On Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:55:59 -0500, John Smith wrote
in :

I am trying to figure out why we are willing to purchase either of two
30+ year old airframe designs to provide our air force with its needs in
the future.
There should be a significant discount below the price of a used
airframe of either of these models. In Boeing's case, all the tooling
has been paid for, the company has been in the process of shutting down
the line for several years, the suppliers already exist.
But because it is a government contract, the bureaucracy will spend
excessive taxpayer dollars for an outdated product.

Originally, it was worse than that. The Pentagon wasn't even getting
competitive bids, but some people at DOD and Boeing went to jail, and
now we have at least the semblance of competition.