F-35 Marine Model Stress Testing Halted Over Cracks
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-12/f-35-marine-model-stress-testing-halted-over-cracks.htmlDurability testing on the most complicated version of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (LMT) F-35 was halted last month after “multiple” cracks were discovered in the fighter jet, according to the Pentagon’s testing office.
The previously undisclosed halt in high-stress ground testing involves the F-35B, the Marine Corps' version that must withstand short takeoffs and landings on carriers and amphibious warfare vessels, according to an annual report on the F-35 that Defense Department testing chief Michael Gilmore sent to Congress yesterday. Flight testing wasn’t affected.
Development of the F-35, the Pentagon’s costliest weapons system, has been marked by delays and cost increases. The Pentagon estimates the total cost for development and production of 2,443 F-35s will be $395.7 billion, a 70 percent increase since the initial contract with Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin was signed in 2001.
Durability testing is intended to stress an airframe, assessing its capability to achieve a projected aircraft lifetime of 8,000 “equivalent flight hours.”
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Nothing like a plane when they designed the gun and the cockpit armor FIRST, and then designed the plane AROUND them 
. Add two of everything (engines, tail fins, wing spars) and make it so tough you can shoot an engine and half a wing OFF the plane and it will still fly home -- and be fixable.
The Russians ain't got nothing like it (The Su-25 is similar, but not as tough). It is the perfect ground attack and close support aircraft.
The only way you make it better is either a) get the pilot out and make it unmanned, or b) stop going to war.
That doesn't take into account the cost of pilots, training, fuel, maintenance, etc,
Here's another money pit, the Littoral Combat Ship:
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http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/littoral-combat-ship/
I believe the cost, right now, is up to 1.8 billion per ship. Expected cost once the navy gets the 50ish they want will be about 700 million each.
Background: The Littoral Combat ship is designed to fight in the Littoral Zone, or close to shore. The navy wanted a new and improved warship capable of dealing with a variety of threats and missions in this dangerous environment. They wanted something fast, stealthy, and with a modular suite of weapons and accessories that could be swapped out depending upon the mission. Money, as always, was apparently no object.
What they have so far is are ships that are unbelievably expensive and that are literally falling apart in testing. Worse, if that's even possible, the ships themselves are grossly underarmed, vulnerable to bascially everything, and so expensive that no one would dare put one anywhere near the shore in the first place. It's an expensive toy. An increadibly expensive toy.
As is the F35.
