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On CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday night, national security correspondent David Martin chronicled the seemingly never-ending list of problems with the Pentagon’s next-generation F-35 fight jet, from cost overruns of $160 billion to technical problems that have plagued the plane’s development.

When asked if the F-35 program, which is expected to cost some $1.5 trillion over the four-decade life of the program, is now under control, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, Frank Kendall, said, "Yes, it is."

Related: Iranian Caught Stealing Plans for DOD’s $1.5 Trillion Jet

But that commitment came with a warning.

“Long gone is the time when we're going to pay for mistake after mistake after mistake," said Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the officer who took control of the F-35 program last year. He added that the planes are necessary, however, to keep pace with the technology being developed by U.S. rivals Russia and China.


“I don't see any scenario where we are walking back away from this program. We're going to buy a lot of these airplanes,” said Bogdan.

DOD is so far down the F-35 rabbit hole, both in terms of technology and cost -- $400 billion for 2,400 planes -- that it has no choice but to continue with the program. Still, it’s not too far gone to send a message to the plane’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.

Related: Pentagon's $1.5 Trillion Jet Punches Back

A report in The Washington Post about DOD’s 2015 fiscal request says the Pentagon needs funds to purchase two of the Navy’s version of the plane, six of the Marines,’ and 26 of the Air Force’s model. It’s a sizable order, but it’s actually eight planes less than the 42 originally expected.

In the scheme of things, eight fewer jets among an order of 2,400 is not a big drop. But the timing of the leak to the Post, as well as the admonishment to Lockheed on “60 Minutes,” is hard to dismiss as mere coincidence.

Lockheed did not comment on camera on the “60 Minutes” report.

Related: 719 New Problems for the $1.5 Trillion F-35 Fighter

Lockheed and DOD have been squabbling over F-35 problems for years. In October, a DOD Inspector General report found 719 problems with the plane and said “Lockheed's failure to make sure subcontractors' work was not up to snuff.”

Lockheed countered that the problems were not new and that they were “based on data that's more than 16 months old and [a] majority of the Corrective Action Requests identified have been closed.”

“Producing quality products is a top priority for the F-35 program, and Lockheed Martin and its suppliers strive every day to deliver the best aircraft possible to our customers," Lockheed said in a statement at the time. “When discoveries occur, we take decisive and thorough action to correct the situation. Our commitment is to deliver the F-35's world class Fifth Generation fighter capabilities to the warfighter on time and within budget.”

It seems as if DOD is attempting to send another message with Sunday night’s broadcast and the news that orders are expected to be cut in 2015. This isn’t just a cost issue any more, either – DOD needs the plane to work in order to maintain air superiority.

Unfortunately, the Pentagon is stuck with the F-35, for better or worse, so Lockheed doesn’t really have an incentive to deliver a state of the art plane in working order. DOD is stuck with the contract regardless.

If Lockheed cares about national security, it might want to get the plane working soon. China and Russia are in the plane’s jet contrails and catching up fast.

So you're surprised that a military-industrial complex contract has run over budget?

Yeah, what a shock. In other news, the sun rose in the East this morning.

AZGrizFan wrote:So you're surprised that a military-industrial complex contract has run over budget?

Yeah, what a shock. In other news, the sun rose in the East this morning.

I've been telling klean this for months.

Ibanez wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:So you're surprised that a military-industrial complex contract has run over budget?

Yeah, what a shock. In other news, the sun rose in the East this morning.

I've been telling klean this for months.

Was it not both of you who told me that we neede the F-22 and F-35's because of China and Russia. I said update the F-15's and 16's with new software and keep them flying. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I siad that the DOD is getting better about wasting money. YEAH RIGHT!!!!

Investigate the DOD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mrklean wrote:

Ibanez wrote: I've been telling klean this for months.

Was it not both of you who told me that we neede the F-22 and F-35's because of China and Russia. I said update the F-15's and 16's with new software and keep them flying. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I siad that the DOD is getting better about wasting money. YEAH RIGHT!!!!

Investigate the DOD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I said they wouldn't cancel the program due to the money that has been spent developing it. The purpose of the F-35 is to replace the F-16, A-10, F/A-18 the and AV-8B. We're streamlining the fleet. There was a similar controversy with the production of the C-17. Now, the C-17 is the workhorse of the military.


btw, I never said we needed them b/c of a specific country.

mrklean wrote:

Ibanez wrote: I've been telling klean this for months.

Was it not both of you who told me that we neede the F-22 and F-35's because of China and Russia. I said update the F-15's and 16's with new software and keep them flying. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I siad that the DOD is getting better about wasting money. YEAH RIGHT!!!!

Investigate the DOD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And we told you how retarded that line of thinking was...At the end of they day, they're still 25 year-old airframes...at some point you're just putting lipstick on a pig.

AZGrizFan wrote:

mrklean wrote:

Was it not both of you who told me that we neede the F-22 and F-35's because of China and Russia. I said update the F-15's and 16's with new software and keep them flying. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I siad that the DOD is getting better about wasting money. YEAH RIGHT!!!!

Investigate the DOD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And we told you how retarded that line of thinking was...At the end of they day, they're still 25 year-old airframes...at some point you're just putting lipstick on a pig.

Does the air Frame work of not? We can build new Fighters as long as they are still the best.

Whenever I feel stressed about how one of my $500M DoD contracts is going, I read about the F-35 program and feel a lot better about myself.

Hey Klean, Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan will be speaking next week and I plan on attending. If you have a few questions you'd like me to ask for you, have someone write them and send them to me. I'll make sure to adequately express your concerns.

93henfan wrote:Whenever I feel stressed about how one of my $500M DoD contracts is going, I read about the F-35 program and feel a lot better about myself.

That entire PO has a slew of projects that have (had) fiduciary troubles.

Spoiler: show

I worked on one and it took us about 2 years to right the ship (not bad for evil, corrupt contractors.)

Ibanez wrote:Hey Klean, Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan will be speaking next week and I plan on attending. If you have a few questions you'd like me to ask for you, have someone write them and send them to me. I'll make sure to adequately express your concerns.

Ask him why did he and the Military sell the country on the F-22 and F-35 and then say they are too expensive to build. This is what pisses me off about the DOD. The Cavalier attitude that they have about spending our Money!!!

mrklean wrote:

Ibanez wrote:Hey Klean, Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan will be speaking next week and I plan on attending. If you have a few questions you'd like me to ask for you, have someone write them and send them to me. I'll make sure to adequately express your concerns.

Ask him why did he and the Military sell the country on the F-22 and F-35 and then say they are too expensive to build. This is what pisses me off about the DOD. The Cavalier attitude that they have about spending our Money!!!

Cavalier? Whoa! Who taught you that word?

mrklean wrote:

Ibanez wrote:Hey Klean, Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan will be speaking next week and I plan on attending. If you have a few questions you'd like me to ask for you, have someone write them and send them to me. I'll make sure to adequately express your concerns.

Ask him why did he and the Military sell the country on the F-22 and F-35 and then say they are too expensive to build. This is what pisses me off about the DOD. The Cavalier attitude that they have about spending our Money!!!

Yeah. It's only the DOD that has that attitude.

AZGrizFan wrote:So you're surprised that a military-industrial complex contract has run over budget?

Yeah, what a shock. In other news, the sun rose in the East this morning.

How many people could $160 billion feed?

Republicans don't want to spend $6 Billion to help the unemployed, but have no problems feeding the MIC beast unlimited billions.

dbackjon wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:So you're surprised that a military-industrial complex contract has run over budget?

Yeah, what a shock. In other news, the sun rose in the East this morning.

How many people could $160 billion feed?

Republicans don't want to spend $6 Billion to help the unemployed, but have no problems feeding the MIC beast unlimited billions.

I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Ibanez wrote:

dbackjon wrote:

How many people could $160 billion feed?

Republicans don't want to spend $6 Billion to help the unemployed, but have no problems feeding the MIC beast unlimited billions.

I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Republicans don't want to fund education either.

Or job training.

Or anything to keep jobs in the US.

Or make sure the jobs that are here pay a decent wage.

dbackjon wrote:

Ibanez wrote:
I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Republicans don't want to fund education either.

Or job training.

Or anything to keep jobs in the US.

Or make sure the jobs that are here pay a decent wage.

I didn't ask for a list of excuses.


But you proved my point. This is what is wrong with both parties. They are too busy blaming each other. Nothing gets accomplished.

dbackjon wrote:

Ibanez wrote:
I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Republicans don't want to fund education either.

Or job training.

Or anything to keep jobs in the US.

Or make sure the jobs that are here pay a decent wage.

I guess that's validation that I'm not a Republican.

Ibanez wrote:

dbackjon wrote:

How many people could $160 billion feed?

Republicans don't want to spend $6 Billion to help the unemployed, but have no problems feeding the MIC beast unlimited billions.

I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Man, I bet there's a great quote in there somewhere. Maybe you could work in fishing, and how learning it could feed a man for a lifetime or something. Refine it and get back to me in the morning. B+

93henfan wrote:

Ibanez wrote:
I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Man, I bet there's a great quote in there somewhere. Maybe you could work in fishing, and how learning it could feed a man for a lifetime or something. Refine it and get back to me in the morning. B+

I was trying to avoid cliche phrases.

Ibanez wrote: cliche

Real men don't eat that.

93henfan wrote:

Ibanez wrote: cliche

Real men don't eat that.

Ever had it steamed?

dbackjon wrote:

Ibanez wrote:
I'm sure it could feed a lot of people. But how much would it cost to teach those people something so that they can feed themselves?

Republicans don't want to fund education either.

Or job training.

Or anything to keep jobs in the US.

Or make sure the jobs that are here pay a decent wage.

Hyperbole alert! Hyperbole alert!

dbackjon wins......again. Expensive toys for Chickenhawk fucks who would move mountains to keep their sons and daughters from flying one in war.....

Cap'n Cat wrote:dbackjon wins......again. Expensive toys for Chickenhawk fucks who would move mountains to keep their sons and daughters from flying one in war.....

Yeah, that's why the military is just chock full of liberals. Because it's LIBERALS who are sending their sons and daughters off to the military.