Beware of JSF, the Swindle of the Century

As for the JSF's highly praised stealth characteristics, the actual military value of these should be seriously questioned. In 1999, the supersecret US F-117 was not invisible to Yugoslav air defense radar: one of these outrageously expensive machines was shot down as it was raining death and destruction on innocent Yugoslav civilians. These are all unwelcome considerations that are not allowed to be mentioned in the controlled public debate on the aeronautical equivalent of superman.

Recently, however, some sense seems to have descended into the minds of those once persuaded to acquire the latest US weapons system. Israel is trying to wriggle itself out of the deal and the Netherlands governing coaliton has become split over the merits of the JSF. Its recent renaming to “Lightning II” has not yet caught on. By now, people have come to realize that, as with Hollywood movies, anything that carries a numeral in the title is of poor quality.

It seems that as the US itself is moving inexorably toward the abyss, the fate of the JSF may be seen as its faithful reflection. It would not surprise me if the JSF would undergo the same fate as Argentina's once admired jet fighter “Pulqui II” (have you ever heard of it?). It was supposed to be superior to anything then flying, but the program never made it beyond the prototype stage. Before this aeroplane could be produced in any quantity, Argentina experienced one of its deepest crises and the entire program was shelved. If that will not be the JSF's fate, it certainly looks very likely now. It certainly seems nobody will be able to stop the US from disintegrating. I am sure some would resent this, but many, many people around the world would be very, very happy indeed.