The production and procurement programs of the American fifth-generation F-35 fighter-bomber were a "complete disaster". This was stated on March 5 by the chairman of the Committee on the Armed Forces of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, Adam Smith.
"The procurement process (in the US Department of Defense. - Ed.) over the past 20 years can only be described as a complete disaster-in terms of what is happening with the F-35, LCS (Littoral combat ship-a new ship of the coastal zone. - Ed.), < ... > armored vehicles, combat systems of future generations. < ... > < ... > We must start working in this direction better, " - quotes TASS congressman, who spoke at an Internet seminar organized by the Washington Brookings Institution.
According to Smith, the committee he chairs should "clean up" programs like the F-35.
"You can complain about the waste of money, but they can not be returned. Now we must ensure that we do not waste more," he added.
On February 26, Forbes reported that the top leadership of the US Air Force was talking about the need to create new light fighters that will combine expensive F-22 and F-35, as well as more budget jet aircraft. This statement was made by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Charles Brown Jr. As the publication clarifies, this statement is an unspoken recognition that the F-35 Lightning II program has failed.
The F-35 is a multi-purpose combat vehicle that was designed using low-visibility technology. Together with the United States, eight countries participated in the project of its creation until recently: Australia, Denmark, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Turkey, the Netherlands and Norway. However, in 2019, Washington decided to exclude Ankara from the program in connection with Turkey's purchase of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia. Israel and Japan are also buying F-35s.
