We believe the defense of our nation is a core function of government … always have. We believe there ought to be an Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, and we believe each of these service branches ought to be accountable to its commander and chief (a.k.a. the President of the United States) via a U.S. Department of Defense.
And like other core functions of government, we believe this department ought to be funded adequately to achieve its mission.
Our beef? When this department engages in out-of-control, totally unaccountable spending – and when its resources are tragically misapplied toward conflicts which lack a compelling national interest. That’s why we’re so hard on neocon whores like U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (RINO-S.C.) – because for all their flag-waving and war-mongering you never hear them decrying the rampant unnecessary spending that occurs within the U.S. Armed Forces.
One prime example? The F-35 program – an effort to equip our military with next generation fighter jets. In 2001, the Pentagon announced plans to build 2,866 of these jets at a total cost of $233 billion. As of last summer, however, it was promising fewer than 2,500 jets at a total cost of $400 billion. In other words, the cost per aircraft has more than doubled.
Not only that, the F-35 program continues to be marred by technical problems.
Another example of catastrophic mismanagement? The Littoral Combat Ship – a small, shallow water vessel designed to provide support for mine-clearing, sub-hunting and rescue operations. Oh … and starring roles in government’s “War on Drugs” as well as the dispensing of “foreign aid,” two things taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidizing at all.
Anyway, the Littoral Combat Ship – known in the U.S. Navy as the “Little Crappy Ship” – has been another case study in mismanagement. Since the $37 billion program’s inception in 2005, the cost per ship has more than doubled to $440 million according to Bloomberg. Not only that, both the steel- and aluminum-hulled versions of the ship are experiencing serious structural problems due to design flaws.
Ready for more bad news?
According to a new U.S. Navy report, the “Little Crappy Ship” lacks the firepower it needs to successfully complete the missions it has been tasked with. In other words this incredibly costly program has labored to produce … a dud.
“(The ship) is not expected to be survivable in that it is not expected to maintain mission capability after taking a significant hit in a hostile combat environment,” a weapons tester said.
Wait … what?
“Not expected to be survivable?”
“Not expected to maintain mission capability?”
Then with all due respect, what in the fuck did taxpayers just spend $37 billion for????
Making matters worse, the “Little Crappy Ship” cannot be easily redesigned to add sufficient defensive weaponry – meaning it will likely have to be replaced by a new vessel.
Astounding, huh? But hey, God forbid anybody suggest a responsible approach to military spending (or for that matter a responsible approach to the application of force). Because opposing the use of weapons that don’t work (at twice their budgeted cost) in combat zones were we have no business engaged would be unpatriotic.
Hell, even “conservative” think tanks will tell you that.
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34 comments
Hey, the defense contractors are getting paid, that’s all that matters, right?
Hey, the defense contractors are getting paid, that’s all that matters, right?
There is a reason why Patrick Henry referred to standing armies as “engines of despotism.”
The problem with not having a small standing Army and a credible Navy is that by the time you have the ability to respond to a national military emergency, you’re already speaking Japanese or German by force.
There is a reason why Patrick Henry referred to standing armies as “engines of despotism.”
The problem with not having a small standing Army and a credible Navy is that by the time you have the ability to respond to a national military emergency, you’re already speaking Japanese or German by force.
“the cost per aircraft has more than doubled”
Mathematically correct but as usual ole Sic Willie conveniently ignores inflation which accounts for a very large percentage of the increase. $233B in 2001 is $302B in 2012 dollars. Inaction and indecision have their costs.
“the cost per aircraft has more than doubled”
Mathematically correct but as usual ole Sic Willie conveniently ignores inflation which accounts for a very large percentage of the increase. $233B in 2001 is $302B in 2012 dollars. Inaction and indecision have their costs.
Over to you, Ike…
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction…
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new [as of 1960] in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can…
Aaaaand we’re fucked.
Over to you, Ike…
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction…
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new [as of 1960] in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can…
Aaaaand we’re fucked.
AVAST, MATEY!
Not to worry – Admiral McConnell will buy it – he says It would be great for shark hunting.
AVAST, MATEY!
Not to worry – Admiral McConnell will buy it – he says It would be great for shark hunting.
Unbeknownst to Sic Willie, development of a new weapons system does not magically occur with a few keystrokes as his blog posts do. Weapons system development is a long and arduous process. It is not realistic to believe that technology and/or mission requirements will remain static over the development period. They don’t, except in simplistic minds such as Sic Willie’s.
Unbeknownst to Sic Willie, development of a new weapons system does not magically occur with a few keystrokes as his blog posts do. Weapons system development is a long and arduous process. It is not realistic to believe that technology and/or mission requirements will remain static over the development period. They don’t, except in simplistic minds such as Sic Willie’s.
The littoral combat ship is a legitimate military need (far more than the F-35). 60% of the worlds population lives within 60 miles of the ocean. The LCS “in concept” gives the Navy the ability to provide a SOF launch platform, interdict pirates, sweep mines, conduct ASW, conduct NEO more quickly (non-combatant evacuation operations) and control shallower waters than the “fleet” (LCS ships have a 15 foot draft vice a Carrier with a 40 foot draft)
The main problem with LCS is that the “admirals” don’t want it. It doesn’t have a big, “cool” footprint, it doesn’t have the world’s third or fourth largest air force embarked on board and frankly, it just isn’t “Navy”. The original idea was for a small do it all – that goes against the “Navy desire” for bigger and better fleets. The design program was a disaster from the beginning resulting in two radically different ships being the forerunners of the class, the contractor based maintenance program has been a disaster and generally, the “Navy” has managed to muck it up badly enough that it is right where they want it, dead in the water – $37,000,000,000 later.
The biggest tactical weakness is the ships inability to deal with tactical aircraft, mainly because it would operate outside the Carrier Fleet’s “umbrella” – It is astounding to me that they couldn’t identify and remedy that weakness while the boat was on the drawing board. (a couple of Avenger pods remedies that problem relatively cheaply). The same thing happened with Pegasus class hydrofoil – the last of those boats is sitting ashore in the Cape Fear river across the river from Wilmington, I wonder where the LCS will be towed to die…
The littoral combat ship is a legitimate military need (far more than the F-35). 60% of the worlds population lives within 60 miles of the ocean. The LCS “in concept” gives the Navy the ability to provide a SOF launch platform, interdict pirates, sweep mines, conduct ASW, conduct NEO more quickly (non-combatant evacuation operations) and control shallower waters than the “fleet” (LCS ships have a 15 foot draft vice a Carrier with a 40 foot draft)
The main problem with LCS is that the “admirals” don’t want it. It doesn’t have a big, “cool” footprint, it doesn’t have the world’s third or fourth largest air force embarked on board and frankly, it just isn’t “Navy”. The original idea was for a small do it all – that goes against the “Navy desire” for bigger and better fleets. The design program was a disaster from the beginning resulting in two radically different ships being the forerunners of the class, the contractor based maintenance program has been a disaster and generally, the “Navy” has managed to muck it up badly enough that it is right where they want it, dead in the water – $37,000,000,000 later.
The biggest tactical weakness is the ships inability to deal with tactical aircraft, mainly because it would operate outside the Carrier Fleet’s “umbrella” – It is astounding to me that they couldn’t identify and remedy that weakness while the boat was on the drawing board. (a couple of Avenger pods remedies that problem relatively cheaply). The same thing happened with Pegasus class hydrofoil – the last of those boats is sitting ashore in the Cape Fear river across the river from Wilmington, I wonder where the LCS will be towed to die…
Hey….FITS readers……do any of you remember just how Donald Duck sounded and acted when he got all worked up…?? ….and for WHAT..??
Once again……..ol’ Fits is displaying his lack of informational dominance…!! A classic rope-a-dope spectacle…!!
Does Fits challenge his fine readers to actually think about TACTICAL solutions that our armed forces are NOT doing…??
As loyal informational fitsnews cadets ……its your DUTY to expect Sir Sic Willie to rise above and display better information than a standard “Little Crappy website”….!!!
Geezz….!!!
Hey….FITS readers……do any of you remember just how Donald Duck sounded and acted when he got all worked up…?? ….and for WHAT..??
Once again……..ol’ Fits is displaying his lack of informational dominance…!! A classic rope-a-dope spectacle…!!
Does Fits challenge his fine readers to actually think about TACTICAL solutions that our armed forces are NOT doing…??
As loyal informational fitsnews cadets ……its your DUTY to expect Sir Sic Willie to rise above and display better information than a standard “Little Crappy website”….!!!
Geezz….!!!
We don’t care if you actually use them. We just wan to build them and contribute to the politicians where our factories are. Thank you.
We don’t care if you actually use them. We just wan to build them and contribute to the politicians where our factories are. Thank you.
It’s true spending $ for something that doesn’t work is a giant waste of our money. Asserting ‘mismanagement’ is typical shallow sophomoric uninformed writing from FITS. The root cause of program problems is reflective of the complex technologies and acquisition environment.
Next time spend 5 minutes trying to understand what you’re writing about.
http://www.dau.mil/default.aspx
Civilians who develop and manage the technologies, specifications, contracts, logistic support, etc. of military programs (been there) are for the most part, highly skilled, trained, dedicated, and diligent. More often than not, some aspiring civilian big dog wants to please key personnel (like the admirals Bubba’ bro mentioned) who influence DoD spending for big dog’s program budget. Big Dog imposes unrealistic cost/schedule constraints on program folks, or orders us to use technologies from Admiral’s son’s company, or directs underlings to create spec that ‘pleases’ Admiral, or Admiral orders uniformed subordinates to sign the DD240 accepting subpar performance or product that’s missing what the specs originally called for. The program people manage the best they can under the political crap imposed by people who don’t know squat about real project/program/product development.
It’s true spending $ for something that doesn’t work is a giant waste of our money. Asserting ‘mismanagement’ is typical shallow sophomoric uninformed writing from FITS. The root cause of program problems is reflective of the complex technologies and acquisition environment.
Next time spend 5 minutes trying to understand what you’re writing about.
http://www.dau.mil/default.aspx
Civilians who develop and manage the technologies, specifications, contracts, logistic support, etc. of military programs (been there) are for the most part, highly skilled, trained, dedicated, and diligent. More often than not, some aspiring civilian big dog wants to please key personnel (like the admirals Bubba’ bro mentioned) who influence DoD spending for big dog’s program budget. Big Dog imposes unrealistic cost/schedule constraints on program folks, or orders us to use technologies from Admiral’s son’s company, or directs underlings to create spec that ‘pleases’ Admiral, or Admiral orders uniformed subordinates to sign the DD240 accepting subpar performance or product that’s missing what the specs originally called for. The program people manage the best they can under the political crap imposed by people who don’t know squat about real project/program/product development.
Even though it’s easily circumnavigated with catapults, tunnels, drones, ramps, fat bribes and threats, border security has become a booming sector for the prohibition industrial complex. In 2012 alone, the U.S. government spent $18 billion on border and immigration enforcement agencies, more than on all other federal law enforcement agencies—including the FBI, DEA, etc—combined.
Did we go thru some kind of time warp? How did we get to this topic?
Even though it’s easily circumnavigated with catapults, tunnels, drones, ramps, fat bribes and threats, border security has become a booming sector for the prohibition industrial complex. In 2012 alone, the U.S. government spent $18 billion on border and immigration enforcement agencies, more than on all other federal law enforcement agencies—including the FBI, DEA, etc—combined.
Did we go thru some kind of time warp? How did we get to this topic?
I’m sure that all of you “Anti Obama” will blame the poor old president for this.
I’m sure that all of you “Anti Obama” will blame the poor old president for this.
The Gov needs to hold companies accountable for massive cost overruns. If there are problems with a weapon or new program the Gov pays the company to fix it. How many business in the real world can make billions of extra $ by screwing up project all to crap. It is counter productive and gives businesses no incentive to keep projects on time and on budget. .
The Gov needs to hold companies accountable for massive cost overruns. If there are problems with a weapon or new program the Gov pays the company to fix it. How many business in the real world can make billions of extra $ by screwing up project all to crap. It is counter productive and gives businesses no incentive to keep projects on time and on budget. .
LCS has been a floundering suckcess, sucking more cess to the pork barrel’s credit for over four years, welcome to the bandwagon Wil.
LCS has been a floundering suckcess, sucking more cess to the pork barrel’s credit for over four years, welcome to the bandwagon Wil.