Due to humongous cost overruns, the plane had to be redesigned again to reduce weight and remove costly accessories.
This is the latest photo.
Posted on 03/16/2015 5:27:41 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
The Pentagon’s embattled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter continues to be plagued with so many problems that it can’t even pass the most basic requirements needed to fly in combat, despite soaring roughly $170 billion over budget.
As the most expensive weapons program in the Pentagon’s history, the $400 billion and counting F-35 is supposed to be unlike any other fighter jet—with high-tech computer capabilities that can identify a combatant plane at warp speed. However, major design flaws and test failures have placed the program under serious scrutiny for years—with auditors constantly questioning whether the jet will ever actually get off the ground, no matter how much money is thrown at it.
Last year, military officials faulted contractors for all of the mistakes. Contractors claimed they had corrected the issues and that there wouldn’t be more costly problems down the road.
During an interview on 60 Minutes, Air Force Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, who is in charge of the program, said, “Long gone is the time when we will continue to pay for mistake after mistake after mistake. Lockheed Martin doesn’t get paid their profit unless each and every airplane meets each station on time with the right quality.”
However, a new progress report from the Defense Department casts serious doubts on the progress of the program.
The DOD’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation cites everything from computer system malfunctions to flaws with its basic design—it even found that the jet is vulnerable to engine fires because of the way it’s built.
A separate report from Military.com unearthed another embarrassing issue with the jet that suggests it won’t take off on time.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
E. Pluribus, I think your quoted phrase contains a typo or autocorrect.
It should say “He *WHO* spends...” (It currently says “He SHOW spends...”)
'Doesnt get paid their profit'... What the hell kind of business practice is that?? I mean it wasn't that long ago that when a vendor produced and sold something it was at some sort of an agreed price and he either made or lost money depending on how good a job he'd done.....
That is not a lot of aircraft to warrant the massive logistics support required for any platform.
Thousands of F-16s bring the cost of logistics down considerably. Likewise the F-15, UH-60, etc - thousands in inventory make it cheaper to support.
Less than a grand usd all up and I seriously doubt that any air force in the world has anything that could follow it down that mountain ravine.....
I guess the question might be raised as to how many of the people who negotiated the contracts on behalf of the people of the United States now work for the companies they negotiated with.
The article is not an in depth treatise on the subject. It is just a summary of other articles and reports. That is true. But is $400 billion a reasonable price for less than 200 planes?
It does fly. Lots of them are flying. This article is a useless hit piece using metaphor to imply the aircraft has some severe flaw making it unable to fly.
Unfortunately, you’re probably correct. Our defense industry is committed to fighting the last war, as are the generals.
You’re write. A typo. It’s actually not a quoted phrase. It’s a personal observation from having worked in bureaucracies.
The quotes were from Steely Tom - he was quoting your original post, FRiend.
Have a great day.
I am having keyboard-dyslexia today.
You win the thread, FRiend.
Under the stifling rules of engagement our military has lived with for both the Bush and Obama administrations, we might as well be flying Sopwith Camels.
Flies very fast.
It's economical on fuel
It very stealthy.
It's abilities are way beyond most other fighter aircraft.
It is sleek and beautiful in it's design.
AND.... it actually flies.
Due to humongous cost overruns, the plane had to be redesigned again to reduce weight and remove costly accessories.
This is the latest photo.
You're write.
: )
That’s why I said I had keyboard-dyslexia. :)
Far too expensive per copy, and I suspect not as stealthy as they had hoped and already vulnerable to a number of cheaper, asymmetrical technologies. Though that will, of course, be officially denied.
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