Why The Pentagon Is Spending So Unbelievably Much On The F-35

[seabeckind]

12. That's it? All it does?

"aimed at building a next-generation aircraft that could replace a range of fighter, strike, and ground-attack aircraft, in 1996"

What? No VTOL? No hovering? No being able to haul an Abrams to a far off Ukrainian field?

That's it?

</sarcasm>

Typically designed system by a bean counter who looks at one or two factors, draws a parallel, then finds a contractor who will pay attention to him (his wallet actually, well, maybe not "his" exactly) and then proudly takes command. That'll teach them engineers and military guys that they don't know anything. (Afterall, the top politicos gave him the purse strings, didn't they? Must mean he's the smartest in the group.)

Pretty much an example of everything that's been going on in our society for the last 30 years, isn't it?

The engineers and scientists lost their chair at the round table. All that matters is the bottom line -- this quarter. Roads falling apart and bridges falling down but that shiney new convention center and connected 5 star hotel is awesome, isn't it?

</more sarcasm>