When you see a headline about the Pentagon spending $400B dollars, your first thought is: what war are we talking about? Military operations? Is this some strategy in the middle east or asia that has went terrible wrong?
No. In fact, the pentagon managed to spend $400B (roughly)on just one item. The F35 Next Generation fighter.
http://thehill.com/...
The problem is, the F35 isn't ready to fly. Due to an array of issues, the fighter plane at this point isn't considered airworthy.
The latest problem for the $400 billion program, which is already seven years behind schedule, came after an engine on one of the F-35s caught fire during a June 23 takeoff from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The fire led the Pentagon to ground the entire fleet, and officials on Monday said it’s uncertain whether the jets will be cleared for takeoff by next week.
A decision on whether to allow the planes to fly will be made in the “next several days,” according to Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren, based on the aircraft’s “safety and airworthiness.”
That's right. We've just invested $400B in a flying death trap.
Think Progress pointed out that the $396B (their figure) would have provided every homeless person in America with a $600k home.
http://thinkprogress.org/...
With $400B invested and counting, I found my mind wondering about how we got to this point.
More than a year ago, Pierre Sprey, one of the designers of the F16 referred to the F35 as a 'Turkey, a terrible, terrible design'
The problem? Packing so much engine in such a small body without changing over the cooling function, he contends, makes them a machine waiting to explode into a fireball.
"You've compromised the airplane horribly.."
And he discusses why heat and containment are real issues with the F35.
http://www.courant.com/...
RAF FAIRFORD, England — The Pentagon's chief weapons buyer told lawmakers there was "growing evidence" that an engine fire on an Air Force F-35A jet last month was not a systemic issue, which sources familiar with the situation said could pave the way for officials to lift an order grounding the fleet of warplanes.
The Pratt & Whitney engine on one of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Joint Strike Fighters broke apart and caught fire while preparing to take off from a Florida air base on June. 23.
Listening to his interview, and reading about engine fires and complete failure of performance, I'm reminded of this little film that more people should watch:
Think Progress figures mansions for the homeless. I'm thinking of a nationwide rail system, solar roadways or a huge commitment to a NASA.
Lots of things are possible with $400B that we are apparently willing to just burn.