Could it be that LM is the GM of the aerospace industry ?

GM thought a big group with common technical platforms and integrated supplier base for a range of popular brands would create a highly profitable business.

Instead they lost track of every program in their desire to become ever more cost-efficient (and soul-less).

Evidence suggests that the US aerospace industry was a lot more productive during years of real domestic competition.

I'm getting more and more concerned that Loren Thompson is being used as a consultant. He has lost credibility in the Defense arena when he made non-fact based comments about the alternate engine for JSF. He also said it made sense to have two Tanker aircraft, but criticized the alternate engine because it would double the cost and the logistics footprint having two propulsion systems. I guess having two Tanker aircraft would not double anything?????? Back to his comments made about the "JSF is Fine". Typical Thompson response that is vague, no facts and no substance; he did'nt say anything. Do people/organizations actually pay this guy? I've been in the industry for 30 years and Loren Thompson has never impressed me. The industry should wise up and get him off their payroll, starting with the Lexington Institute which as an organization is also loosing credibility letting guys like Thompson make comments in their name.

It would have been far more sensible and cost effective for the UK Government to have ordered the naval version of the Dassault Rafale (as painful as that may be for us Brits)!
Slight problem being of course that our 2 new carriers, if or when they're built, will not be 'nuke' powered (probobly to keep the 'Greens' happy). They'll be powered by newly designed RR turbines which won't offer enough additional power for a catapult system. BAe/Vosper have stated, (I believe) that an add-on power system would be available 'in the future' should a catapult system be required.

Also what really pi$$e$ me off is that LM again is giving us the mushroom treatment by refusing to release the F-35 source codes. (This was all over the British press last week). We're supposed to be a 'Tier 1' supplier/partner in this ludicrous venture and have had the pleasure of, so far, spending £2B and counting.
I think LM need to be reminded that we gave to the USG for free, little things like, you know, the Jet engine (Frank Whittle's design) and radar.
Seems like LM is happy for our 'special relationship' to continue as long as we put up and shut up.
Lm's holy grail of 'stealth' is for glossy marketing mags. It's a fact easily found on-line that russian radar systems can spot 'holes' in naturally occuring atmospheric background noise. Where there's a hole is probobly were there's a 'stealthy' aircraft. The Serbs were using Russian-built radar when they shot down the 'stealthy' F-117 10 years ago. So fine, design as much as possible using RCS software and use as much RAM as possible, but don't sell it as if its some kind of magic formula.