History repeats itself...in the air?

History really does have a way of repeating itself.  Remember when the U.S. tried this before?

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Lightning II

It was called the TFX and it was a fiasco.  In the early 1960s Robert McNamara tried to achieve "cost savings" by forcing the Navy and Air Force to buy the same airplane.  The Navy dropped out and the Air Force turned it into the F-111, a modestly successful aircraft.

The military tried it again in the mid-60's, more successfully this time as both the Air Force and Navy bought 5,000 F-4 Phantoms, one of the longest-running production airplanes of all time.  But this time, the Air Force basically adapted a NAVY design and used it.  

Now here we are with the F-35, which is looking more like a TFX and less like an F-4.

Super Stealth Plane Breaks Through Cost Barrier

 Now, normally I would chalk this up to another issue of Christmas balls on the tree (DoD always wants to hang more), but the U.S. is going to face a real fighter shortage over the next few years as aging airframes that have seen a lot of action over Iraq and Afghanistan begin wearing out.

And, of course, to pay for UNIVERSAL UNICORN and PUPPIES HEALTH-CARE, we will not be able to buy nearly enough F-35's at this price to replace them.

NUMBERS COUNT.