Article

2014-08-22 Science & Technology

Business Insider: Why the F-35 fiasco has turned into a trillion dollar fail

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Posted by Besoeker 2014-08-22 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 ...This may be contrary to popular wisdom, but I don't think the F-35 has gone terminal just yet. LockMart and the pols/appointees who enabled this to go far over budget (or more correctly, KNEW how much it would cost and misled/lied about it) need to pay a high price, but the aircraft itself has had roughly the same level of problems as other cutting-edge birds that eventually worked their problems out. I would remind people of such disasters as:

F-111 - a maintenance, reliability, and combat nightmare when first introduced, not to mention the very first Cost Overrun From Hell(TM), and eventually became a superb strike bird with a 30 year career.

F-16 - Had some remarkably bad habits when it entered service: wire bundle chafing that led to fires, and hiccups with the APU that led to fatalities. Now a global standard.

F-15 - A maintenance disaster when it entered service that badly embarrassed the USAF. Now, after nearly 40 years, still undefeated in aerial combat.

The fact is that the first production run of any new aircraft is going to be a horror show. Yes, we have every right to be angry about the problems that the -35 has faced, especially when one remembers that it had more than a decade of test and development behind it. But I respectfully suggest it's still too early to call it a capital F-Failure yet.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2014-08-22 09:19|| 2014-08-22 09:19|| Front Page Top

#2 Look how long it took to get the Osprey in service.

Posted by Elmeager Big Foot7903 2014-08-22 13:54|| 2014-08-22 13:54|| Front Page Top

#3 F-16 trivia: Originally offered to the USN as a replacement for the A-7 ( Light Attack). USN then decided it wanted 2 engines; enter the F/A 17 that morphed into the Hornet. The F-16 hit every data point the navy wanted right out of the box; the Hornet had to wait till it got 'Super-sized' to hit those original requirements. The change to multi engine was AFTER the RFQ was let.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2014-08-22 14:13|| 2014-08-22 14:13|| Front Page Top

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