The Best Fighter in the World

摘要

Springtime in Washington, Pollen-and politics-is in the air. In the Battle of the Budget, the Air Force and its premier acquisition program, the F-35 fighter, is under attack. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith launched his opening salvo, calling the F-35 "a rathole" and saying he wants to "figure out how we can get a mix of fighter attack aircraft that's the most cost-effective." It's a curious choice of words. While the projected life-cycle costs for all three versions of the F-35 over a span of nearly 40 years is $1.6 trillion, the $80 million-per-copy cost to acquire these jets is less than some last-generation aircraft-and a bargain considering the combat-multiplying effect of this vastly superior platform.