With the Navy angling to end production of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer after just three ships, a major contractor involved in the program is paying for a campaign aimed at keeping the line alive, a spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday. Though Massachusetts-based Raytheon Co. is footing the bill for a Web site and newspaper ads on behalf of the recently created www.ZumwaltFacts.info, its financial backing has not been noted in either venue.
Raytheon's role has apparently been closely held, even within the company. Spokeswoman Carolyn Beaudry initially denied Tuesday any corporate involvement in the Zumwalt campaign.
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I've been hearing a lot of commentary lately to the effect that "it's not the contractors' fault, they just do what they're told." This shows one of the reasons why contractors are so despised.
ReplyDeleteRaytheon has already been paid for their development work on the Zumwalt's radar. The Navy simply decided not to buy any more of them. They haven't been cheated, they even made money on the deal-just not as much as they wanted. They Navy had good reasons for changing its mind, the debate was public, and the decision has been made.
But Raytheon wants to reopen the whole mess for its personal profit and has recruited ex-admirals and outside analysts to second-guess the Navy's decision, smearing them as bureaucratic fools and playing the patriotism card. There's plenty of good reason to question the Navy's wisdom (I do it all the time) but profit is not one of them.
If I decide not to buy a car the salesman has a right to keep sending me brochures. Raytheon and the other defense contractors do this all the time and it's not unacceptable. But if he hires some lowlifes to call my house and denounce me to my family as a moron and a cheapskate that's out of line. Raytheon needs to be told in no uncertain terms that their future defense work may depend on knowing when to let something go.
The Zumwalt looks so much like it wants to be a submarine (surfaced or submerged) that additional Virginia subs would have been a better buy.
ReplyDeletePete