Government didn't tell you about the other $12~$14B in F-35 costs

Government didn't tell you about the other $12~$14B in F-35 costs. Again, this assumes a working aircraft. And it could be well over $14B. The above figure assumes 20 years for the cost per flying hour of 72 F-35s. It does not count engineering changes and other kinds of sustainment.

Note that the costs mentioned by the government might,...might...just get the aircraft here where we can park them. Look at the following numbers to sustain 72 F-35s at 200 flying hours per aircraft per year:

1 F-35; 200 flying hours per year, $40,000 (low figure) per flying hour: $8M

72 F-35 per year: $576M

20 years 72 F-35s: $11.52B

This doesn't count engineering changes to the aircraft. It doesn't count additional weapons and other sustainment.

This would be a worthy investment if the aircraft had top end combat capability. It does not. It never will.

Multiply that figure by about .59 to see what it would be for Super Hornet flying hours.

For a Gripen? Multiply that figure by about .18

Multiply it by 1.25 to see what it would cost assuming $50,000 per F-35 flight hour.

None of these aircraft will be able to beat an F-22 or Typhoon. Two rough analogs of the PAK-FA and advanced Flanker: the kinds of threats that will be in the Pacific Rim during the alleged lifetime of the F-35.