Top military pilots grounded by F-35 mess

[liberty2897]

$385 billion? That just seems surreal to me...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46539898/#.T0vrYj3pZwd


But just as the program appeared to be taking off, it was grounded over a variety of concerns. They range from improperly installed parachutes under the pilots' ejector seats, to worries at the Pentagon that there has not been enough testing of the jets, to ongoing concerns by some in Congress that the entire F-35 program is too expensive. Its projected cost has jumped from $233 billion to an estimated $385 billion, including development. Forty-three F-35s have been built and another 2,443 have been ordered by the Pentagon.

[jmdrake]

The fun part about this whole program is that since the technology is "shared" with our would be allies it means that we've developed the "next generation of air superiority" while simultaneously insuring that we won't have air superiority. (It's just a matter of time before one gets sold to someone we don't like).

Oh. Some funny number coincidences for the F-35.

Concerns about the stealth jets' safety, cost overruns and questions about the entire program's feasibility have delayed the training and left about 35 pilots mostly outside the cockpit.

Its projected cost has jumped from $233 billion to an estimated $385 billion, including development. Forty-three F-35s have been built and another 2,443 have been ordered by the Pentagon.

It this story had been written when 35 fighters (instead of 43 fighters) had been produced I would have fallen out of my chair.

[Acala]

Mission accomplished - pour money into military contractor pockets.

[tod evans]

Mission accomplished - pour money into military contractor pockets.


Pour BORROWED money into military contractor pockets. ;)

[fatjohn]

That´s about the ISS and Apollo programs put together adjusted for inflation. In other words, about the costs of a permanent base on the moon.

[fisharmor]

For more context, that's over half of the entire 2010 annual defense spending - with what, six different hot conflicts going on?
That's not a cost overrun... that's just fucking insane.
That's enough money to give over $1000 to every man, woman, and child in the United States.
If you mandated them each buying a rifle and 500 rounds of ammo, we'd have good old-fashioned Keynesian economic stimulus AND we'd be better defended as a nation.

[seraphson]

Pour BORROWED money into military contractor pockets. ;)

Pour BORROWED NON-EXISTANT money into military contractor pockets.

Also, 2,443 on order? Did I read that correctly. That is one HELL of a squadron. What on God's sweet green earth would one nation need 2500 of these for?

[gerryb]

The total program cost is over $1T

[flightlesskiwi]

boyz and their toyz.

edit: the plan is to basically strip down the AF guard/reserve, cut the A-10 (arguably the most effective Close Air Support aircraft in the US arsenal), and do away with the brand spanking new less than 500 hours on them C-27 program. if it (the plan) can get through CONgress.

also... drones drones drones and f-35's baby, yeah!!!

so much fer cuts.

[NidStyles]

Have they even calculated the long-term maintenance costs on these things yet? I've seen videos of them, and I see a lot of high heat moving parts. That means a lot of wear and tear.