$508 Million Added to B-2 Bomber Costs
The B-2 Stealth bomber program will cost $508 million more next year than Defense Secretary Dick Cheney estimated in April, when he cut 1991 production from five planes to two, the Air Force said Monday.
Air Force Maj. Dick Cole said Congress was informed of the increased cost in a July 11 letter from Air Force Secretary Donald B. Rice.
Cole attributed the extra $508 million to increased overhead and fixed costs by the contractor, Northrop Corp.
The Air Force had estimated in January it would cost $5.4 billion for the B-2 program in fiscal 1991. But Cheney reduced 1991 production and cut the entire program from 132 planes to 75.
Cheney said that the new budget for fiscal 1991 would be about $4.14 billion.
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