Rolls-Royce fighting to stop Barack Obama axing $50bn fighter deal

[FarCenter]

Rolls-Royce is fighting a last-ditch battle to stop Barack Obama axing a military-engine contract that could see it share an estimated $50 billion (£30.7 billion) in sales over the next two decades.

The aero-engine maker was last week lobbying in Washington to prevent funding being withdrawn for its engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), expected to replace most combat aircraft in service.

Failure would be a serious setback for Rolls-Royce’s defence business, with job losses on both sides of the Atlantic.

It would be a stunning victory, though, for Pratt & Whitney, one of Rolls-Royce’s main rivals, which would be left as sole supplier of engines to the programme.

The British group’s contract, which is due to end on October 1, is now at the mercy of budget horsetrading between Congress, the Senate and the White House, with a final decision likely within three weeks.

<SNIP>http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article6841159.ece

[marmar]

1. The Military-Industrial Complex is the world's biggest collection of "Welfare Queens"

..... they will fight to the death to prevent their benefits from being cut off.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

4. I WISH THEY WOULD GET REAL JOBS

THAT ARE NOT IN THE DESTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

SUCH A WASTE OF I.Q.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. depends whether the government is going to say "Buy Amercian"

[Motown_Johnny]

3. I am all for the American company being the sole supplier, I wish it would happen more

Fuck Roles Royce with a hood ornament

[Ian David]

5. Imma let you finish, but Pratt & Whitney makes the best fighter engines of all time. n/t

[provis99]

6. and that is something to be proud of?

That's like being proud we have more nuclear weapons than anyone else (made with Canadian uranium, of course; thanks Canada, for protecting our asses).