By this point, the public is widely aware of the F-35. A jet that sucks so much Canada has
pulled out of the project due to a $115 million price-tag per aircraft (the US plans to
buy 2,400 of them, or about $276 billion). High cost withstanding, the F-35
loses badly in dogfights against older "inferior" aircraft like the F-16, despite the opposition
being handicapped with external fuel tanks. And when the pilot ejects after they're inevitably shot down (or a
software error occurs), they're liable to have their
neck snapped by their half a million dollar helmet. The same half a million dollar helmet that's
too bulky to allow a pilot to turn their head enough to see behind the aircraft, a
nd is so complicated that its operable only
half the time. A leaked Pentagon report
has called the F-35 "flawed without redemption" and the F-35's reputation is so tarnished the Air Force released
a secret memo on how to defend the F-35 to its critics (i.e.
everyone).
"Step 12: When all else fails, distract with cool photos."
But surely this is just one weapons system right? It's not like this is a systemic problem that is sewn into the US military? Wrong.