It will also likely stretch outprograms, buyingfewer and spendinglesseach yearonJointStrikeFighters, attack submarinesand everything fromtrucks and earthmoversto firearms.
So they are buying a version of the next-generation joint strike fighter that can take off and land vertically, eliminating the need for long runways or aircraft carrier catapults.
Most of the third-party studies by experts have concluded that buying an alternate engine to compete with the primary United Technologies engine in the joint strike fighter program would at best bring the government modest operational or budgetary benefits.
BP's belief is that the oligarchs regret the way they frustrated last year's attempt by the British oil giant to form a joint venture with the Russian state-owned energy colossus, Rosneft, which could have involved Rosneft buying out the oligarchs.