If you pay any attention to spending by the Department of Defense, you are aware that nearly 50 percent of its yearly budget goes to waste. But none of its failures has become more devastating than the development of the “ultimate fighter,” the F-35.

It has failed every test, and remains the greatest debacle in U.S. military history. It even failed a combat test against an antiquated F-16.

The F-35 was labeled as the ultimate ‘Joint Strike Fighter.’ It was intended to be available to all branches of the military with special modifications for each.

The fighter jet “remains immature and provides limited combat capability,” Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation, told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, adding that the F-35 has “many unresolved significant deficiencies.”

Gilmore added that the F-35 has 931 ‘documented deficiencies;’ 158 of which are ‘Category 1,’ and could ‘cause death, severe injury, or severe illness.’

The Pentagon has made the decision to continue manufacturing the F-35. The program is now expected to cost more than one trillion dollars, and no one is certain if it will ever fly.

Marco Rubio said during his campaign that he would raise the defense budget to one trillion dollars, but repeal the Affordable Care Act, reduce Medicare and social security benefits, and virtually eliminate aid to impoverished families.

All GOP candidates would continue to give the Pentagon a ridiculously bloated budget, knowing that nearly half of it is spent in foolish ways which have little or no association with national security.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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