I think seeing the development of a project like the F-35 as solely a project to produce a fighter jet misses the point. It's a political project, strategic pro

I think seeing the development of a project like the F-35 as solely a project to produce a fighter jet misses the point. It's a political project, strategic project, international project. "Making a good plane" is also on the list. But you don't just "make a plane". You need money. You need allies (international, political). Saying that a project could have been done at half the cost is very easy. Proving that you could have done the political part of it and still keep it at half the cost is hard.