Posted this morning at Electric Politics, a podcast interview about the F-35 with Winslow Wheeler, Director of the Straus Military Reform Project at the Center for Defense Information, a think tank in Washington DC.
Unless you follow Pentagon news somewhat closely you might not know that the F-35 program is on track to become the most expensive weapons project in history, at roughly a trillion dollars over the lifespan of the thing, or that the F-35 is actually a very lousy airplane that probably can't even perform minimally well in any of the future missions expected of it. Amazingly, a UK satirical sendup of the British Navy, which included reference to its pending purchase of the F-35 (naval version), was factually accurate in lampooning the airplane's tendency to melt the decks of aircraft carriers. A problem the Pentagon is working on, not by modifying the F-35, but by trying to figure out methods of deck reinforcement. Some airplane! You also might not know that there are only a very few people in this country who have detailed familiarity with the Pentagon's budget, and its acquisition processes. Winslow Wheeler is one of them. His friends describe him, affectionately, as an 'unguided missile.' There's no doubt that he's incredibly tenacious. And, in a peculiar Washington way, quite influential. If you like the podcast please feel free to forward the link. http://www.electricpolitics.com/podcast/2010/05/the_f35_boondoggle.html -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
