F-35 program seriously misleads public-- "$70 million each"

One would think that with budget cuts coming, it would be bad for a high-risk, troubled, overly expensive and faulty defense program to have its public affairs people mislead the public.

Yet, this release (PDF) from the U.S. DOD F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) via their very own website, does just that.

The brand-new jets, $70 million each, are arriving at Eglin regularly — roaring in directly from the factory in Dallas.

A quick check of SARs and DOD budget line items (even just procurement with no R&D), shows no "$70 million each" F-35 anywhere in sight. Even the special "roll-away" cost with no motor.

$70M? Really?

Also, to be accurate--in order for the benefit of the moron that wrote this nonsense--the factory is in Fort Worth.

It goes on. Petting the badger.

Thus F-35 boosters like Toth imply with confidence that their baby is virtually immune from the knives of Washington budget cutters.

Well, history shows, that just is not so, given that due to program management incompetence what we have is this:


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Which is a down-turn from 2003:


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I suspect that there are more cuts to come and then...what?

My guess is the new JPO boss General Bogdan hasn't gotten around to having a chat with his public affairs folks.