Decisions have consequences. Planning inevitably means making choices, and while some choices can be revisited later, the cost is almost always greater after the fact. Case in point: The F-35 Lightning Ⅱ. All who fly this exceptional stealth jet extol its virtues. But critics rage over its sustainment cost. The engines run so hot the special coatings on their turbine blades are burning off, creating a sudden and severe shortage of F-35 engines. The F-35 was originally supposed to have an alternative to the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, but the Pentagon canceled it, even though it had cleared all its technical hurdles. Now, if we could rewind the clock, we'd choose differently.
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