What do Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman have in common? Each of these corporations is one of the top five largest defense contractors in the nation. In 2011 alone, the Department of Defense committed to spending nearly $100 billion with just these five companies. To put that in perspective, that is about the same amount spent on the entire federal education budget for 2011.

When the U.S. Department of Defense selected Lockheed Martin to design the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter in 1996, it likely had no idea the repercussions they would be facing sixteen years later. After billions of dollars in cost overruns, production delays, upgraded F-16s and close cancellation calls, the Pentagon has had to reduce its order by 179 planes for five years, adding $60 billion to its support cost. Now, the government's practically begging Lockheed to put a higher priority on the completion of the long-term F-35 project, and less of a priority on immediate profit.

This article was originally published at TomDispatch.com.

By Nick Turse

A billion dollars from the federal government: that kind of money could go a long way toward revitalizing a country’s aging infrastructure.  It could provide housing or better water and sewer systems.  It could enhance a transportation network or develop an urban waterfront.  It could provide local jobs.  It could do any or all of these things.  And, in fact, it did.  It just happened to be in the Middle East, not the United States.

War Costs is currently producing a full-length documentary film about the war on national security whistleblowers within the U.S. government. The ramifications of such intimidation and retaliation aimed at those who believe the truth about the government's activities should be revealed affect all Americans. Transparent democracy and the rights of a free press fall when sources are silenced. Stay tuned for more on whistleblowers from the War Costs team in the near future.