A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II lands Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The aircraft will be assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron and the aircraft will be used for development test support, force development evaluation and supporting operational test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jason Couillard)
3/8/2013 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) -- The F-35 Lightning II is one of the newest aircraft about to enter the Air Force inventory. The F-35 is designed to be an affordable strike option that will be used throughout the Defense Department and by its allies.
The jet is currently still being flight tested at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
3/11/2013 3:51:38 PM ET The Air Force the Navy and the Marines plan to buy more than 2400 F-35s through 2037. The government accountability office now estimates the total cost of acquisition at nearly 400 billion up 42 percent from the estimate in 2007 the price per plane has doubled since project development began in 2001. Cost overruns now total 1 billion.I would hardly call that an affordable strike option.
