>>The 35 is really an awesome plane. The problem is Unions and committee decisions are killing it. As a pure piece of tech, it’s great.<<
It was... it was... :(
The current F35 exemplifies the definition of a camel as a mouse built to government specifications.
Can you imagine the result if the F15, A10 or ST71 had committees and agendas running roughshod on them? None would have had the mastery of their respective spaces (and I shiver to think the still-best MRFs F/16 and (S)F/18 would have ended up.
We lost our way. The killing of the F-117 is the best example of just how bad it has become.
Totally agree.
“The current F35 exemplifies the definition of a camel as a mouse built to government specifications.”
That is the perfect description of the situation. Going back to the Skunk Works book, sure there was typical govt red tape, but those guys, like you were getting at, had none of the BS of today. They refused to deal with it. Heck, the very way Kelly Johnson set up the SW was to eliminate the BS. And the results spoke for themselves.
Hell, the dude grabbed a plane, flew around until he found a big enough dry lake, made a call and had Area 51 built in a few months. No eco impact reports, union contracts et all required.
Indeed we have lost our way.