Arcadie blog

Lockheed F-35 fighter in deficit panel's sights

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon should cut 15 percent of its arms purchases, 10 percent of its research spending and slash Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet program to help balance the federal budget, the heads of a presidential panel said in a draft proposal on Wednesday.

The F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is the U.S. Defense Department's costliest weapons purchase at up to $382 billion over the next two decades.

The co-heads of the deficit-reduction commission suggested canceling the F-35's Marine Corps version. Separately, they suggested substituting Lockheed's older F-16 and the Boeing F/A-18E for half of the Air Force's and Navy's planned F-35 purchases.

Going with such a mix of F-35s and other fighters would save an estimated $9.5 billion through fiscal 2015, said the co-chairmen, Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson.

Fourteen of the panel's 18 members need to approve a final report for President Barack Obama containing recommendations to balance the budget. In the absence of any such consensus, the full commission is unlikely to embrace such austerity moves on arms purchases.

The House of Representatives' incoming Republican majority generally supports sustained spending on weapons programs, making it even less likely such cuts will come to pass. Lawmakers from both parties are typically eager to bring home the jobs that arms programs create in their districts.

The panel heads suggested cutting Defense Department spending on research, development, test and evaluation by 10 percent to save $7 billion in 2015.

Killing the F-35's Marine Corps version, which has been troubled by technical problems, would save $17.6 billion for fiscal 2012 through 2015, the co-chairmen said.

Lockheed, the Pentagon's No. 1 supplier by sales, said in a statement, "We are currently reviewing the commission's proposed defense spending recommendations, however we believe it is premature to discuss any potential impact to the F-35 program."

Under current plans, 2,443 F-35s are due to be purchased by the United States.

INDUSTRY GROUP VOICES CONCERN

The arms industry's chief trade group, the Aerospace Industries Association, voiced grave concern at the draft recommendations.

If implemented, they would "undercut the capability of the nation's defense industrial base to design, build and support complex cutting-edge defense systems," Marion Blakey, the group's chief executive, said in a statement.

Eight countries have joined the United States to co-develop the radar-evading F-35 -- Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.

Lockheed's chief executive, Robert Stevens, has said the F-35 program would account for more than 20 percent of the company's revenues and profits when full production kicks in, perhaps in five years.

The deficit panel's co-chairmen called for ending procurement of the Textron Sikorsky unit to save $1.5 billion in 2015.

They suggested killing a proposed fleet of 573 ship-to-shore General Dynamics Corp landing craft that the draft recommendation valued at $15.6 billion.

Overall, the co-heads said a 15 percent cut in arms spending would save $20 billion in fiscal 2015, bringing arms procurement spending to $117.5 billion. They said that was slightly below the average for the past 10 years including war-related funding when adjusted for inflation.

Contractors like Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop Grumman Corp, General Dynamics and Raytheon Co have been working closely with the military in the hope of staving off deep cuts to weapons programs.

The panel co-heads' draft said the United States also should cut military personnel stationed in Europe and Asia by one-third. Such a move would save about $8.5 billion in 2015, according to recommendations on creating "a leaner, more efficient" U.S. Defense Department.

(Editing by Peter Cooney)

Carragher scores for Reds and Blues in testimonial

LONDON (AFP) – Jamie Carragher scored for Liverpool and Everton as his current club secured a 4-1 win over the team he supported as a boy in his testimonial at Anfield on Saturday.

Carragher converted a spot-kick in the first half for the Reds before scoring a penalty own-goal for Everton after half-time.

The 32-year-old was granted the fixture as he celebrated 14 years with Liverpool and he hopes to raise one million pounds for his 23 Foundation from the game and a gala dinner, with proceeds going to local groups and charities.

Liverpool team-mates from past and present including Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Michael Owen, Luis Garcia, Emile Heskey, Danny Murphy and Jerzy Dudek turned out for Carragher's big day.

Gerrard, given dispensation by Fabio Capello after featuring in England's 4-0 victory over Bulgaria on Friday, played the opening 10 minutes before being replaced by Murphy.

On the bench former Reds manager Gerard Houllier warmed up for a possible Premier League return with Aston Villa by sitting alongside current Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson.

Carragher said: "As an Everton fan as a kid I've always dreamed about scoring against Liverpool so that is why I did that.

"Steven Gerrard is the best player I've ever played with so I'm delighted he was involved as well.

"A big thank you to the people at the FA because it is not easy as they had two massive games."

Gerrard added: "Because I'm so close to Jamie, not just as a team-mate but as a friend, I wanted to be here to share it with him.

"I asked for permission to fly in and out and have a small cameo and he (Capello) was fine with it, although I'm sure his decision was based on beating Bulgaria 4-0."

Manchester United striker Owen was greeted with boos and cheers from the crowd of 35,631 as some fans showed their displeasure at his move to Liverpool's arch rivals.

Luis Garcia opened the scoring after being set up by Cole, then Carragher scored from the penalty spot after Owen's shot hit Jose Baxter on the arm.

In the second half Cole volleyed in his first goal at Anfield from Ryan Babel's cross and reserve team striker Nathan Eccleston fired home the fourth.

In between Carragher fouled James Vaughan and, in a bizarre bid to score for his childhood team, took Everton's penalty himself.

He shot past Brad Jones, making his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt after signing last month from Middlesbrough, to give Everton their consolation goal.

UEFA bans vuvuzelas from European matches

GENEVA (AFP) – Vuvuzelas have been banned from UEFA matches, European football's governing body said on Wednesday, as it sided with chanting and singing in Europe's stadiums.

UEFA told its 53 member associations that it had adopted the ban to protect "Europe's football culture and tradition", adding that "the atmosphere at matches would be changed by the sound of the vuvuzela".

"UEFA has decided that vuvuzelas -- the trumpet that came to prominence at games during this summer's FIFA World Cup in South Africa -- may not be brought into stadiums at matches in UEFA competitions," it announced on its website.

The decision takes immediate effect, days before the kick off the Euro 2012 qualifiers and before the main phases of the Champions League and Europa League get under way this month.

Europe's footballing chiefs took exception to the introduction of "a continuous loud background noise", while acknowledging that in South Africa, "the vuvuzela adds a touch of local flavour and folklore".

The long plastic trumpets brandished by thousands of spectators alternately enchanted or infuriated football supporters, purists, players, coaches and commentators with their incessant soundtrack for the World Cup in South Africa.

Any bans on national league and cup matches in European countries are up to individual associations.

"The magic of football consists of the two-way exchange of emotions between the pitch and the stands, where the public can transmit a full range of feelings to the players," UEFA claimed.

"However, UEFA is of the view that the vuvuzelas would completely change the atmosphere, drowning supporter emotions and detracting from the experience of the game."

The governing body headed by ex-French international star Michel Platini defended a European footballing tradition of "singing, chanting, etc."

National football associations in Europe were told to ensure that clubs involved in UEFA competitions "take all necessary operational measures".