F-35. Worst investment ever?

[Chewback]

I didn’t say it was very cost effective 😂

As a retired Mx guy I have some serious issues with the aircraft on that front. Have a couple good friends working at the F-35 school house on Eglin and they have stories…

But we’re basically stuck with it…at the end of the day it can still kick some ass.

Yeah, as long as you don't have to actually fly it.

 

[SA_Hawk]

Must be ok China made an almost exact copy of it.

 

[SA_Hawk]

 

[mnole03]

Must be ok China made an almost exact copy of it.

You know they were trolling calling it the J-35.

 

[seminole97]

Must be ok China made an almost exact copy of it.

Two engines would probably make the F-35 a better plane.

 

[lucas80]

Designing three different variants was the boondoggle.

The F-35 program could have been a cost effective way to meet volume requirements. They tried to do too much. We spent way more than expected for an unreliable fleet. The fact that we’re still using F-22s for so many intercepts is pretty telling.

Getting so many of our allies to buy them was a helluva boondoggle.

 

[seminole97]

Getting so many of our allies to buy them was a helluva boondoggle.

It is, because our allies are poorer than Mississippi, and they can't afford many of these planes, of which barely half can be counted on to be mission capable at any time.
That's a problem when you have 1000 and can only use 550, but it's really a problem when you can only afford 20, of which 11 can be counted on when you need them.

 

[SA_Hawk]

Two engines would probably make the F-35 a better plane.

They needed two engines because one can’t do the job.

 

[SA_Hawk]

 

[Hawkman34]

The F-35A is fine, especially with the upgraded engine. Unfortunately sustainment costs are spread across the entire program and are now expected to approach $2 trillion.

That is a travisty. No freaking jet should EVER cost that much. Good grief.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

So much stupid in this thread.

 

[SA_Hawk]

 

[seminole97]

Kudos to the fine folks at Martin-Baker: