JigP, Jacko et al;
All very interesting. But ultimately EADS / Airbus is in the stickiest position here: they're the ones in contractual default, irrespective of the position of the test programme. Again, my questions are about the contractual position:
- How much cash do we get back if we terminate the programme?
- What damages are due to the partners for the delays?
- What is the controlling law for the contract?
And on JSF.... the DOT&E report is interesting ready. Makes you wonder whether the Administration is gutsy enough to bin the F-35B; I hope that they are. Assuming that CVF dies in the defence review, the UK would do well to push its buy back to the point at which the full spec of Block 3.0 has been proved (ie, sometime around 2019/20).
S41