via National Defense Magazine...
It won't happen, the Marine Corps has mortgaged its future on the promise of an under performing airplane and endangered the future security of the nation by stubbornly sticking with a program that should have been shelved long ago.
Historians will judge everyone involved as being either fools, criminals or both.
Sullivan credited the Pentagon for making “difficult decisions through the years to put the F-35 on more sound footing, but more risks lie ahead and it will be important how these risks are managed.” The biggest snag is the F-35 software, which is holding back the entire program, Sullivan said. The other is the O&S cost. “The estimate right now is deemed unaffordable.”Even if the gimmick of setting up a "Cost War Room" does bear fruit when it comes to acquisition (which I seriously doubt), then the next impossible leap will be to make maintenance affordable.
It won't happen, the Marine Corps has mortgaged its future on the promise of an under performing airplane and endangered the future security of the nation by stubbornly sticking with a program that should have been shelved long ago.
Historians will judge everyone involved as being either fools, criminals or both.
Not only has our beloved Corps bet the farm on this plane...they have convinced the Navy to as well in the form of massively expensive upgrades to the large deck Amphibs. In this day and age of shrinking sequesterized budgets, for the Navy to spend that kind of money to prepare for this aircraft while seriously considering "mothball" 11 cruisers and possibly deny the midlife upgrade of the George Washington.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine what will happen if they decide to stop building carriers? Once lost, the capability to do such a monumental task will be lost for a generation.
Are we sure that we are committed to not only a "Pacific shift" but to the overall security of this Nation?
i quite seriously never put it together that way. WOW! this will be a post tonight! credit will be given and you'll be quoted. well done Marine!
DeleteI don't think they'll stop building carriers. Probably they will built a mix foce of manned and unmanned airplanes, Uclass and stand off weapons to continue doing the job. I hope they'll continue building Growlers and in the near future advance Super Hornets not just for the Navy but for the Marines too and Super Harriers commanding stealth Uclass.
ReplyDeletewww.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm1z_DkO3bQ
ReplyDeletewww.youtube.com/watch?v=wuVwpKbQxfU
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140406/DEFREG02/304060010/Canada-No-F-35-Buys-Before-2018?odyssey=mod_sectionstories
ReplyDeleteCanada deferred the F-35 decision until 2018.