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unhappycamper

(60,364 posts)
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 05:55 AM Oct 2014

Lockheed’s F-35 Stealth Fighter: A $1.5 Trillion Waste of Tax Dollars

http://flaglerlive.com/70947/lockheeds-f-35-waste/



Lockheed’s F-35 Stealth Fighter: A $1.5 Trillion Waste of Tax Dollars
FlaglerLive | October 1, 2014
By Ryan Alexander

It’s not yet clear exactly how much the Pentagon’s fancy new F-35 combat jet will cost or when any of these stealth fighters will become operational. But the F-35 already shows great promise in the tough competition to become the most expensive weapons program ever undertaken.

Because of the jet’s projected eye-popping price tag of up to $344.8 million each, we at Taxpayers for Common Sense have always kept an eye on the F-35. And we were appalled by a request from the Pentagon in early September to shift funds from the so-called Overseas Contingency Operations fund to accelerate the purchase of eight of these planes.

The contingency fund supplements the official military budget to cover direct warfighting costs. But since the F-35s aren’t operational yet, there’s no way for them to do any warfighting. Fortunately, the House Appropriations Committee nixed that particular budgetary sleight of hand.

Days later, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) weighed in on the F-35, casting yet more doubt on its affordability. Following years of developing this fighter jet, the Pentagon “has not fully addressed several key risks to long-term affordability and operational readiness,” the GAO observed.
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Scuba

(53,475 posts)
1. Even if it worked, it wouldn't make us safer.
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 07:11 AM
Oct 2014

At a trillion and a half, it's undermining our economy and our society.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
3. Even if it worked. Even if it was the greatest plane of all time it would still be a bad choice.
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 07:15 AM
Oct 2014

No revenue coming in. How will they pay for it? They hope to pay for it through cutting "Entitlements".

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
2. Considering the nature of the US "opponent" our current fighter force is more than adequate.
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 07:13 AM
Oct 2014

They are going to produce this POS F-35 while enacting austerity measures.

This is not security. This is fake security.

Response to unhappycamper (Original post)

Turbineguy

(37,206 posts)
5. Not entirely.
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 08:13 AM
Oct 2014

If you consider that it is part of an effort to bankrupt the U.S. while making your friends rich and getting jobs for the boys, it's something of a success.

gordianot

(15,226 posts)
6. It is slower less manuverable than current generation of fighter aircraft.
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 08:35 AM
Oct 2014

In other words the flying pig F-35 will likely get you shot down and potential customers know it.

 

TRoN33

(769 posts)
7. That is why Lockheed won't win 6th generation fighter contract...
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 08:39 AM
Oct 2014

No with their F-22 & F-35 fiascos. Experts has already cast doubt on Lockheed's skill management because Boeing has already returned well over $60 million of taxpayer money (saving) back to government with their F/A-18E/F Super Hornets programmes. Boeing has already revealed air force's version of F-X that would almost guarantee to put halt into F-35 production.

Lockheed is going down but it won't be for good.

canuckledragger

(1,632 posts)
8. I don't think they really cared whether it worked or not.
Thu Oct 2, 2014, 11:28 AM
Oct 2014

It's all about siphoning taxpayer money into MIC pockets.

Like that scene in the original Robocop movie when the one corporate asshole was bullying the other one, whining about the loss of his ED-209 contract and all the perks it gave him..."Who cared it it worked!"

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