It is not going to be a good fighter plane.

What would have happened with the money if it weren't shoved up corporate ass anyway? Something as appaling as feeding the poor or providing healthcare and education for the needy is out of the question when there's a shiny new war toy on the shopping list.

This program is definitely a fucking mess, there can be no denying.

I'm a far-left guy when it comes to social issues but center-right when it comes to defense - like my gal, Hillary! So I have to say that while the program was mismanaged in the way only bureaucrats can do, we need to stick with it. The problems will get ironed out - just WAY over-budget. That sucks but if you don't like the USA as the wold police, how much do you think you'll like the Chinese in the same role?

The F35 program has a lot of parallels to the program to develop the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. That disaster was the subject of a revealing movie called Pentagon Wars. Google it. It was a comical (and tragic from the viewpoint of the tax-payer) mess that was eventually made right (sort-of). We do have a viable product today although at a cost that would make baby Jesus cry. I suspect it will be the same with the F-35.

It sucks but who would you rather have calling the shots? Murrica or China?

(May 7, 2015 at 2:55 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: It sucks but who would you rather have calling the shots? Murrica or China?

From where I'm standing, both options seem equally appealing. Like the difference between catching the flu and having the shits.

Manned aircraft are fast becoming obsolete.

(May 7, 2015 at 2:55 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: This program is definitely a fucking mess, there can be no denying.

I'm a far-left guy when it comes to social issues but center-right when it comes to defense - like my gal, Hillary! So I have to say that while the program was mismanaged in the way only bureaucrats can do, we need to stick with it. The problems will get ironed out - just WAY over-budget. That sucks but if you don't like the USA as the wold police, how much do you think you'll like the Chinese in the same role?

The F35 program has a lot of parallels to the program to develop the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. That disaster was the subject of a revealing movie called Pentagon Wars. Google it. It was a comical (and tragic from the viewpoint of the tax-payer) mess that was eventually made right (sort-of). We do have a viable product today although at a cost that would make baby Jesus cry. I suspect it will be the same with the F-35.

It sucks but who would you rather have calling the shots? Murrica or China?

As it is, the plane will need upgrading out of the box to keep up with the J-11D that China is rolling out.

All good arguments. But would you like "Murrica" to get out of the game and leave it to the Chinese? What kind of world do you think that would lead to?

It was a project too ambitious to be successful.

To try and pander to the needs of all three flying forces. You needed STOVL for the Marines, a normal platform for USAF, and a larger wing surface and reinforced landing gear for the Navy. The avionics was ahead of its time 10 years ago, and now is too buggy and got cut down to a point where it would be current 10 years ago.

What a disaster. But you have to build a new platform to enhance your capabilities to retain air superiority. I think this is a lesson of too many cooks combined with too big for your britches.