Mr. Shaman
02-08-2005, 05:14 AM
"While targeting some expensive weapons systems for heavy cuts, the Pentagon has proposed a $340 million increase in the 2006 budget to keep both Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. in the government rocket launch business.
The funds would continue the Air Force's policy of "assured access" to space by sustaining two companies capable of launching government satellites. The policy has come under criticism from some in Congress who contend it is an expensive luxury.
Bethesda-based Lockheed, the Pentagon's largest contractor, and Chicago-based Boeing have complained that without the extra funding they would lose money on the launches because prices were set in the late 1990s, when many expected a robust commercial satellite market to offset the cost of the Pentagon program. But the commercial business failed to materialize, adding substantially to the costs for launching government satellites.
The Air Force raised the possibility of Lockheed and Boeing forming a joint venture to manage the rocket launches so that neither would be pushed out of the market, but Boeing rejected that suggestion. A senior Boeing executive acknowledged that the Pentagon will probably have to eliminate one of the companies from the market to keep costs down, possibly by the end of the decade, but said Boeing would not agree to a joint venture."
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I guess running-the-country-like-a-business is falling-back on one o' those This is different!!!-scenerios, as expected!!!
Gee..........is it possible the stockholders DO NOT APPROVE (while they're waving-their-flags) ??!!!! ;)
Yeah.........how're their tax-cuts gonna work........if they're subject to down-sizing??!!!!
Gee........maybe we could have a benefit-concert, for those poor 1%ers! :rolleyes:
The funds would continue the Air Force's policy of "assured access" to space by sustaining two companies capable of launching government satellites. The policy has come under criticism from some in Congress who contend it is an expensive luxury.
Bethesda-based Lockheed, the Pentagon's largest contractor, and Chicago-based Boeing have complained that without the extra funding they would lose money on the launches because prices were set in the late 1990s, when many expected a robust commercial satellite market to offset the cost of the Pentagon program. But the commercial business failed to materialize, adding substantially to the costs for launching government satellites.
The Air Force raised the possibility of Lockheed and Boeing forming a joint venture to manage the rocket launches so that neither would be pushed out of the market, but Boeing rejected that suggestion. A senior Boeing executive acknowledged that the Pentagon will probably have to eliminate one of the companies from the market to keep costs down, possibly by the end of the decade, but said Boeing would not agree to a joint venture."
*
I guess running-the-country-like-a-business is falling-back on one o' those This is different!!!-scenerios, as expected!!!
Gee..........is it possible the stockholders DO NOT APPROVE (while they're waving-their-flags) ??!!!! ;)
Yeah.........how're their tax-cuts gonna work........if they're subject to down-sizing??!!!!
Gee........maybe we could have a benefit-concert, for those poor 1%ers! :rolleyes: