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Not defending the details for the F-35 program, but military spending in general: Every dollar you spend on weapons also increases GDP. Because GDP is not a me
by Banthum 10y ago
Not defending the details for the F-35 program, but military spending in general:
Every dollar you spend on weapons also increases GDP. Because GDP is not a measure of economic good, only of economic activity.
In fact, wars create huge jumps in GDP. That doesn't mean they're economically good.
And anyway, you can't measure military deterrents by "rate of return". The F-35's rate of return is "we don't have to fight another world war", because potential adversaries will understand they don't have a chance of winning and thus won't start a conflict.
- udkl 10y ago> wars create huge jumps in GDP Huge jumps for all the wrong reasons. > The F-35's rate of return is "we don't have to fight another world war" The F-35 budget overran due to mismanagement, not because it just costs trillions to create the technology. I can see China working with Russia being able to afford their own competitive machines. There doesn't seem to be a clear "we don't have to fight another world war" end game.
- pikzen 10y ago> The F-35's rate of return is "we don't have to fight another world war", because potential adversaries will understand they don't have a chance of winning and thus won't start a conflict. Meanwhile, the F35 barely goes toe to toe with the Rafale F3, which is cheaper to produce and maintain. But I guess you can reuse it elsewhere. Whooo.
- valuearb 10y agoWar doesn't increase GDP, that's called "inflation". Jobs are the cost of the military, both a benefit. And We won't fight another world war because of nuclear weapons.