XBradTC

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XBradTC

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In which Pierre Sprey tries to argue against the F-35

LT Rusty and I were just chatting, and the subject of the F-35 came up. I've got a lot of problems with how the program was run, and consider it a poster child for acquisition reform. But the end result is an extremely capable (if also very expensive) piece of  hardware that we're just learning…

LT Rusty and I were just chatting, and the subject of the F-35 came up. I've got a lot of problems with how the program was run, and consider it a poster child for acquisition reform. But the end result is an extremely capable (if also very expensive) piece of  hardware that we're just learning how to exploit. 

Pierre Sprey, of course, doesn't like it. 

A couple weeks ago, Aviation Week's Lara Seligman hosted Sprey and Marine LTC David Berke in two half hour debates about the F-35. "Chip" Berke is a test pilot. Sprey, of course, is not. Guess who comes out ahead in the debate?

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Responses to “In which Pierre Sprey tries to argue against the F-35”

  1. AFCM

    BZ “Chip”…Pierre called and would like his ass back!
    Thanks for this post, it was great, yes “I got read in” in 1997, stayed till 2010. Ole Pierre is just trying to stay relevant. I will share this link with a few folks that will enjoy the the outcome.

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  2. McThag

    I have never heard a more gentlemanly way of saying, “Shut the BLEEP up you old coot!”

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  3. Krag

    Well, I got to the 35 minute mark before I couldn’t take any more. Specifically, the Marine Air Lt Col gets his panties in a bunch saying no one lies about aircraft capability and readiness because “we’re professionals”. Sorry chump. Just review Marine Air’s record with the MV-22 and the squadron commanders found guilty of lieing, guilty of forging paperwork, and of pressuring others to the do the same to keep the illusion of a healthy MV-22 program alive. He’s either ignorant or a liar – neither one makes for a good spokesman for the F-35.
    This Lt Col is a great example of why all of Marine Air needs to be shown the door, and the USMC starts fresh with nothing but 2nd Lts straight from TBS.
    Sprey comes across as an elderly man losing some of his faculties. However, the facts are still there – the plane didn’t meet the original USMC IOC requirements, but the USMC went ahead and labelled it IOC anyway. That’s known as a lie to normal people. The development is still ongoing, meaning most of the planes in the fleet already will be going back for depot rebuild to correct the defiencies still being found in testing. The number of defects found keeps increasing when testing the previous fix for previous defects.
    Honestly, listening to the pilot was like listening to Laz on the LCS – it boiled down to “trust me, I’m a pilot, we don’t lie” so shut up and give me more stuff. Pathetic.

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