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In the News

The military’s next-generation fighter jet

The F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is being designed as the military’s next big weapon and will have versions for the Navy, Marines Corps and Air Force.

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U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Maj. Richard Rusnok prepares for a flight in an F-35B Lightning II at Patuxent River Naval Air Station on March 7. The F-35 is shaped to avoid detection by enemy radar and can accelerate to supersonic speeds. One model can take off and land vertically. Onboard electronic sensors and computers provide a 360-degree view of the battlefield on flat-panel screens, allowing pilots to quickly identify targets and threats.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

$U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matthew Kelly does his pre-flight inspection of the F-35C at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Those pushing for defense budget cuts may find it difficult to trim more than a fraction of the Pentagon’s proposed F-35 fleet, even though the program is years behind schedule and 70 percent over its initial price tag.$

U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matthew Kelly does his pre-flight inspection of the F-35C at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Those pushing for defense budget cuts may find it difficult to trim more than a fraction of the Pentagon’s proposed F-35 fleet, even though the program is years behind schedule and 70 percent over its initial price tag.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Test pilot Lt. Col. Matthew Kelly prepares for his F-35C test flight. The reasons for the F-35’s relative immunity are a stark illustration of why it is so difficult to cut the country's defense spending. Its production is tied to 45 states and it is being produced at the same time it is being tested. By the time all that is finished — in 2017, by the Pentagon’s estimates — it will be too late to pull the plug. The military will own 365 of them.

Test pilot Lt. Col. Matthew Kelly prepares for his F-35C test flight. The reasons for the F-35’s relative immunity are a stark illustration of why it is so difficult to cut the country's defense spending. Its production is tied to 45 states and it is being produced at the same time it is being tested. By the time all that is finished — in 2017, by the Pentagon’s estimates — it will be too late to pull the plug. The military will own 365 of them.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Test pilot Maj. Richard Rusnok gets in the cockpit of the F-35B. The Pentagon has long permitted equipment to be produced while it is still being tested, with the intent of getting cutting-edge gear to warriors more quickly, but senior military officials said the F-35 takes the approach to new extremes.

Test pilot Maj. Richard Rusnok gets in the cockpit of the F-35B. The Pentagon has long permitted equipment to be produced while it is still being tested, with the intent of getting cutting-edge gear to warriors more quickly, but senior military officials said the F-35 takes the approach to new extremes.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Maj. Richard Rusnok goes over his pre-flight check list in the cockpit of the F-35B. When the F-35 program was first approved by the Pentagon, Lockheed Martin said it could develop and manufacture 2,852 planes for $233 billion. The Pentagon now estimates the total price tag at $397.1 billion. And that is for 409 fewer planes.

Maj. Richard Rusnok goes over his pre-flight check list in the cockpit of the F-35B. When the F-35 program was first approved by the Pentagon, Lockheed Martin said it could develop and manufacture 2,852 planes for $233 billion. The Pentagon now estimates the total price tag at $397.1 billion. And that is for 409 fewer planes.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Maj. Richard Rusnok taxis out in his F-35B. The overall program is almost four times more costly than any other weapons system under development. Taxpayers have already spent $84 billion on the plane's design and initial production. By contrast, the production of 18,000 B-24 bombers during World War II cost less than $60 billion, in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Maj. Richard Rusnok taxis out in his F-35B. The overall program is almost four times more costly than any other weapons system under development. Taxpayers have already spent $84 billion on the plane's design and initial production. By contrast, the production of 18,000 B-24 bombers during World War II cost less than $60 billion, in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Lt. Col. Matthew Kelly taxis out in his F-35C. To the plane’s backers, including senior leaders of the Air Force and Marine Corps, the benefit is worth the cost. “This aircraft reinforces the way Americans go to war. ... We don't want to win 51-49. We want to win 99 to nothing,” said Lt. Gen. Frank Gornec, the assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force.

Lt. Col. Matthew Kelly taxis out in his F-35C. To the plane’s backers, including senior leaders of the Air Force and Marine Corps, the benefit is worth the cost. “This aircraft reinforces the way Americans go to war. ... We don't want to win 51-49. We want to win 99 to nothing,” said Lt. Gen. Frank Gornec, the assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

The F-35A is shown. There are three variations of the F-35, or Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35A is the Air Force model that is designed for conventional takeoff and landing. The F-35B is the Marine Corps version designed to take off and land vertically. The F-35C is the Navy model designed to land on an aircraft carrier.

The F-35A is shown. There are three variations of the F-35, or Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35A is the Air Force model that is designed for conventional takeoff and landing. The F-35B is the Marine Corps version designed to take off and land vertically. The F-35C is the Navy model designed to land on an aircraft carrier.

/ U.S. Navy

The F-35A is shown. Part of the appeal of the F-35 was that the same airframe would be used to produce planes for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, with only modest modifications to address service-specific needs. But the three military branches sought additional modifications to meet their needs. Instead of meeting the original plan of being about 70 percent similar, the three versions now are 70 percent distinct, which has increased costs by tens of billions and led to years-long delays.

The F-35A is shown. Part of the appeal of the F-35 was that the same airframe would be used to produce planes for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, with only modest modifications to address service-specific needs. But the three military branches sought additional modifications to meet their needs. Instead of meeting the original plan of being about 70 percent similar, the three versions now are 70 percent distinct, which has increased costs by tens of billions and led to years-long delays.

/ U.S. Navy

The F-35B is shown. Even with three variations, the plane's design has forced serious compromises. To remain stealthy, bombs and missiles must be placed inside a weapons bay, which limits the volume of munitions that can be carried. The use of a single engine, required for the Marine version, restricts speed.

The F-35B is shown. Even with three variations, the plane's design has forced serious compromises. To remain stealthy, bombs and missiles must be placed inside a weapons bay, which limits the volume of munitions that can be carried. The use of a single engine, required for the Marine version, restricts speed.

/ U.S. Navy

The F-35C is shown. Though the F-35 is rarely mentioned by those seeking to rein in federal spending on Capitol Hill, quiet discussions are beginning within the walls of the Pentagon. Some senior officers, even those who are enamored of the plane, worry that footing the $400 billion tab in an era of declining defense budgets will require too many other sacrifices and trade-offs.

The F-35C is shown. Though the F-35 is rarely mentioned by those seeking to rein in federal spending on Capitol Hill, quiet discussions are beginning within the walls of the Pentagon. Some senior officers, even those who are enamored of the plane, worry that footing the $400 billion tab in an era of declining defense budgets will require too many other sacrifices and trade-offs.

/ U.S. Navy

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

epa03708924 Franziska (C) wears a helmet and carries a shield during the recreation of The Battle of the Teutoburg Museum in Bramsche, Germany, 20 May 2013. The everyday life of Romans and the Germanic people is depicted at Museum Park Kalkriese during the Romans and Germanic people days. EPA/Friso Gentsch

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A Burrowing owl tries to perch on a protective rope in a public park in Cooper City, Fla. Monday, May 20, 2013 as rain falls. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

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ANNAPOLIS, MD - MAY 20: The Herndon Monument Climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the United States Naval Academy. The plebes climb to the top of the lard-covered 21 foot high monument and remove the 'dixie cup' hat at the top replacing it with an upperclassman's hat. After completing this, the freshmen are called 'fourth class midshipmen.' This class completed the task in 1 hour 32 minutes and 43 seconds. The hat was placed by Patrick Lien from Orlando. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

The Herndon Climb

The Herndon Monument climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the U.S. Naval Academy.

This combination of Associated Press photos shows left, a neighborhood in Moore, Okla., in ruins on Tuesday, May 4, 1999, after a tornado flattened many houses and buildings in central Oklahoma, and right, flattened houses in Moore on Monday, May 20, 2013. Monday's powerful tornado in suburban Oklahoma City loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the region in May 1999. (AP Photo)

Okla. tornado loosely followed path of 1999 twister

Monday’s powerful tornado in suburban Oklahoma City loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the area in May 1999.

Lea Bessinger salvages a picture of Jesus as she and her son Josh Bessinger sort through the rubble of the elder Bessinger's tornado-ravaged home Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Moore, Okla. A huge tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburb Monday, flattening an entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Tornado near Oklahoma City causes more damage

Rescue workers are searching for survivors after a twister carved a long path of destruction in a suburb of Oklahoma City. It was part of the...

FILE - In this undated publicity file photo, members of the Doors, from left, John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison, pose for a portrait. Manzarek, the keyboardist who was a founding member of The Doors, has died at 74. Publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says in a news release that Manzarek died Monday, May 20, 2013, at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family. (AP Photo, File)

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US actress Rosario Dawson smiles on May 20, 2013 as she arrives for the screening of the film 'Wara No Tate' (Shield of Straw) presented in Competition at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLIALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Eye on entertainment

Rosario Dawson, Alec Baldwin, Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Bow Wow, Amy Poehler and more.

A man walks on sulphur and mineral salt formations near Dallol in the Danakil Depression, northern Ethiopia April 22, 2013. The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and harshest environments on earth, with an average annual temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.4 Celsius). For centuries, merchants have travelled there with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted and shaped into slabs, then loaded onto the animals before being transported back across the desert so that it can be sold around the country. Picture taken April 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola (ETHIOPIA - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 2 OF 30 FOR PACKAGE 'ETHIOPIA'S ANCIENT SALT TRAIL'
SEARCH 'DANAKIL DEPRESSION' FOR ALL

Ethiopia’s salt trail

For centuries, merchants have traveled to Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted...

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