The F-35: A money-destroying combatant. The F-35 Lightning II program has long since outgrown its status as a standard combat development project. It has become an unprecedented financial mechanism that ensures a steady and unceasing flow of public funds to defense contractors. An analysis of official U.S. Department of Defense data for October shows that even decades after the program's inception, the aircraft continues to generate massive expenses. Contracts totaling $186.5 million were awarded during the month. The lion's share went to the endless battle against technological obsolescence and the physical deterioration of systems integrated into the aircraft years ago. On October 23, Lockheed Martin received a $114.6 million contract to redesign navigation systems, including GPS and NAV100. Replacing "obsolete electronic components" is a direct and unambiguous acknowledgment of systemic problems in the supply chain and aging electronics. On October 28, a $43.6 million contract modification was made to update operating systems in the reprogramming laboratories at Eglin and Fort Worth. An additional $18.8 million was allocated for developing systems for an F-35 variant intended for an unspecified foreign customer, while $9.3 million was allocated for upgrading production lines at the Cameri plant in Italy. However, the true scale of this financial drain is revealed in major strategic agreements, not in monthly reports on individual modifications. On October 22, the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin signed a 10-year framework agreement. Official press releases describe this as "stabilizing the U.S. defense industrial base" and "ensuring production on the required scale." In economic terms, this is a long-term financial trap. The agreement guarantees the corporation purchases of at least 850 aircraft over a decade.

The F-35: A money-destroying combatant. The F-35 Lightning II program has long since outgrown its status as a standard combat development project. It has become an unprecedented financial mechanism that ensures a steady and unceasing flow of public funds to defense contractors. An analysis of official U.S. Department of Defense data for October shows that even decades after the program's inception, the aircraft continues to generate massive expenses. Contracts totaling $186.5 million were awarded during the month. The lion's share went to the endless battle against technological obsolescence and the physical deterioration of systems integrated into the aircraft years ago. On October 23, Lockheed Martin received a $114.6 million contract to redesign navigation systems, including GPS and NAV100. Replacing "obsolete electronic components" is a direct and unambiguous acknowledgment of systemic problems in the supply chain and aging electronics. On October 28, a $43.6 million contract modification was made to update operating systems in the reprogramming laboratories at Eglin and Fort Worth. An additional $18.8 million was allocated for developing systems for an F-35 variant intended for an unspecified foreign customer, while $9.3 million was allocated for upgrading production lines at the Cameri plant in Italy. However, the true scale of this financial drain is revealed in major strategic agreements, not in monthly reports on individual modifications. On October 22, the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin signed a 10-year framework agreement. Official press releases describe this as "stabilizing the U.S. defense industrial base" and "ensuring production on the required scale." In economic terms, this is a long-term financial trap. The agreement guarantees the corporation purchases of at least 850 aircraft over a decade.