{"id":189593,"date":"2010-03-07T12:16:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-07T17:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.panix.com\/~msaroff\/40years\/2010\/03\/07\/your-f-35-clusterf-update\/"},"modified":"2010-03-07T12:16:00","modified_gmt":"2010-03-07T17:16:00","slug":"your-f-35-clusterf-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.panix.com\/~msaroff\/40years\/2010\/03\/07\/your-f-35-clusterf-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Your F-35 Clusterf%$# Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

The big news is that, notwithstanding the assertions of the Pentagon and Lockheed-Martin, delays continue apace, with the Pentagon Comptroller saying that the aircraft purchase will have to be cut if the cost continues to escalate<\/a>, (File that under, “Well, Duh!”) as well as concerns that the 13-month schedule slip is overly optimistic.<\/p>\n

It should be noted that this is confirmed by reports in the Startlegram<\/span><\/a>*<\/sup>, which, being the home town paper for the F-35 assembly line, is both in a position to be in the know, and not inclined to come out against Fort Worth’s biggest employer.<\/p>\n

We also have Bill Sweetman noticing in the DOD press release that full rate production is delayed to 2016<\/a>, about a year after where it would start with the claimed 13-month slip.<\/p>\n

We are also seeing reports that the Israeli Air Force is extremely concerned about the delays<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can see a report of the bald-faced lying by Lockheed and the Pentagon, where they claim that everything is hunky dory<\/a>, but it makes one inclined to invoke Samuel L. Jackson from Pulp Fiction<\/span>, “Does Marsellus Wallace look like,” because they are seriously f%$#ing with us.<\/p>\n

We also have non-movement, basically heat but no light on the F136 alternate engine, with the Defense Department releasing a report saying that adding a 2nd<\/sup> engine was “cost neutral,” only the study did not address the value of:<\/p>\n