“This modernization effort is like a new program with estimated costs of about $3 billion over the next six years,” Michael Sullivan, director of acquisition and sourcing management issues at GAO, told the House Armed Services Committee on March 23. “That price alone would qualify it as a major defense acquisition program in it own right and it should be managed as such.”

That is the only way to ensure that the Block 4 upgrade is subjected to the proper regulatory and management oversight as well as reporting requirements as any other program, Sullivan said. The F-22 Raptor’s upgrade program is managed as a separate major defense acquisition program.

Damn, the F-35’s Upgrades Are Expensive
http://warisboring.com/articles/damn-the-f-35s-required-upgrades-are-expensive/