Pentagon's Best-Kept Secret: F-35 Fighter Is Progressing Nicely

[noname1]

If you pay any attention to media coverage of the F-35 fighter program, then you know the Pentagon’s biggest weapons program is “troubled” (to use the favored adjective of reporters). Flight tests are lagging, costs are skyrocketing, and overseas partners are beginning to get cold feet. So the Joint Strike Fighter, as it used to be called, is looking like another black eye for the Pentagon’s fouled up acquisition system, right?

Wrong. The reality is that for the third straight year flight tests are ahead of schedule, the cost to build each plane is falling fast, and international partners are so enthused that new customers are getting in line for the F-35 on a regular basis (South Korea will be next). So how come you don’t know any of this? The reason you don’t know it is that political appointees have decided they can score points with Congress by attacking their own program, and national media always lead with the most sensational information.

Pentagon's Best-Kept Secret: F-35 Fighter Is Progressing Nicely - Forbes

 

[noname1]

The is never any projects like the F22 and F35 that don't have problems, but they seem to be working them out. The F22 and F35 are truly 5th generation planes the only ones produced.

 

[noname1]

The is never any projects like the F22 and F35 that don't have problems, but they seem to be working them out. The F22 and F35 are truly 5th generation planes the only ones produced.

 

[Killswitch]

Considering the INSANE costs involved, anything less than an amazing plane would make this project a huge failure.

The F 35 is meant to be the main US fighter in the future, replacing the F16, F 18's, and since the cancellation of the F22 production, even the F 15 to an extent. This plane HAS to deliver on all fronts technically and operationally or it will go down in history as a white elephant.