F35 costs to rise by billions

www.flightglobal.com...

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter faces a series of multi-billion dollar annual cost overruns if the US Department of Defense continues a shift to a more conservative budgeting stance.

wtf? seriously how can this white elephant carry on with this ultimate BS - lockheed dictating how the USG will pay , and `dont pay our way and it`ll be billions mroe`

this WILL impact the real world cost of the aircraft - and its nothing like what lockheed are pretending it to be.

Lockheed is a welfare company, siphoning all it's revenue off the tit of the state.

These defense contractors bribe congressmen by dividing the manufacture of their aircraft across the entire country (having at least 1 part made in nearly every state) and make sure to let congress know which districts will lose jobs if they cut funding.

It's basically bribery and blackmail. Complete failure of the private sector voting citizens to curtail corruption in the public sector.

Edit to add:

China’s military spending 2009 (up 14% from last year): $70.3 billion source
Russia's military spending 2009 (up 25% from last year): $50 billion source
United States military spending 2009: $651.2 billion source

The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined source
US spends 1 trillion dollars on fighter jets (even though the US has no enemies with an air force) source
Military discretionary spending accounts for more than half of the U.S. federal discretionary spending, which is all of the U.S. federal government budget that is not appropriated for mandatory spending. (Budget)

[edit on 30-7-2009 by Kaytagg]

Originally posted by Kaytagg
Lockheed is a welfare company, siphoning all it's revenue off the tit of the state.

These defense contractors bribe congressmen by dividing the manufacture of their aircraft across the entire country (having at least 1 part made in nearly every state) and make sure to let congress know which districts will lose jobs if they cut funding.

It's basically bribery and blackmail. Complete failure of the private sector voting citizens to curtail corruption in the public sector.

Edit to add:

China’s military spending 2009 (up 14% from last year): $70.3 billion source
Russia's military spending 2009 (up 25% from last year): $50 billion source
United States military spending 2009: $651.2 billion source

The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined source
US spends 1 trillion dollars on fighter jets (even though the US has no enemies with an air force) source
Military discretionary spending accounts for more than half of the U.S. federal discretionary spending, which is all of the U.S. federal government budget that is not appropriated for mandatory spending. (Budget)

[edit on 30-7-2009 by Kaytagg]

its not about our enemies now its about our enemies in the future such as russia and more likely china plus the countries that buy russian advanced aircraft , do you really want the U.S. to go in to a fair fight or do you want to have such a majority in tech to blow anyone out of the sky if necessary

The only 'threatening' country based on those figures is America. If you think Russia is a threat, why is their defence budget less than one tenth that of the USA? who's the bogeyman?

when u buy military plains its not about the here and now its about 20 yrs maybee more in the future with Russia redeveloping its military again china investing in countless types of missile tech it would` be prudent to buy stealth planes so when these technologies are sold to piss ant counties that want to mess with their neighbors that may be our allies then we don't have to worry about getting shot down
the us is going to buy some 3500 + f 35s for airforce a stovl version for marines and a carrier version for navy

Have you thought that Russia may only be developing its military again because of the obscene overspending on America's military? That would make it Americas own fault if it were the case.

Or do you STILL buy into that discredited cold war 'Red Menace' crap?

Originally posted by waynos
Have you thought that Russia may only be developing its military again because of the obscene overspending on America's military? That would make it Americas own fault if it were the case.

Or do you STILL buy into that discredited cold war 'Red Menace' crap?

I think we simply invest in our military because we can. There are limitless positives to the spending just as if we're not wise with the power there can be limitless negatives.

Trickle down tech from the USA military spending has not only been a blessing to the United States but it has also manifested itself all over the world.

The negatives can be seen manifesting themselves in the Iraq war and middle east area.

Who wouldn't expect Lockheed to increase the cost of jets if military spending overall goes down? Considering the fact that Lockheed relies so much upon the military for profit if the military stops spending Lockheed loses sales. Therefore, to curtail losses Lockheed increases costs in the most crucial areas; their bran new jets of which the military wants thousands.

It is dirty business and the sad thing is Lockheed can manipulate and do whatever it wants through corruption and exploitation.

[edit on 31-7-2009 by Bugman82]

reply to post by Bugman82


exactly its supply and demand ,

for example if they would have ordered the f22s in the quantity they were going to order some 700 planes it would have been 70 to 80 million a plane but since they only approved them slowly they cost is nearly 200 million each that's the point where they get to expensive.
for the same price we got the 187 raptors we could of got 2 times as many if they guaranteed funding for them and it still would have been paid over many years ,so no one big payment