The F-35 has cost taxpayers 1.5 TRILLION dollars...so far.

[trof]

And it's still not worth a shit.

"The flying characteristics of an aircraft can be determined from its statistics – that is, things like the weight divided by the wing area, weight relative to thrust, etc. The F-35 was still a light bomber. Its engine is optimized for operating at about 20,000 feet. By 2008, simulations had shown that the F-35 was not fit to be a fighter aircraft. This was in a RAND study by Dr. John Stillion, which concluded that the F-35 "can't turn, can't climb, can't run."

Now, ten years after the F-35 first flew, it remains in development, though 180 have been built. None of those aircraft can operate in combat; all will have to be modified if and when the final design has been settled on. There is not much point in doing that, because the F-35 has a number of show-stoppers that would kill it instantly in a rational world."

The F-35's operating cost of $50,000 per hour means that we won't be able to afford to give its pilots enough flying time to be fully proficient. The F-35 has a logistics system (ALIS) that requires an internet connection to a centralized maintenance system in the United States. ALIS is kept permanently informed of each aircraft's technical status and maintenance requirements. ALIS can, and has, prevented aircraft taking off because of an incomplete data file. If the internet link is down, the aircraft can't fly even if there is nothing wrong with it. This is one of the more bizarre problems. It could lead to a situation in which enemy aircraft are inbound and the F-35s are refueled and ready to go but can't take off to meet the threat.

Much more: http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/01/5_reasons_why_our_f35s_are_too_dangerous_to_fly.html

[Octafish]

1. $50,000 an hour to fly seems steep.

Especially considering how public school kids are supposed to go without art and books and such.

[Hydra]

7. Ya, I always think about this when they talk about how we have no money for social programs

As Orwell points out in 1984, it's good for the ruling party to sink labor into ships and other weapons of war that are never used. The money stays out of the hands of normal people and everyone is kept busy for no real purpose.

[pa28]

13. That's it.

F-35 is the world's most expensive paper weight built purely for it's own sake.

[valerief]

2. Yeah, but think of the WAR PROFITEERS making money off this. That's what capitalism is.

Take from the Treasury and...take some more. It's the American way. A racket.

[BlueStreak]

3. That's about $10,000 per taxpayer

[Hydra]

8. And it's just 1 weapons program

This is likely just the tip of the iceburg for the level of waste on war spending.

[NightWatcher]

4. But we can't afford FREE healthcare and education???

And anyone suggesting that we could are CRAZY.

[trof]

6. Noooo. It would cost too much.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Programs like the F-35 is over spending in the defense

Budget. BTW, the helmets cost around $400,000 apiece. I am amazed the F-35 program continues to be funded without bringing the executives of Lockheed Martin to explain the cost over runs. And yes, the money could have been used to repair and extend our infrastructure and resulting in jobs for Americans. Go figure.

[jillan]

9. The sucky part of this, yes we do need to stop building them but all those people lose

their jobs.

This is the exact kind of bs the Congress should figure out. Discontinue one program but transfer the employees to something else.

[trof]

10. Oh...like maybe renewable energy?

Wind, solar, hydro?

[jillan]

14. That would be great!

[tk2kewl]

11. infrastucture

easy peasy

[msongs]

12. Based in vermont. what presidential candidate loves and supports the f 35 progam? nt

[trof]

15. I'll be damned. Looks like you're right.

The Vermont Air National Guard would be first guard unit to get F-35s.
Looks like Bernie is not well versed or advised on aircraft procurement.
I am disappointed.
Also...on his website I can find no way to "contact Bernie".
I would email him if I could.

[trof]

16. Sander's position on the F-35

http://taskandpurpose.com/sanders-position-on-the-f-35-contradicts-his-views-on-defense-spending/

[frylock]

18. Hillary Clinton..

she wants to sell them to Israel.

[catnhatnh]

19. Good idea....

We might lose a fortune but will definitely save American lives...

[frylock]

21. It's a piece of junk..

this is one of the few areas that I would disagree with Sen Sanders.

[trof]

20. Hell yes! We need to sell them to any suckers who will buy them.

[B Calm]

28. and she voted for the Iraq War. .

[Andy823]

22. I found this

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/24583-bernie-sanders-doubles-down-on-f-35-support-days-after-runway-explosion

"So, while Bernie Sanders is saying we should cut military spending to fund free college for everyone, his defense of the F-35 means that despite everything else, Sanders is still just a politician. Sooner or later, the F-35 will eventually be replaced by something even more expensive, while the F-35 joins the thousands of other unused fighter jets in the boneyard. But rather than lying to people and saying the program is already a done deal and that there’s nothing he can do, Sanders could stand by his principles and introduce an amendment in the next National Defense Authorization Act to strip the F-35 program of its funding. That remaining $700 billion could make college tuition-free for everyone for at least a decade."

You can read the whole article at the link above. This is just play hypocrisy on Bernie's part. I knew he supported this airplane, but I did not know about all the other facts about the plane and how much was being "wasted" on this project. If Bernie is going to go after the military complex, then he should not be supporting and encouraging waste like this.

[trof]

23. Yes. I am dissapointed in Bernie.

[catnhatnh]

24. 45 states and 133,000 jobs

To Big To Kill

It is also the defense project too big to kill. The F-35 funnels business to a global network of contractors that includes Northrop Grumman Corp. and Kongsberg Gruppen ASA of Norway. It counts 1,300 suppliers in 45 states supporting 133,000 jobs -- and more in nine other countries, according to Lockheed. The F-35 is an example of how large weapons programs can plow ahead amid questions about their strategic necessity and their failure to arrive on time and on budget.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-02-22/flawed-f-35-fighter-too-big-to-kill-as-lockheed-hooks-45-states

[trof]

25. Yep. That's exactly why I think it still lives.

Every district has jobs that depend on it.
And we're being fucked by our elected officials and that is just sad.

[RichVRichV]

27. I'm curious how many of those jobs would be offset if we shifted those funds to infrustructure.

We's still get the jobs and have something useful to show for it.

[TexasBushwhacker]

31. But those 133K people could be building something that

WORKS! I just don't see how they could sink so much money into something that that's such an abject failure. Don't they build and test prototypes?

[hunter]

32. Ask all those engineers, technical people, and assemblers what they'd *LIKE* to be building...

... to make the world a better place, and then pay them the same money to do that.

No jobs lost, and maybe they build something amazing that actually makes the world a better place.

[deathrind]

26. 1.5 Trillion on

One plane or one "weapons platform" if you like.

...and people wonder where the money would come from for SBS healthcare or college proposals.

/facepalm

[Oneironaut]

29. We used to laugh at the Soviet Union for their lack of common sense. That's what we are now.

This thing is a piece of shit that is going to get our pilots killed. I'm a big believer in taking what works and making it better. It looks like they tried to create the Taj-Mahal of all aircraft, only to create a piece of crap that won't even fly. The only reason development of it continues is money and politics.

Remember, sometimes the best things are the most simple. Having a good computer system to see enemy aircraft before they see you is a great advantage, but it won't matter when the pilot's aircraft is sluggish and dangerously unresponsive. I say scrap it, eat the cost, and back to the drawing board.

[Dont call me Shirley]

30. Shut down the war machine like a head on crash halt. Use money to retrain workers to rebuild our

infrastructure.