With a new purchase order, the F-35 reaches its lowest cost yet.
www.popularmechanics.com
In a way, for Turkey to get kicked out of the F35 program is a blessing in disguise. Never mind the ALIS system learning about your flight programme details etc. The main problem would have been the cost of maintaining this aircraft.
Current operating cost of a F35A is 44000 dollars per flight hour. For the life of the aircraft (8000 flight hours) this makes 352 million dollars on top of the 90 million dollar cost of the aircraft. 440 million dollars for each plane. We were planning to purchase 100 planes; That makes 44 billion dollars.
UK officials have cut down their purchase by 90 Saying that this plane would push the armed forces in to bankruptcy. Instead of 138 planes they are buying 48 F35B’s , 24 each for their two carriers. US it self is planning cuts in purchase numbers.
Recently the Greeks, having seen the cost of maintaining the plane, have backed down for their purchasing bid as well.
Technologically it probably is a very good plane. But it comes with too much excess baggage!