The course of the F-35 program by Senator McCain is described as “promiscuous”
Already today, F-35 has become the most expensive weapons program in the United States. It is estimated at 385 billion dollars. However, this figure may increase, because the fighter needs "corrections that will cost millions."
The aircraft is built using the most sophisticated stealth technology, however, as the initial flight tests showed, the fighter prototypes have design flaws. Among them, the cracks in the composite and metal parts of the fighter. In addition, only by June 2015 the full software will be created.
Speaking in the Senate 15 in December, John McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, described the F-35 program as “promiscuous.” McCain is upset that the cost of the aircraft increased from the original 69 million to 133, the test program was performed only on 20% (however, the Pentagon has already allocated funds for the construction of the first 90 fighter jets), and also because the program block of the aircraft F-80) will not be ready for four years.
The Pentagon is accused by McCain of trying to acquire “an immature aircraft with high technological risks.” According to the politician, the development of new technologies for F-35, as well as their integration, remain “risky”, while the production processes are still “immature”.
In April, the United States Government Accountability Office stated that F-35 before 2016 needed to make “approximately 10 thousand changes.” The document further states that there is a need to expand the development and testing program, which in turn will extend the time frame for creating a full-fledged aircraft to 2018.
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