요즈음 F-35 때문에 세계 곳곳에서 설전이 벌어지고 있습니다. 영국이 기술공개와 F-136 엔진 개발을 허용하지 않으면 F-35 개발 사업에서 떠나겠다고 으름장을 놓고 있고, 오스트레일리아는 미국이나 영국보다 다운그레이된 F-35를 구매할지도 모른다고 성토하고 있습니다. 노르웨이도 구매대수를 줄일 수 있다며 약간의 협박을 가하고 있고, 유러파이터는 이런 분위기를 이용해 터키에 은근히 추파를 던지는중 입니다. 오스트레일리아의 불만으로 봐서는 적어도 영국에 공급되는 F-35는 다운그레이드가 안된 기종이 될 가능성이 높은것 같네요. 하지만 이런 상황에서 나온 미국 반응이 가관이네요. 현재 벌어지고 있는 상황이 그리 심각한 상황은 아니라고 생각하고 상황에 따라서는 영국없이 F-35를 생산할 수 있다는 얘기가 나왔습니다. 기 싸움에서 지지않겠다는건지 콧방귀도 안뀌는건지 모르겠지만 양국간에 갈등이 더 심해지지 않을까 싶네요. 다른 F-35 사업국들의 반응이 어떨지도 궁금해 집니다. " http://money.iwon.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt_top.jsp?cat=TOPBIZ&src=704&feed=dji§ion=news&news_id=dji-00129420060316&date=20060316&alias=/alias/money/cm/nw " When Pressed, DoD Says It Could Build F-35 Without UK      Thursday March 16, 7:21 PM EST WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- The Defense Department's chief weapons buyer said Thursday that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program could continue without its international partners, if current disputes over export controls and engine makers escalated to a point of no return. Ken Krieg, the Pentagon's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said such a showdown was hardly imminent. "I don't think we're at that stage," Krieg said at a House Armed Services Committee panel hearing. But when pressed, Krieg acknowledged that continuing the program without the U.K. was possible. Britain is the lead partner on the $256 billion program headed by Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) (LMT). "Yes, we can build a joint strike fighter," Krieg said, responding to a barrage of questions from U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., and chairman of the subcommittee holding the hearing. Krieg protested questions that would "speculate" about a negative outcome to current negotiations. The U.S. wants to work with allied nations to share development costs, deepen military ties and take advantage of a global supply chain, he said. But Weldon pushed for a more definite answer. "Could you build the program without the Brits? We have to speculate because we have to make a decision," Weldon said. The Joint Strike Fighter has come under heavy scrutiny on Capitol Hill this week because of a new Pentagon plan to cancel the fighter's alternate engine program, which is led by General Electric Co. (GE) (GE) and U.K.-based Rolls-Royce PLC (RR.LN). The Senate held two hearings dedicated to the program, followed by Thursday's House panel hearing. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., has been an outspoken proponent of the two-engine strategy. Few other lawmakers have taken up the issue as strongly, however, although they have quizzed Pentagon planners heavily about the rationale for the move. U.K. officials oppose cutting the alternate engine, which would give a monopoly to U.S.-based United Technologies Corp.'s (UTX) (UTX) Pratt & Whitney (UTX) unit for the thousands of F-35 planes expected to be sold around the world. The U.K. also is concerned about export controls that have so far limited the transfer of key technology. At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week, U.K. defense procurement minister Peter Drayson said the U.K. would drop out of the program if its concerns were not allayed. The U.K. and other partner nations are working with the Pentagon this year on a memorandum of understanding for long-term participation in the program. -By Rebecca Christie, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-****-9243; Rebecca.Christie@ dowjones.com