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A lot of the stories you hear about the F-35 are simply untrue.

A lot of the criticism you hear about the F-35 are the same kind of criticism we have heard in the past about other aircraft.

For example, when the F-18 Hornet came out, it was criticized as having many of the same deficiencies that are being attributed to the F-35 such as short legs, poor reliability, poor maintainability, dependency on unreliable software for control systems, cost over runs, being a strike fighter compromising the planes capabilities as both a pure fighter and as a pure attack aircraft, lack of mission capability and so on and so forth.

The F-18 is now being touted as a superb aircraft and one of the best defense investments the US has ever made.

To cut to the chase, the F-35 is part of the vision of where future technology is heading in the tactical air environment.

If you buy into that vision, you like the F-35. If you don't buy into that vision, then you do not like the F-35.

Regarding costs, all current 4th and 5th generation Western tactical aircraft are VERY expensive and all cost North of $150 million per aircraft.

For example, the costs of the Euro Fighter Typhoon are on the order of 175 million Pounds Sterling per aircraft and the Dollar - Pound exchange rate is about 1.75 Dollars per pound Sterling so the unit acquisition cost of the Euro Fighter is about $325 million per plane.