Fifteen years after the F-35’s first flight, the Air Force has just 250 of the jets. This approach is very typical of the UK MoD as well. Buy fewer than planne

Fifteen years after the F-35’s first flight, the Air Force has just 250 of the jets. This approach is very typical of the UK MoD as well. Buy fewer than planned of an item to "save money" without understanding that the R&D cost is the same and will be spread over however many of them you buy. Then fatigue them to death because they are too few to meet the commitment, driving up maintenance costs and bringing forwards the date at which they will need to be replaced. Rinse and repeat. The UK looks to be cutting its order from 138 to 48 F35s, but who knows what will be in next month's defence review...