Programs for the production and procurement of the American fifth-generation F-35 fighter-bomber and a number of other large systems of new US military equipment have become a “complete disaster.” This is how Democrat Adam Smith, chairman of the Armed Forces Committee of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, assessed this type of Pentagon activity, TASS reports.
“Our procurement process over the past 20 years can only be described as a complete disaster – in terms of what is happening with the F-35, LCS (Littoral combat ship – new coastal ship), … armored vehicles, combat systems of future generations. ..We need to start doing better in this area, “Smith said.
From Smith’s point of view, the committee he chairs “must seriously ‘clean up’ these programs like the F-35”: “You can complain about wasting money, but you can’t get it back. Now we must ensure that we don’t waste it. more “.
“What does the F-35 give us, and is there a way to cut our financial losses? Is there a way not to spend so much money on such a low potential? Because, as you know, the maintenance costs of the F-35 are atrocious.” , – said the head of the Committee on Armed Forces of the House of Representatives.
The F-35 is a multipurpose combat vehicle designed using signature reduction technology. Together with the USA, eight countries took part in the project of its creation: Australia, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey. However, in 2019, Washington decided to exclude Ankara from the program participants in connection with Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400 from Russia. F-35 aircraft are also purchased by Israel and Japan.