Maybe the answer is in not awarding the entire contract, to one company.
Maybe have two production sources, for everything. Always have a completion. On everything.
Always keep them, every trying to improve, every single thing.
Then again, I have never been in the military, and of course am not trying to get anyone who is, or has any sort of information to say one word.
To anyone.
But I think maybe, what Trump is saying is the procurement system currently seems to reward one contractor, who then runs with the contract to maximize their profits.
Maybe they need to compete. Even now. Have Boeing, producing a competitor, right now.
Not an F-18, but a real live competitor to the F-35. Maybe even better?
Competition.
Always.
Even the SOVIETS understood that in aircraft design, competition was a GOOD THING.