European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 27, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday september 27, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 5 Navy reports drop in Price of front line of by Norman Black Washington a the Price of the Navy Snew front line Sci fighter the f/a-18, has dropped almost 17 percent since 1982, the service reported. The so called Fly away Cost of a single f/a-18 has dropped from $22.5 million per plane in 1982 to $18.7 million during this fiscal year. The Fly away Cost includes a fully equipped phone but docs not include spare parts. The Navy attributed its Success primarily to efforts to create More Competition through the service s procurement programs. In 1982, we bought 63 aircraft at a Fly away Cost of $22.5 million cmdr. Ken Dell Pease a Navy spokesman said wednesday. In 1983, we purchased84 planes at a Fly away Cost of $20.8 million. In 1984. We purchased another 84 at a Cost of $20.2 million each. And this year we re buying another 84, and we be seen the Fly away Cost decline again to $18.7 million. That s a 16.9 percent change from 1982 to 1985. And it s largely attributable to the competitive environment that the Secretary Navy Secretary John f. Lehman or has the f/a-18 is designed to operate from aircraft carriers. The Navy which so far has taken delivery of More than 240 of the planes eventually Hopes to acquire 1,377 of the jets at an Overall estimated Cost of $42.9 billion. Lasi week. The Navy s Competition advocate. Rear adm. Stuart Plait disclosed the service had launched a new Siudy to determine whether it is feasible to inject More Competition into the f/a-18 program. The prime contractor for the plane is the Mcdon Nell Douglas corp. Of St. Louis Bui the los Angeles based Northrop corp. Serves As an unusually Large subcontractor. Some Navy sources say the service is examining the question of whether Money could be saved by asking both firms to produce the plane independently. Vow body Plant in West Virginia shutting Down Detroit a Volkswagen of America inc., saddled with slow sales of its Small cars announced wednes Day that it would close its South Charles Ion w.va., Metal stamping Plant. The Plant which makes body parts forthe cars will be closed Over the next two years affecting 870 workers vow official said from their suburban Detroit Headquarters. The West Virginia Plant was designed to Supply enough Metal to make 200,000 cars a year at vow s Westmoreland county pa., Assembly Plant and 300,000 a year at Ster Ling Heights. Mich. Return to big cars those plans were made when subcompact Economy cars like the vow Rabbit were in Vogue in America. The american return to larger cars and the increasing Competition from Small japanese cars caused vow to scuttle plans for he Ster Ling Heights Plant and to run the West Moreland factory far below capacity. The Westmoreland factory opened in 1978 to produce rabbits now produces a new subcompact. The Golf at far below 50 percent of capacity. The Michigan Plant was sold to Chrysler corp. The Pennsylvania factory was the first Domestic car sales 2.75 in i futons of cars january june half year comparisons 1984 pm Ford Chrysler Honda am Chicago Tribune graphic source Industry sales statistics vow t i soviet reporter in Kentucky claims he was attacked during miners7 strike Mccarr. Tkv. Fast a in gift Mao. In in n nor Lynn Matt not. A in t cent .1, by. A soviet mag Azine correspondent told police he was at tacked by two Well dressed men As he tried to interview pickets on strike against an Eastern Kentucky Coal company. They kept screaming something about you bloody russian " Lona Andropov said in an interview. They were dressed Well he said and just did t have working class faces. These people did t look like working class peo ple Andropov . Correspondent for the literary Gazette a Magazine published in Moscow said he was looking for United mine workers pickets tuesday at the . Massey Coal co. When the two men drove up in a pickup truck. He said they jumped out and began Yel Ling and hitting him in the face and left Arm through his open car window. Andropov 48, who lives in new York City suffered minor injuries that did not require medical attention said trooper Kenneth Frost of the Kentucky state police. The incident occurred in the Blackberry Creek area near the Kentucky West Vir Ginia Border where the ump is picketing several Coal mines operated by Massey subsidiaries. Frost said Andropov reported he Inci Dent to West Virginia state police. Ken Tucky authorities on wednesday went to his Motel room in Williamson to question him. Andropov who is beginning a 3 to 5 year tour in the United states held the same Post in 1976, when he visited the re Gion to report on John Robinette. Rob Inetti a Vulcan w.va., resident had made a highly publicized Appeal to the soviets for foreign Aid to build a Bridge that the state said it could not finance. On the Day Andropov arrived to talk to Robinette the West Virginia department of highways announced it had found funds for the Bridge. The Span was opened in 1980. Massey has been the object of a selective strike by the ump since it refused to sign the Union s National agreement with the bituminous Coal operators association Las oct. I. Navy women tile harassment charges Newport . A four Navy enlisted women have filed sexual harassment complaints against their com Mander alleging he tried to get dates and sexual favors from them. The women filed affidavits with the naval investigative service charging that cmdr. John r. Hollis in charge of Navy personnel in Rhode Island and most of Massachusetts since november used his position to harass them. Hollis who has been relieved of his com Mand pending the outcome of Navy proceedings has denied it. Navy spokeswoman Mary k. Silvia said Hollis was the first Newport officer to be relieved of his com Mand in at least is years. Hollis was stripped of command May 2, but was not presented with formal charge until aug. 12. Those charges were reported this week in an article in Navy times a privately owned Virginia based weekly newspaper that covers Navy matters. Hollis 38, is charged with five military counts As a result of an inquiry by the naval investigative service. Four of the allegations involve fraternizing with enlisted personnel and one involves Drunken Ness in uniform. Two of the fraternization charges say that Hollis romantically pursued the enlisted women and that he kissed them. An other complaint accuses him of using suggestive words and making physical advances while the fourth says he had sex Ual relations with one of the women. The incidents allegedly occurred since january at two off base Newport taverns. Next month a hearing similar to a civil Ian grand jury proceeding is expected to be held in Newport. The Case could proceed Toa court martial. Car Assembly plan build on . Soil by a foreign automaker. The plan just did t happen vow spokesman Joseph Bennalt said. Bennett said vow would consider buying Cal stampings from outside suppliers or from the mexican or brazilian operations of the West German Parent company. Volkswagen a. Labor costs weren t a Factor in the Clos ing he said. We will be trying to find a buyer for the plan and save those Bennett said. If a buyer in t found he said the workers will be indefinitely Laid off. Vow held a meeting to break the news to workers. The company told them that it is determined to maintain production atthe Assembly Plant. Mainstay of Economy the West Virginia plan has become a mainstay of the local Economy. City officials including Aubrey Orcutt chairman of South Charleston area development corp. Said they received no warning of the closing. Last year vow signed agreements with Chrysler general motors corp. And Ford motor co. To Slamp body parts for them at South Charleston. Bennett said vow would meet those commitments either at other vow plants or by subcontracting the work. Vow Drew $69.3 million from a taxpayer subsidized Kanawha county Bond Issue for the pm and Ford contracts. In All the Kanawha county commission approved i 25 million in subsidized Bonds for vow. Sands or time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Sept. 27, 1945 Russia is dissatisfied with what it called the soft occupation policy of the United states in close to the big five conference of foreign ministers in London said the .s.r. Has demanded that a four Power commission be established to direct Gen. Douglas Macarthur. 30 years ago foday. Sept. 27, 1955 an estimated 2,000,000 illegal abortions Are performed in the United states each year according to the woman s Home companion in Newyork. 20 years ago today. Sept. 27, 1965 a . Marine amphibious Force assaulted the Vung Mia pen insula on the vietnamese coast and paratroopers uncovered a Cache of soviet made rifles in a Large scale operation. 10 years ago today. Sept. 27, 1975 House intelligence committee chairman Otis Pike d-n.y., proposed that the panel ask the full Home Tot a vote of Confidence on its demands that the Ford administration turn Over secret information
