> Unfortunately fixed price contracts don't work for new cutting edge defense systems. No major defense contractor would ever take on that level of risk so ther

> Unfortunately fixed price contracts don't work for new cutting edge defense systems. No major defense contractor would ever take on that level of risk so there would be zero bids. Fixed price contracts only become practical after the R&D work is complete. That's demonstrably false. All civil aviation works by companies shouldering the weight of development then selling their wares. Heck, the whole non-military economy works this way. And even a good chunk of the military economy where they buy modified civilian goods. There's nothing special about weapons systems. There's a market. You do market research. You know you can sell X units for Y cost. You build the thing. You sell it. There's only something special about the DoD. They're not being held accountable and they don't give a damn about the long-term financial welfare of the country.