Originally Posted by
gums
Salute!
Agree, TD...
Viper should have set the standard model. The F-35 kept getting changes to the original spec, and looks like they did well until the big contract was awarded. The EPG arrangement for the Viper played a huge role in the transition from the YF-16 to the production model. USAF bought the thing cause with co-production and such, the suckers could roll off the line for a really great price, and GD had a good line concept that actually cranked out lottsa airframes in short order.
We had numerous additions during the 1979 to 1984 years when I flew the thing. Nevertheless, the plane would have done everything that was claimed when the contract was awarded, and we had a very friendly U.S. administration then.
I did not realize the influence of the so-called deep state until working as a government contract weenie. Mod after mod, delay after delay, $$$ after dollar. The folks depending upon continuing a program did more to slow up the F-35 than many realize.
Gums opines...
Perhaps that was a hidden virtue of an active innovation policy as with the Century fighters, the bureaucracy gets so focused on hopping on the next big thing that they neglect screwing up the current efforts.