$25 billion British budget blowout in black hole F-35 project

April 9th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

The stunning cost of the American Joint Strike Fighter program already exceeds $1.5 trillion, making it the most expensive military project in human history. Now the UK prepares to fork out its $25 billion.

The JSF stealth fighter jets, also known as F-35, are being developed and assembled by Lockheed Martin in the US. The JSF program is partly funded by Britain and seven other “partner nations”.

Each F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet will cost the UK around $139.5 million, plus an extra $26.2 million for each engine.

All in all, America’s closest ally intends to buy 150 fighter jets for nearly $166 million each plane, although that is a substantial discount on the cost price.

The first order the UK will place at Lockheed Martin is expected to be for one squadron, about 20 JSF aircrafts.

Britain’s outlay is much cheaper than the price tag for America itself. The development and construction of each of the 2,443 F-35 aircraft of all modifications will cost the US $618 million per unit.

Nevertheless, the rise in expenses has sparked alarm in the British Ministry of Defence, which already has to do something about the cost of the future two British aircraft carriers. Initially estimated at $5.75 billion, the project cost has soared to over $10 billion.

Originally, the Joint Strike Fighter program included a short take-off and landing (STOL) version that London ordered for its future air-carriers. Then the Coalition decided to cancel the STOL modification, planning to buy cheaper version that uses catapults to start from a carrier. However, London found out this decision will cost it additional billions in converting the carriers under construction.

British Ministry of Defence is currently considering returning to the STOL modification, which means negotiating with the US to finalize and start series production of the STOL F-35 model.

Other nations that back the Joint Strike Fighter program are either reducing the number of F-35s on order, like Italy – which has already said it needs 90 F-35 aircraft instead of 131 – or remain thoughtful about the deal, like Australia and Canada.