This sort of waste is a feature not a bug. More problems, more money. I'm just finishing reading a book [0] about the horrible waste and the cushy relationship

This sort of waste is a feature not a bug. More problems, more money. I'm just finishing reading a book [0] about the horrible waste and the cushy relationships built into giant weapon systems in the US Air Force in the 60s-70s, especially the C5-A Galaxy, and this sounds familiar. I've also been following Project on Government Oversight[1] when they look at the has been keeping track of the F-35 mess(among others). Contracts are written so that when the contractor can't live up the contract for how a thing should perform, the taxpayer picks up the tab to fix it, or the contract is re-written so that however the thing - missile/plane/widget performs is the new baseline. The threat of actually enforcing a contract is rarely attempted, because there is no motivation to do so. For the F-35 (as with the C-141, C5-A, B1-B, F22, .) production is being done concurrently with testing. There have been almost 900 F-35s built, and a decision for 'full rate production' hasn't been made, and likely won't be until 2024[2], So all the planes produced before the problems found during testing have to refitted. [0] "The High Priests of Waste" by A. Ernest Fitzgerald, one of Nixon's Enemies, for telling the truth to congress. From the book TL;DR: Refusing to look at what it should cost to build a part, terribly inefficient, mismanaged factories (lots of idle machines/personnel), terrible management/cost administration vs. what a normal commercial industry company would do. Covering up/glossing over major technical and financial overruns by Air-force, Defence Department Civilians and 'defence' contractors, all sort of in concert. [1] pogo.org [2] https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/01/24/dod-delays-key-f-35-tests-lowering-chance-of-2023-production-decision/ https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/01/24/dod-delays-key-f-...