About that "testing" of the F-35 on the USS Wasp...

I got off to a late start this morning and while going thru my e-mails I came across this note from Bryan...

This is fantastic. Six of these lawn darts on Wasp to do operational testing. Where are the rest of the aircraft that they will share the deck with? 2 x SH-60, 12 x MV-22, 4 x CH-53E, 7 x “skid kids”. Any operational testing is absolutely worthless without all the other aircraft to work around. They need to incorporate this thing into deck cycles and all the moving around involved.
False data is all they are developing in this “test”.

I think he's onto something.  Fact.  The USMC is declaring IOC this summer but the airplane is scheduled to do its first deployment in 2018...another 3 years from now...so ask yourself....why the rush to declare IOC now?

This is nothing but a choreographed publicity stunt to give supporters ammunition and an attempt to silence its critics. 

You can't ignore the obvious with the F-35.

It has destroyed the budget of the USMC, and several of our allies.  Dogged determination to complete a task or take an objective might be applauded...but as in every effort by man, there comes a time when its just better to walk away.

We passed that point with the F-35 years ago.

Sidenote:  American Mercenary has an interesting article up where he's covered the latest "moves" by the USAF, USN and USMC with regard to legacy aircraft.  Long story short?  They're behaving as if the "death spiral" is already here and that far fewer aircraft will be purchased based on the upgrades that are being made.  Read it here.