Section 215-Limitation on Obligation of Funds for the Propulsion System for the F-35 Lightning II Aircraft Program.

This section would limit the obligation or expenditure of funds for performance improvements to the F-35 Lightning II propulsion system unless the Secretary of Defense ensures that funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2012 for the continued development and procurement of two options for such propulsion system are obligated or expended in order to ensure the competitive production of such propulsion system.

This section would define the term "performance improvement", with respect to the propulsion system for the F -35 Lightning II aircraft program, as an increase in fan or core engine airflow volume or maximum thrust in military or afterburner setting for the primary purpose of improving the take-off performance or vertical load bring back of such aircraft, and would not include development or procurement improvements with respect to weight, acquisition cost, operations and support costs, durability, manufacturing efficiencies, observability requirements, or repair costs.

