This austerity
stricken UK government has ordered 14, F-35B fighters at a cost to
the cash strapped taxpayer of £2.5 billion, this does not include
the running cost of the fighter over its life time, add several
billions more, an unquantifiable amount, for that. This super-duper
imperialist state toy, has to date cost $1 trillion to develop. For
power hungry states that want a slice of this new costly toy, they
have to contribute to the $1 trillion development costs. Its record
to date is not great, it has been met with ever increasing costs and delay after delay. Two
recent tests grounded the plane, one an oil leak, the second, a fire
on board, but no matter, they will push ahead with this instrument of
destruction as it puts trillions of dollars of taxpayers money into
the hands of big business. Despite its long development period, and
its hosepipe of money supply, it is still considered to be “too
dangerous to fly” “Effectively saying that the most expensive
warplane in American history is too dangerous to fly is a huge public
relations blow for the Pentagon,” Foreign Policy’s Kate Brannen Tuesday.
What has this got to do with you and I?
In November 2011, a
Pentagon study team identified the following 13 areas of concern that
remained to be addressed in the F-35:[167][168]
The
helmet-mounted display system does not work properly.
The fuel dump
subsystem poses a fire hazard.
The Integrated
Power Package is unreliable and difficult to service.
The F-35C's
arresting hook does not work.
Classified
"survivability issues", which have been speculated to be
about stealth.[167]
The wing buffet
is worse than previously reported.
The airframe is
unlikely to last through the required lifespan.
The flight test
program has yet to explore the most challenging areas.
The software
development is behind schedule.
The aircraft is
in danger of going overweight or, for the F-35B, not properly
balanced for VTOL operations.
There are
multiple thermal management problems. The air conditioner fails to
keep the pilot and controls cool enough, the roll posts on the F-35B
overheat, and using the afterburner damages the aircraft.
The automated
logistics information system is partially developed.
The lightning
protection on the F-35 is uncertified, with areas of concern.
Wikipedia
We are more familiar with this!!
This is the kind of
shit that our “democratic” governments throw money at, while
telling us that we can't afford, social services, we must face cuts
in education and health, the disabled are costing us too much, and the
unemployed will have to work for nothing, and so it goes on. The world
of capitalist insanity.
