F-35 program; Flying Rust Bucket?
The F-35 program has been and remains a significant disappointment. It has suffered from a delay of six years and has gone over budget by billions of dollars. Despite an expenditure of over $400 billion, the military is now openly acknowledging that the F-35 program will not meet its initial expectations. Many of the F-35’s shortcomings are highlighted in the video below.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, who heads the JSF program, emphasized the need for careful consideration regarding what is truly required from the sixth-generation fighter and how much overlap exists in the needs of the Navy and the Air Force. He made these comments at a military seminar in Washington, D.C., on March 10.
Lt. Gen. James Holmes, an Air Force deputy chief of staff, further emphasized that the sixth-generation fighter’s mission is likely to be different enough from the F-35 that it won’t be the same aeroplane, speaking to reporters in February.
Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work has expressed reservations about the F-35 as well. He indicated that reducing tactical fighter squadrons from 54 to 45 and replacing them all with F-35s might not be a favourable outcome. He shared these thoughts with the trade magazine Flight Global on March 10. The Air Force faces challenges in both reducing squadrons and acquiring enough new F-35s for all the squadrons it requires.
“It is always hardest to kill a program when it is already in production and the services have decided it is truly important to finish it,” Gordon Adams, a professor of foreign policy at American University, told Bloomberg.
“We cannot afford to assume that the enemy will resemble the threats of recent wars, nor can we assume that future fights won’t require greater numbers of advanced aircraft,” Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican and chairman of a key Senate armed services subcommittee, said during a March 8 budget hearing. Read full Story
One more video that Highlights how terrible the F-35 is
Other interesting stories
U.S Superpower End Game: Russia & China on Gold Buying Spree (March 11)
Saving for retirement: Invest in stocks & retire rich (March 9)
China powering ahead with supply-side reforms (March 8)
Stock Bull Market over; Mob Psychology disagrees (March 2)
Beliefs Dangerous to long term financial success (March 1)
Can China attract Foreign Talent via Issuing extra Green Cards (Feb 29)
