Via 4Branch "This is why I argue for dual sourcing. OK so Boeing lost the JSF competition, Lockheed has to give them the plans and in the first three years procurement gets split 60/40 between the two plants. Lockheed gets 60 as a reward for winning the competition. At the end of three years, whoever delivers planes with less unit-cost gets 60% of the next contract. At the end of that contract, we re-evaluate again before awarding a weighted contract for the next batch....This damn boondoggle has been in development since Bubba and his lovely wife Bruno were in the White House in the mid-90s. It should have been in service in numbers 10 years ago. But here we are and only Lockheed is slowly pumping them out...During World War 2 Vought's Corsair was also built by Brewster and Goodyear. GM build Grumman's Wildcat and Avenger. Bell built their own P-39 series as well as Curtiss' P-40. Ford built Consolidated's B-24. Let's get some of that going so we no longer have only a single source who can cry for more money."
The United States Air Force announced the need for a new multi-use fighter jet to replace its aging F-16 fleet, while stressing that it would not feature the same high-price tag and technological prowess of the F-35.
The announcement, made by Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Brown came as a surprise to defence analysts, given that the F-35 was pegged as the modern fifth generation aircraft that would replace the F-16.
Instead, Air Force Chief Brown suggested they would develop a “fifth-generation-minus” fighter jet.
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The military industrial complex in the USA is FAR less concerned with producing the hardware we need and FAR FAR too focused on milking the US taxpayers of every dollar they can.
ReplyDeleteAs Ike warned us about.
DeleteThe Navy has been screaming for the last five years that it needs a 21st century version of the venerable F-14 (A fighter in a class all it's own in my book.) for fleet air defense, citing the fact that the F-35 can't handle the job. Perhaps they'll get their wish!
ReplyDelete& we pay for their mistake.
DeleteThe Air Force made this mistake once before with the F-111. They need to have purpose built plane. A plane for close air support that can kill tanks, a plane for recon, another for air-to-air dogfighting, precision bombing, and whatever other specialty needed.
ReplyDeleteSame as fishing poles. Years ago I cut down a surf pole to make it work for the surf and boat. I'm sure you know the rest of the story. :)
DeleteOnly now does .mil admit it. After contractors have made Billions on top of Billions in running this boondoggle. Pull my other finger.
ReplyDeleteI say Gen. Charles Brown will be out within the coming months. Speaking the truth like that, who do you think you are!
Speaking the truth like that, who do you think you are!
Delete:)