F-35: The Jet that Ate the Pentagon

WAND is part of a coalition of organizations that has just released a video highlighting some of the many problems plaguing the F-35 Strike Fighter Jet. The Jet that Ate the Pentagon, features insights from industry and defense experts who discuss some of the program’s fatal flaws, including the extraordinary costs of the F-35, critical design failings, “concurrent development,” and extreme technical and performance problems. The video also highlights the role that targeted political contributions from Lockheed Martin and other defense contractors have played in keeping the F-35 off the budget chopping block.

The “jack-of-all-trades” jet is meant to replace planes in the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corp, and is estimated to ultimately cost $1.5 TRILLION to be the most expensive weapons system in history.

“After two decades in development, the F-35 is both overpriced and underperforming.  It is a plane that was designed to do almost everything and has ended up doing none of them well,” said William D. Hartung, Director of CIP’s Arms & Security Project. “Given level or declining procurement budgets for the foreseeable future, it's time for the Pentagon and the Air Force to rethink their commitments to the F-35, which is on track to be the most expensive weapons program ever undertaken.”

“The F-35 is unaffordable and a performance nightmare,” added Winslow Wheeler, Director, Straus Military Reform Project, Center for Defense Information, Project on Government Oversight.

Both Mr. Hartung and Mr. Wheeler are featured in the video. Mr. Hartung also authored a new report by the Center for International Policy (CIP) that challenges Lockheed Martin’s claims regarding the number of jobs created by the program, one of its primary selling points. Additionally, it has been reported that the Navy would prefer to invest in more F-18s rather than purchase its version of the plane – the F-35C. The Office of the Secretary of Defense recently denied the Navy’s request to take a three-year break from production of the F-35.

We urge you to join the over 100,000 people who have signed a petition demanding that Congress stop wasting taxpayer dollars on the F-35.

In addition to the video, the coalition unveiled a new website, F35BadDeal.com, which will serve as a resource hub for those seeking more information about the F-35 and looking for steps they can take to help end the program.