If you build to the Mil Spec and use Industry Best Practices and approved techniques and materials....who should bear the liability years later after the aircraft is in service and has been operated and maintained by the buyer?
In the Navy crash...who was the most at fault?
It always concerns me when I see a manufacturer settle 'confidentially out of court' rather than admit liability.
It is a clear admission of guilt for a poorly designed product that allows them to avoid further costly litigation but continues to expose other operators of the product to the same risks.
Haddon-Cave noted the collusion between the military, the manufacturers and the sub-contractors to keep milking the government cash-cow without actually addressing the airworthiness issues.
Is this what SAC has been doing to the US military?