Pentagon Says 5 Weapons Had $206 Billion Cost Growth

Cost increases on five major weapons programs accounted for $206 billion, or 22 percent, of the total jump in spending for new arms so far this decade, a Pentagon commissioned report found.

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft and Boeing Co.’s Future Combat Systems each contributed more than $65 billion in higher costs, the Defense Business Board said in its latest report, which examined programs from 2000 to 2007. The report was issued yesterday.

The report is designed to help U.S. defense officials identify transition issues for the next U.S. president in January. The next defense secretary must personally get involved to reverse the trend in program cost increases, the report said. Some $919 billion was added to the programs in the years studied, bringing the total for new weapons to $1.7 trillion.

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