![]() Its first flight, originally planned for August 2007, was pushed back at least six times, until the big bird finally flew on Dec. Originally announced as the "7E7" in early 2003, the first 787 didn't enter construction until 2007. The 787 has been subject to many delays throughout its production. Boeing and its many supplier partners have a backlog of at least 835 airplanes to work through, worth an estimated $180 billion. Spirit Aerosystems ( NYSE:SPR) is Boeing's most critical partner in this endeavor, as it supplies both the fuselage and the flight deck components, the two largest parts of the 787. The Dreamliner takes flight Boeing's 787 fact sheet claims that it uses 20% less fuel than other similarly sized airplanes, thanks in part to a higher use of composite materials in construction, but moreso because of advanced jet engines from General Electric ( NYSE:GE) and Rolls Royce. They will have to wait for some time, as the American military doesn't expect to put the new fighters into service until at least 2017. The article's author is one of many voices who have spoken out against the F-35, which appears to have little purpose in the drone-driven asymmetric battlefield that the American is now most familiar with.Īlthough the United States is by far Lockheed's largest customer for the F-35, several other friendly nations around the world have contributed development funding and placed orders for several hundred F-35s. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to vent that "the culture of endless money that has taken hold must be replaced by a culture of restraint."Ī 2011 feature in The Atlantic, titled " The F-35: A Weapon That Costs More Than Australia," is filled with indictments of the program and the military culture that has allowed it to grow into such a huge expense for the United States. The F-35 has become a symbol of military wastefulness, prompting U.S. Unfortunately, the F-35 program has been plagued with cost overruns and production delays as Lockheed struggles to meet the Pentagon's requirements for nearly 2,500 aircraft across three platforms. The first flight, undertaken by the conventional takeoff and landing variant, took place five years later, on Dec. Northrop Grumman ( NYSE:NOC) and BAE Systems were selected as Lockheed's primary technology and component suppliers, and Pratt & Whitney supplies the engine. The F-35 evolved from the X-35, with the final design 5 inches longer and 1 inch higher in the fuselage, and with a larger weapons bay in one of the variants . The two contractors submitted their prototypes in 2001, with Lockheed's X-35 beating out Boeing's X-32 for the final contract. It required one common design using three variants: a conventional takeoff and landing version, a carrier-focused fighter adapted for mechanically assisted takeoffs and landings, and one fighter capable of both short takeoffs and vertical landings. The program was meant to replace multiple existing military jet fighters. Boeing's next-gen passenger jet has since gone into active service, but the United States' fighter jet of the future is still years from entering military service.Īir superiority from day one - in theory The F-35 began its life a decade before its first flight, when the Pentagon first signed a development contract for the Joint Strike Fighter program with both Lockheed and Boeing. Two advanced aircraft took their first flights on this day: Lockheed Martin's ( NYSE:LMT) F-35 in 2006, and Boeing's ( NYSE:BA) 787 Dreamliner in 2009. 15 is an important day in modern aviation history. If you've got ideas for coverage, feedback on my work, or would like to be interviewed for a future article, please reach out to me on LinkedIn or Twitter.įollow this day in economic and financial history. Follow me on LinkedIn for writing tips, professional guidance, and occasional entertainment.
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