Using The F-16 Program As A Model For The F-35 Program

F-35 and F-16

Change Course To Protect F-35 -- Defense News

F-16 Set Example of Concurrent Development.

Why is the F-16 fighter jet so successful, with 4,500 airplanes delivered and, 30 years later, still in production, while the F-35 is a continuing struggle?

I was heavily involved in both programs, to include industry and government, and here are my observations — and some lessons learned from the F-16 — that could be helpful for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.

Both programs started with the same objectives:

Read more ....

My Comment: One big difference between the two programs is that when the F-16 plane was being developed and manufactured, it was not being down in an environment of trillion dollar deficits and a massive need for budget cuts.