(A national disaster?Samuel King Jr./US Air Force)

A scathing new report on the F-35 compiles virtually every reported deficiency with the world’s most expensive weapons system.

Dan Grazier, a former Marine captain and a defense policy investigator at the Project on Government Oversight put together a definitive history of the F-35’s shortcomings, ultimately concluding that the program is a “national disaster” in dire need of an intervention.

The piece draws from sometimes years old reports out of the F-35 program about several failures along its course of development. According to Grazier, the F-35’s computer, sensors, and sensor fusion don’t effectively help pilots or improve on existing platforms, it fails as a fighter and a close air support platform, and officials behind the program have repeatedly tried to obscure the true cost of the jet.

Perhaps the article’s most cogent point comes on the subject of the price. Lockheed Martin recently announced a plan to bring the price of individual F-35A jets to about $85 million, a similar price to a new F-18 Super Hornet. However, as Grazier points out, the $85 million only covers procurement costs. The significant costs of developing the plane, maintaining it, and testing it go unreported in these often-cited figures, prompting the following zinger from Grazier: “‘Price tag is the only thing stealthy about the F-35.”

(Price tags touted by F-35 program advocates often only mention the procurement cost. The real costs of developing and fielding the jet are much higher.Courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

But the F-35 has only reached an initial level of capability with two services. The F-35 awaits a software update that Lockheed Martin states will significantly improve the plane.

Lt. Col. David Berke, a former US Marine Corps F-35 squadron leader stressed to Business Insider that “we don’t even know 50-80% of what this airplane can do,” as it continues to evolve in terms of its software, hardware, network integration, and pilots continue to figure out the system.

If you’ve ever wondered why some harbor vehement hatred towards the F-35 program and all its boosters, the POGO report is extensive, if a bit one sided.