$182,000 for the canopy. Is there anything on this plane that hasn't been gold-plated by the generals?
The F-16 canopy is gold plated. The inside of the canopy is covered with a thin gold film which dissipates radar energy to reduce the radar cross section, especially from the front. Maybe the F-22 is too.
I think y'all are trying to be funny, but a fighter canopy has to be strong enough to withstand bird strikes, has to be durable, stay clear...etc. This isn't like a car windshield.
"$182,000 for the canopy. Is there anything on this plane that hasn't been gold-plated by the generals?"
Keep in mind the requirements.
Surviving bird strikes at 500 knots, optically designed to not distort the view out of the cockpit, god knows what radar low observability requirements, coatings for UV and IR?, surviving the heat of mach flight, and extremely cold altitudes. Not crack, not haze. How long is it required to last too?
Lots of requirements to meet I'm sure.
Actually some aircraft had gold impregnated canopies to protect the aircrew from radiation when using high powered jammers.
What's the deductable?
Isn't there a guarantee by Boeing? Did the USAF buy the extended warranty?
They're only ordering a hundred or so of these things. So the development of every part, and every mold, etc. has to be amortized across a puny small number. Therefore it costs a bunch.
Also, we hide secret stuff in contracts like this. That's how we supposedly built the "BlackStar", by hiding money in an earlier canceled Navy fighter contract.
$170k of that goes to the personnel who fill out government paperwork
"$182,000 for the canopy. Is there anything on this plane that hasn't been gold-plated by the generals?"
Really, really want the very best mechanism for getting
a pilot OUT of a burning plane that may explode any
moment.
Then, $182,000 will be like monopoly money because our
armed forces personnel are worth a whole lot more than
$182,000.
(I have not served. My tagline honors my son and my cousin.)