The Panting Media Paradox
The F-18 and its procurement process was savaged by an author in the book
The Pentagon Paradox.
Oddly enough, the F-18 seems to have worked out operationally. I seem to recall some years ago a problem with the fin/tail and cracks, that was sorted, even though it was initially a black eye to the program. (Was it in CF-18's first, or in test? I forget).
The F-35 is being savaged during its development and LRIP process. I have an idea that it will work out ... but cost growth, as a factor, strikes me as a significantly differnt scale than the F-18. I have not yet done the sums, so it may not be as different now as then.
What I am pretty sure is true is that between the F-18 and the F-35, some of the rules of acquisition in our country have changed (Federal Acquisition Regulations) and "cost as a variable" has gotten to have a larger impact on decision matrices.