Most expensive military project failures

[Brazen]

Hello strangers! I'm working on an article you lot might enjoy and have something to contribute.

What post-WWII military programmes have proven the most spectacular and expensive design mistakes?

This comes off the back of the US Navy spending $400,000 on a chemical flush for poorly-designed heads on two aircraft carriers. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/carrier-toilet-problems/

[grumbler]

The Zumwalt class destroyers probably top the list.

The B-58 Hustler is probably a good one to research, as it was famously expensive and never really panned out, being taken out of service after less than 10 years.  The B-52 was introduced five years earlier than the B-58 and lasted (so far) fifty years later in service.

[grumbler]

Oh, and US Navy shitters have been problem children since they went away from the salt-water flush type.  Just a complete story of those debacles would be a long article or short book.

[Monoriu]

Welcome back

[celedhring]

Brazen! 

I humbly contribute the Spanish sub that couldn't float.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/world/europe/spain-military-submarine.html

[mongers]

Oh, and US Navy shitters have been problem children since they went away from the salt-water flush type.  Just a complete story of those debacles would be a long article or short book.

IIRC there was a very costly program for the toilet in I thing the A6 Prowler* navy jet, or at the least the toilet seat itself was Very expensive.


* Not totally sure it was the prowler, but I think was some naval EW/recon jet, probably not the E2 and I don't think the S3.

[Admiral Yi]

Sgt. York air defense and SA80.

[jimmy olsen]

No one has said the F-35 yet? 

[The Brain]

Oh, and US Navy shitters have been problem children since they went away from the salt-water flush type.  Just a complete story of those debacles would be a long article or short book.

IIRC there was a very costly program for the toilet in I thing the A6 Prowler* navy jet, or at the least the toilet seat itself was Very expensive.


* Not totally sure it was the prowler, but I think was some naval EW/recon jet, probably not the E2 and I don't think the S3.

Have you seen Flight of the Asstruder?

[grumbler]

IIRC there was a very costly program for the toilet in I thing the A6 Prowler* navy jet, or at the least the toilet seat itself was Very expensive.


* Not totally sure it was the prowler, but I think was some naval EW/recon jet, probably not the E2 and I don't think the S3.

Pretty sure that was the P-3 with the toilet seat thing.  Couldn't have been the A-6 or S-3 as those didn't have toilets.

[Maladict]

No one has said the F-35 yet? 

Yeah, that would be the one for us.

That and the new base for the Marine Corps. The Navy kept pushing ahead with a new base even though it became clear the marines resisted the move. The plan was finally axed in February, after a sizeable fraction of marines quit over having to move 200km. Close to a hundred million was spent, and the marines still need a new base. But it doesn't need to be as big anymore, I suppose.

[Barrister]

Won't be most expensive by total dollars, but I thought I'd throw out a couple Canadian examples:

-Upholder/Victoria class submarines.  Built by the Brits in the 70s, only in service for about a decade.  Then sold to Canada, where they've been nothing but trouble.
-the 30 year saga to replace the Sea King helicopters
-and yeah, the F-35

[Admiral Yi]

Is the F35 a true failure, or just much more costly and functional than most countries want/can afford right now?

Honest question.

[PDH]

MBT-70

[Maladict]

That time when Olaf the Hairy, high chief of all the vikings, accidentally ordered 80,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside.