Troubles never seem to end for the F-35 Strike Fighter. Not yet fully operational, the nuclear-capable fighter-bomber recently had different test versions either leak oil in flight or burst into flames on takeoff.The F-35 is the world’s most expensive weapons system – $400 billion and counting. The estimated lifetime cost of this military-industrial project is $1.5 trillion.
The F-35 is already close to a decade behind schedule and its cost is already more than twice the original estimate. The Pentagon has lowered its performance specs and it’s still years from being operational.
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I take it that the author William Boardman, is the jounalist with approx yrs media experience and nil yr military experience. Taking a pop at the F35 is an easy way to earn a few bucks is it not.
ReplyDeleteFor such an experienced journo, he is not very well up on the facts concerning the UK is he.
We have not cut our order to 48 aircraft, this number is what the Defence secretary want for the first tranche. He is expected to announce a firm order for the first batch of 14 aircraft of this tranche at either RIAT or Farnborough this month.
He has also stated that the current problems with the aircraft will in no way alter the UK's decision to buy the aircraft. Which is a given, in that our new carriers are built for STOVL aircraft,and in the present configuration cannot accept conventional carrier aircraft.
Then I got to the part where SNAFU was quoted,and that was when I gave up on the article as a serious piece of writing.
The author lost any credibility by quoting that particular laughable blog.