It appears as though U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is shutting down the Marine Corp's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet in part to cut back on military spending. (See what you did Tea Party? Scared Obama into making our country less safe.)
The decision could affect GE Aviation to the tune of $80 million in federal funding to continue development of its alternative engine for the jet. The report says the two-year probation will allow Lockheed Martin more time to demonstrate the plane's reliability, though one source confirmed that the probation was due in part to an unauthorized fly-by that made Gates spill his coffee.—-
