LJ the P-8 wasn't an option until lots of money had been spent on MRA-4 and you also need to buy BAMS to really compare it, so a flawed example maybe?
Not that I don't agree with the thrust of the thread. If industry knew moving goal posts were the problem then it should have reformed the process. Equally the customer has been inept, basically we have opened our wallet and said take what you want.
It might be spin but I have seen many articles in the last few years of how US companies have strived to provided efficiencies, JDAM unit costs, SSN manufacture, M1 Abrams reconditioning. They still get loads of cash but they provide much more for the money.