A Weapon That Costs More than Australia

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The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an impressive aircraft: a fifth generation multirole fighter plane with stealth technology.

...

The F-35 is designed to be the core tactical fighter aircraft for the U.S. military, with three versions for the Air Force, Navy, and the Marine Corps. Each plane clocks in at around $90 million.

...

Washington intends to buy 2,443, at a price tag of $382 billion.

Add in the $650 billion that the Government Accountability Office estimates is needed to operate and maintain the aircraft, and the total cost reaches a staggering $1 trillion.

In other words, we're spending more on this plane than Australia's entire GDP ($924 billion).

...

In 2010, Pentagon officials found that the cost of each plane had soared by over 50 percent above the original projections. The program has fallen years behind schedule, causing billions of dollars of additional expense, and won't be ready until 2016. An internal Pentagon report concluded that: "affordability is no longer embraced as a core pillar."

...

Where is the outrage at the F-35's outlandish cost?

Some just don't seem to care. When it comes to defense, Republicans are the champions of big government and massive expenditure. The F-35 is too big to fail.

At the same time, many Democrats keep quiet for fear of looking weak on defense--unless, like Senator Bernie Sanders, they're from Vermont.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/the-f-35-a-weapon-that-costs-more-than-australia/72454/

[Zero Sum 305]

interesting cost there.

[mawilson 2,133]

Washington intends to buy 2,443, at a price tag of $382 billion.

Add in the $650 billion that the Government Accountability Office estimates is needed to operate and maintain the aircraft, and the total cost reaches a staggering $1 trillion.

It costs more to operate and maintain the aircraft than the aircraft itself?

Over what period of time?

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It costs more to operate and maintain the aircraft than the aircraft itself?

Over what period of time?

That is the life-cycle cost, according to the GAO. I have no idea how long the life-cycle of an F35 is.

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This websitesays life-cycle will be 65 years.

[Zero Sum 305]

Is this jet necessary? Are we going to cut spending? Or not?

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Is this jet necessary? Are we going to cut spending? Or not?

Well, mawilson's question was good and it now appears that it's 382 billion upfront (acquisition) and then 10 billion a year for 65 years. That's not bad if this jet is really as supercoolawesome as it sounds.

[Zero Sum 305]

Its awesome alright. But is it an expenditure we need?

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Its awesome alright. But is it an expenditure we need?

We won't know whether we need it or not until we actually need it. And if we wait till we actually need it, it's too late.

[mawilson 2,133]

Well, mawilson's question was good and it now appears that it's 382 billion upfront (acquisition) and then 10 billion a year for 65 years. That's not bad if this jet is really as supercoolawesome as it sounds.

That's not bad - the $600+ billion figure is misleading. It's not like we have

to cough up $600 billion up front.

I bet the GAO doesn't calculate the total cost of ownership for other things the

government buys.

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That's not bad - the $600+ billion figure is misleading. It's not like we have

to cough up $600 billion up front.

I bet the GAO doesn't calculate the total cost of ownership for other things the

government buys.

It's my understanding they do what they're asked to do. So someone asked for this figure to be calculated.

[Zero Sum 305]

We won't know whether we need it or not until we actually need it. And if we wait till we actually need it, it's too late.

Poor other jets we already have.

Maybe if we sold most other attack jets to potential future enemies, then we'd have a use. And a way to not spend so much on this new crop.

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Poor other jets we already have.

Perhaps they are approaching obsolescence? I don't know.

[mawilson 2,133]

Perhaps they are approaching obsolescence? I don't know.

Maybe we can sell them to Australia? Buy one, get one 50% off.

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Maybe we can sell them to Australia? Buy one, get one 50% off.

Australia wants the good chit.

Delivering 5th Generation Capability to Australia

Lethality. Survivability. Supportability. Affordability. The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program is a key element of the global security cooperation between nations. The JSF program will provide unique capabilities to the Australian Defence Force and Australian industry for the next 30 years and beyond. With a planned upgrade path to maintain dominance over advanced threats, the 5th generation F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter offers Australia the best solution for controlling its seas and skies against potential aggressors.