Tag: Planes

F-35, The Flying Turd

I have been a staunch supporter of the A-10 Warthog that is due to be retired for a flying lump of manure, the F-35……I have written several posts in defense of the A-10…..(a little reminder)…..

When I heard the the US military was thinking about replacing the A-10 Warthog with the ultra-modern F-35 I went into full ranting mode….I have been defending the honor of the Warthog…..but in case you missed some of the post I have written….a little reminder……

Source: A-10 VS F-35 – In Saner Thought

(that post contains several other posts on the A-10 controversy)

I have stated many times what a waste of taxpayer money this “brick” is and yet the defense department keeps throwing taxpayer cash at it……

The Pentagon will need as much as $530 million extra to finish the development phase for Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35, the most expensive U.S. weapons system ever, defense officials said.

……..

The call for more money comes as the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester has issued a fresh warning that the aircraft, projected to cost $379 billion for a fleet of 2,443 U.S. planes, is far from showing it has full combat capability.

Source: The Lockheed F-35 Needs Another Half Billion Dollars – Bloomberg

A project that should have cost $379 billion now needs yet another infusion of taxpayer cash to the tune of $530 billion……that brings the total of a trillion (trillion with a “T”) for a piece of crap!

How much  more money will this debacle cost the American taxpayer….,that waste of money is needed elsewhere……rime for the DoD to admit that this is a failure and spend the money on more realistic programs.

Put this turd in the crapper where it belongs…the A-10 is the best plane for the defense of our troops…..period!

When will the taxpayer begin to regret that their money is being pissed away on programs that about as useful as rotten turnip?

In Defense Of The ‘Hog

I am an unapologetic supporter of the A-10 Warthog over the new piece of crap that is suppose to replace it on the battlefield, the F-35.

Does anyone know what a “Thud” is?  Probably not…..it is the nickname we grunts gave the F-105, a fighter-Bomber, in Vietnam….the plane was slow, maneuverable, and the sound it made when it hit the ground “THUD”….hence the nickname….I bring up this piece of memorability because the F-35 is the new THUD…..it has not really passed any of its trials and is in constant need of upgrades…..worthless as a close support plane….it has been named the plane to replace the Warthog…..a goddamn silly decision.  Ask any grunt that has been saved by the A-10 what he/she has to say about replacing the successful ‘Hog…….

Finally someone, in authority, has stepped forward in the defense of the ‘Hog……

Defense Secretary Ash Carter has made it official: ISIS has saved one of its deadliest enemies, the U.S. Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt.

The inelegant but well-armed and well-armored ground-attack jet, nicknamed the “Warthog,” was facing quick retirement after the Air Force said it needed the money and crews being used to keep the A-10s flying for the brand-new F-35s and other missions.

Then came Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition’s campaign against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Source: Defense chief: A-10s needed to bomb ISIS – CNNPolitics.com

The biggest obstacle to keeping the A-10 flying is that it is becoming out-dated…..a lame damn excuse…..the military has kept the B-52 flying beyond its intended time by  a program of up-dates….the ‘Hog could be done the same……and for a lot less than the massive costs of a flying brick, the F-35….

I do not think much of anything Ash Carter has said from the Pentagon….but at least someone there sees the need for an excellent close support plane….

The A-10 continues to impress and perform…..so why replace a success with a piece of expensive crap?

F-35: America’s White Elephant

There are always reports on how Congress pisses away the taxpayers cash and then there are reports that illustrate just how deep the Congress is in the pockets of special interests……this project was neither wanted or needed by the military….but yet we had to have it……..F-35.

A new setback for the Pentagon’s costliest weapons program: The military’s entire fleet of 97 F-35 fighter jets has been grounded while the military probes a runway fire on one of the jets last month, reports CNN. “Additional inspections of F-35 engines have been ordered, and return to flight will be determined based on inspection results and analysis of engineering data,” a Pentagon official says. Officials in Australia and South Korea say they haven’t changed their plans to buy scores of the single-engine fighters, Reuters reports. The F-35 program, which has cost the military almost $400 billion, was grounded last year when a cracked engine blade was discovered.

That’s right, Irene….the American people spent $400 billion on a plane that the military said they could live without…..and yet the Congress went ahead with the construction of this piece of crap…..

Now you tell me just how representative the Congress really is……..we bought a piece of crap……similar to the “virtual fence” for border security….it was built and never worked and yet we still had to pay for it….now I know why so many companies want those lucrative government contracts……