Pentagon Spokesman's Regular Briefing

DoD News Briefing

Tuesday, December 5, 2000 2:30 p.m. EST

Presenter: Rear Adm. Craig R. Quigley, DASD PA

Q: Can you update the time line for the V-22 beyond LRIP [low rate
initial production] decision? Is it still looking like - one, has
Cohen --

Quigley: I understand Dr. - Go ahead. I'm sorry.

Q: Has Cohen seen Dr. Coyle's report? And then is Dr. Buchanan still
on schedule to make a decision this Thursday?

Quigley: Dr. Buchanan had a meeting this morning, I understand, and he
has asked for more data to be provided to him, and will reschedule,
depending on the receipt of the data and if it's acceptable to him,
for later this month.

I don't know still if Secretary Cohen has been briefed on Phil Coyle's
report. As Ken said the other day from here, he knows that the
secretary has been updated by General Jones on a continuous basis, but
I don't know - and he's just not been around to stay in very close
contact with - as to whether or not he's had a chance to have the
Coyle work presented to him or had a chance to read it. I don't know.

Q: So the Navy has deferred a decision on production on V-22 until
more information is --

Quigley: Dr. Buchanan is the Navy Department's acquisition executive,
and what he asked for this morning is more data.

Q: Okay. And so he said, "I can't make a decision until I have more
data"?

Quigley: Correct.

Q: Do you know what data - at least what general category of data
he's looking for?

Quigley: No, I don't.