@ISIDEWITHQuestionsForeign policyStarted 8yrs agoActive 3 days ago

Should the government cancel production of the F-35 fighter?

The F-35 fighter is a stealth fighter jet being produced for the U.S. military by The Lockheed Martin corporation. Three variations of the single seat stealth fighter jet are being produced for the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. By 2037 2,457 F-35’s will be delivered to the military and will fly until they retire from service in 2070. The research, development and construction of the F-35 will be the most expensive military weapons program in the history of the U.S. When the F-35 retires in 2070 analysts estimate that the cost of the program will have exceeded $1.5 trillion. Oppone…  

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Response rates from 91.8k America voters.

34%
Yes
66%
No
34%
Yes
66%
No

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @8JCJLWV from Texas answered…4yrs4Y

Listen to military experts on this

 @8D2PMVD from Indiana answered…4yrs4Y

Not unless needed.

 @7PTCG38 from Wisconsin answered…2yrs2Y

No, the program is too far into production and service to cancel, but revise procurement procedures to avoid out of control and mismanaged costs with future military weapons programs

 @9RXTZK8 from Arizona answered…2mos2MO

yes. i’m sure the military can find some other non functional military equipment to squander our taxes on.

 @98HKVLP from Pennsylvania answered…2yrs2Y

No, but dramatically decrease production

 @9CD7JJ3 from Virginia answered…1yr1Y

Yes but first fund development of a better replacement aircraft and only discontinue when the new planes are ready.

 @9VKRC4Z from California answered…6 days6D

Decrease funding to weapons systems that have a primary function that won’t be regularly used. IE air to air (dog fighting) vs air to ground support.

 @9THSWNG from Colorado answered…4wks4W

i dont even know what that is it is probably a fighter jet so it does not really matter to me so they can continue or stop

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 @GnuJimfrom Georgia  submitted…8mos8MO

Biden Slashes F-35 Jet Order 18%

U.S. President Joe Biden wants an 18% cut in the number of F-35 jets the Pentagon buys next year after Congress' cap on the size of the upcoming defense budget compelled the administration to find savings, two sources familiar with the situation said.The Pentagon order for Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N), opens new tab stealthy fighter will drop to below 70, down from an expected order of 83, for an estimated $1.6 billion drop in spending on jets.The drop in F-35 orders could impact the big defense contractor, which earns about a quarter of its revenue from the jet program. International demand for the jets, which cost somewhere between $80 million to about $120 million each depending on the type, remains strong.Biden's overall defense and national security budget request is expected to be $895 billion, the sources said, compelling deep cuts in a wide range of programs, delays to existing programs and slowing efforts to build weapons stocks depleted by wars in Ukraine and Israel.Budget negotiations between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the White House's Office of Management and Budget have largely concluded, but the final amount could change before the budget request is expected to be unveiled on March 11, the sources added.The Pentagon's comptroller declined to comment, and the Joint Program office, which runs the F-35 program, also declined to comment.Last year, the Pentagon projected it would buy 83 of the stealthy F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin for $9.8 billion.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…6mos6MO

Cost of Sustaining Lockheed’s F-35 Jet Now Forecast to Exceed $1.5 Trillion

The world’s costliest weapons program, Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 fighter jet, is getting even more expensive, according to a government watchdog.Nine years after the Marine Corps declared its first F-35s operational, the Pentagon now projects that the cost of operating and maintaining the jet through 2088 will be $1.58 trillion, 44% higher than originally forecast in 2018, the Government Accountability Office said Monday in a new assessment.It’s another troubling sign for the F-35, which is billed as the stealthiest and most advanced fighter jet ever and sits at the center of US war planning. Despite its high price tag and maintenance issues, the US and several allied governments — including Israel — already fly hundreds of F-35’s, and it played an important role in helping repel a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones aimed at Israel over the weekend.The GAO report paints a troubling picture of the plane’s readiness, saying that inadequate training, a lack of spare parts and support equipment and a heavy reliance on contractors mean all three services that deploy the jet — the Air Force, Marines and Navy — project they will be able to fly the F-35 less often than originally hoped.One major driver of maintenance costs is the Pentagon’s heavy reliance on Lockheed for support, the GAO said. The sustaining support cost element, which captures most sustainment costs associated with the contractor, is a large portion of the F-35. The Pentagon “is seeking expanded government control over the program to reduce program costs and improve program performance,” it said.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…17hrs17H

Venezuela cancels passports of dozens of activists and journalists

Venezuela has cancelled the passports of dozens of journalists and activists since Nicolás Maduro claimed a re-election victory, part of what rights groups say is an intensifying campaign of repression against the authoritarian president’s opponents.At least 40 people — mostly journalists and human rights activists — have had their passports annulled without explanation, according to Caracas-based rights group Laboratorio de Paz, which warns that the number is likely to be much higher due to Venezuelans’ fear of reporting cases.Others have had their passports confiscated by authorities while attempting to board flights from the country’s main airport.“It was terrifying,” said one rights activist, whose passport was taken by authorities at the airport last week without explanation. He declined to give his name for fear of reprisals. “I knew it was a risk that I could have my passport taken or be jailed when I got to the airport, and they went with the former.”Carla, a journalist who chose not to give her surname, discovered while abroad that her passport had been cancelled.“I asked myself, ‘now where do I come from,’” said Carla, who is not sure whether she will try to return home.The cancellation of passports comes amid a wider campaign of repression in response to anti-government protests that broke out following an election verdict that has not been recognised by the Organization of American States, the US and the EU.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2 days2D

Iran Warns to U.S. Allies Don’t Help Israel, or You’re Next

Tehran is threatening in secret diplomatic backchannels to target the oil-rich Arab Gulf states and other American allies in the Middle East if their territories or airspace are used for an attack on Iran, said Arab officials.Israel has threatened Tehran with a severe reprisal after Iran fired about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier this month, with some Israeli officials and commentators pushing for damaging strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure. In that event, Iran has warned it would respond with devastating hits on Israel’s civilian infrastructure, and would retaliate against any Arab state that facilitated the attack, the officials said.The Arab officials said the countries that Iran has threatened include Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, all of which host U.S. troops. These states have told the Biden administration that they don’t want their military infrastructure or airspace to be used by the U.S. or Israel for any offensive operations against Iran, the officials said. While the Iranian threats are vague, they have raised concerns in energy-rich Persian Gulf states that their oil facilities—long viewed as protected by an American security umbrella—could be hit, the Arab officials said. U.S. military installations and forces in the region could also be at risk in a region with one of the highest concentrations of American troops in the world, they added.While the Iranian threats are vague, they have raised concerns in energy-rich Persian Gulf states that their oil facilities—long viewed as protected by an American security umbrella—could be hit, the Arab officials said. U.S. military installations and forces in the region could also be at risk in a region with one of the highest concentrations of American troops in the world, they added.

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