The F-35 imo is one of the most hopelessly overpriced military projects in history. Some days ago I read that the US alone calculates the complete costs, including operation costs over the projected lifetime of the project, not in hundreds of billions, but in trillions.
And we all know that official numbers always describe only the most optimistic scenario imaginable, and then adding some positive factors to it to make it look even better.
Too expensive. Much too much expensive. esopecially if ypou already have a growing budget deficit, and debts of - how many trillions were it? 15 trillion, or 18?
I wonder if we just need to sit and wait to see the project being axed down in size dramatically.
I also question the ability of the F-35 to replace dedicated GA planes like the Warthog. It's loadout does notconvince me, and loading it externally, if that is possible, necessarily compromises it'S stealth feature which they paqy so much money for.
The legs of it already are under fire anyway.
I would even prefer a fleet of drones to the F-35. And would invest into drones, and maintaning the A-10 for longer than planned. And the F-16. Anbd then there is the F-18.
Stanislaw Lem once wrote an essay about weapon systems of the 21st century. He envisioned that the US Air Force would consist of only three airplanes anymore, kept in a well-hidden bunker and never being deployed - they were too precious as if to expose them to the risk of loosing even just one of them.
