This Thing Is a Flying Pig

[AFTT47]

It was a project too ambitious to be successful.

But you have to build a new platform to enhance your capabilities to retain air superiority.

Bottom line. It sucks but it's what we need.

[abaris]

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?

What's the big difference, even if your Chinaphobic picture were true? China didn't wage a hot war for decades as opposed to some other country I know of. They're too busy exploiting their own population and flooding the world with cheap junk - often produced by outsourced American and European corporations.

It's not that I love the chinese model so much, but when it comes to domination, both choices really don't seem at all appealing. Ultimately it would lead to the same world we're developing into anyway. Taking a dump on 99 percent of the people to make some select few unimaginable rich.

[Iroscato]

It's difficult to find exact figures, but I heard they've so far sunk a TRILLION dollars into this monstrosity? Can anyone verify that? Because if it's that or a comparable amount, I will be really rather angry about it.

[AFTT47]

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.

Really? You honestly think the Chinese government given the same power as the American government would have the same effect on the world? I think you're fucking crazy.

It's probably a good thing that American interests are balanced by the interests of foreign powers so we get an amalgam of them but if you think the world would be better by removing the American influence, you are out of your fucking mind.

America is flawed - no doubt about it. But what would you have us replace it with?

[SteelCurtain]

We've shown how long it takes to develop a reliable platform. It's too late to start it if we end up needing it. Part of air superiority is deterrence.

[rexbeccarox]

I can't help it.

[Thumpalumpacus]

[SteelCurtain]

[Minimalist]

it's just hard to swallow all that cost for the last 10 years for a new jet that has one engine, less payload, but stealth and new avionics.

Especially since the most likely enemy we will face during its operational lifetime can't even make their underwear explode.

[Hatshepsut]

It's difficult to find exact figures, but I heard they've so far sunk a TRILLION dollars into this monstrosity? Can anyone verify that? Because if it's that or a comparable amount, I will be really rather angry about it.

Probably not $1 trillion, but hardly chump change nonetheless. Parker seems to know a lot more about the F35 than I do. Ask him. All I remember is F35 drawing board stuff was buzzing the newswires quite a while ago, back the '80s when Lockheed wasn't even Lockheed-Martin yet.