SECDEF Vows To Kill It, But Congress Keeps Sending Money

Consider, for a moment, the Lockheed C-130J Hercules -- the latest incarnation of an aircraft considered one of the military's heartiest workhorses. If the C-130J were a wine, it would be off the list at most restaurants, according to the Pentagon. It can't fly the mission for which it was designed. It has design problems that are so severe, an inspector general's report said the problems were so bad that, left uncorrected, could "cause death, severe injury or illness, major loss of equipment or systems." The report, quoted by the New York Times, concluded, "Lockheed Martin has been unable to design, develop or produce a C-130J aircraft that meets contract specifications in the eight years since production began."