The F-35 is one of the 2 457 jets the Pentagon has ordered for the world’s most expensive weapons program in history. The jet will set you back $600 million. The F-35 has been,

designed as the U.S. military’s lethal hunter for 21st century skies, has become the hunted, a poster child for Pentagon profligacy in a new era of tightening budgets.

The weapon is however still under construction, it hasn’t dropped or fired weapons yet and the software needed for it to go to war is still being drawn up.

Due to the delay of the construction of the jet, the Air Force and Navy have been forced to spend $5 billion on the up-keep of current standing jets. These set backs are a cause for consternation with conservative Republicans.

We are spending maybe 45% of the world’s budget on defense. If we drop to 42% or 43%, would we be suddenly in danger of some kind of invasion? We’re bankrupting our country, and it’s going to put us in danger.

Due to these construction delays, Marine Major Aric “Walleye” Liberman, Navy SEAL turned fighter pilot, was unable to display all the jets capabilities when he flew it last year before an excited crowd and Senator John McCain.

[Source: TIME]