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Old March 22, 2005, 01:09 AM   #8
ebd10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2004
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 127
Don't count on the 6.8

The people involved in the development of the 6.8 committed an unforgivable sin; they went outside channels to get the job done, and in the process made the military look like a slow moving bureaucracy. In other words, they didn't play the game according to the rules. It's not the first time this has happened. In the early 80's, Northrop aircraft took it upon itself to eat the cost of R&D and come up with a design for a fighter jet that was superior in every respect to the F-16 except for some small details. However, the military contractors live for cost-plus contracts because it gives them the opportunity to gouge the taxpayer without them knowing it. Northrop broke the rules by paying for their own R&D and coming up with a better, faster, more versatile aircraft (F-20 Tigershark). Politics reared its ugly head and Uncle bought the F-16 instead. The result was that Northrop had to merge with Grumman to stay afloat and General Dynamics won the contract. The lesson was not lost on all the other military hardware manufacturers.

The point is; a bunch of green beanies went off the reservation to get the job done. They accomplished what they wanted in less time and for less money than the government ever thought about (it's what they do, after all). You can expect the 6.8 to whither and die on the vine.
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