue to invest in the future, and the F-35 is 
one of those areas," he added.

MacKay said the "eye-watering technology aboard the F-35" is why Canada has chosen to 
participate in the program.

"It´s the ability to dominate and own the airspace over continental North America," he said. 
"There is no fifth-generation aircraft other than the F-35 available to Canada and the United 
States, so ***all of the hypothetical discussions - and quite negative discussions, quite 
frankly - about this program are really just clatter and noise***.

"This program is going ahead," he continued. "Clearly, budgetary pressures are going to 
lead to speculation. We are dealing with our budgets, as all countries are dealing with this 
budget, but we are not wavering on our commitment to this program."

Every defense department has certain pillars, MacKay said.

"This is one of those pillars: having the ability to ***protect your sovereignty***. And there is 
a direct link - a direct link - between our national sovereignty and our ability to protect our 
airspace," he said.

Fonte: Stop Nato

-------