Thanks Don for this article!
via Politico
Feb 3, 2014Long story short?
OSD TOLD THE NAVY: YOU CAN’T TAKE A ‘BREAK’ FROM THE F-35C: According to a congressional source, in its 2015 budget proposal, the Navy asked to take a three-year “break” from its production of the F-35C, its variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. Concerned this was a first step toward walking away from the program permanently, OSD told the Navy: no way.
It’s an open secret that the Navy would prefer to invest more in its F-18 fighters rather than buy the F-35C. But if the Navy pulled out of the program, the unit cost — already under scrutiny — would go up for the Air Force and the Marine Corps.
The US Navy wants out!
The OSD is FORCING THEM to stay with the questionable program. The only question left is when does Congress step in and say enough is enough and shit can the entire drain on our resources.
UPDATE: This deserves more comment than a bit of glee about being proven right about the Navy wanting out (I love how they're labeling it as conventional wisdom now). This is more proof of the issues that the F-35C is facing when it comes to getting aboard ship, points to lingering doubt about the planes combat effectiveness AND illustrates the fact that it isn't sunshine and unicorns inside the JSF program. This thing is falling apart right before our eyes.
