NGAD: Why The U.S. Air Force’s New $300 Million Fighter Is In Trouble

National Security Journal ^ | 7/20/2024 | Robert Farley

[whyilovetexas111]

How in gods name can we afford this thing? We are already in 34 trillion in debt!

[kiryandil]

It looks great until the drone swarms get it.

[TexasFreeper2009]

we should be making millions of large armed drones instead of this type of thing.

[Integrityingovt]

Get rid of the 70% of the federal government workforce, particularly those who don’t want to come back to the office and don’t renew the leases on all the federal government office buildings that are leased and currently empty and you’ll have plenty of money for this aircraft.

[Carriage Hill]

Better idea: scrap that ‘new’ crapbox fighter, and put the savings from it and unrenewed building office leases, into paying down the national debt.

[I-ambush]

I agree that drones are probably the winning strategy for the future. However, the Air Force is led by pilots.

[null and void]

we should be making millions of large armed drones instead of this type of thing.

Why large?

[Blennos]

We can’t afford this. $300 million per plane? By the time it is completed, if ever, it will be $1 billion per plane. But no matter. We can just print more money! Hyperinflation here we come.

[TexasFreeper2009]

large enough to carry missles similar to what a fighter would carry

[Right_Wing_Madman]

the Air Force is led by pilots.

The Houthis understand next-generation warfare better than the US Air Force.

[Mr. Lucky]

Jeepers, haven't you been paying attention?

The President can just forgive the debt and then everything will be OK.

[aimhigh]

The author’s overuse of acronyms is obnoxious.

[PGR88]

American Generals are still living in the WWII model, and the defense contractors are along for the cash.

[null and void]

Fair point! I was thinking of more, many more, drones that all have a multi purpose warhead.

Something like Clancy described, a shaped charge anti-armor tip, a fragmentation case, and a zirconium ring to set everything nearby ablaze.

[maro]

Generals rise to their positions because of political skills not strategic ones. Maybe these decisions on strategy should be left to the majors and colonels.

[9YearLurker]

A $300M fighter, pretty much by definition, is a scam.

[The Louiswu]

Drones are the future.

[SuperLuminal]

That has been true since forever...

[Racketeer]

No one will ever ask the question: Why do they cost so much?

[FrankRizzo890]

This is a constant story. The Osprey was in trouble, the F-22 was in trouble, the F-35 was in trouble, etc.