Annnd NOT your tax dollars at work.

[MGMcAnick]

Here is a jet that was designed and built entirely without government funding by the Cessna division of The Textron Corporation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textron_AirLand_Scorpion

Unfortuately it does not appear to be a popular choice for the US or foreign markets and is not expected to be submitted for the next generation trainer competition. (BIG MISTAKE)

Here is another one built and proposed by Boeing for use as a jet trainer.

http://www.boeing.com/defense/t-x

[Burning Petard]

Well building military aircraft is certainly different from any other manufacturing I know about.

"T-X is a production aircraft; it is not a prototype. We’ve already built two "

Don't even need beta testing. I guess that is what cost-overruns are for.

snailgate

[datsunaholic]

I guess they have a different idea of what constitutes a "prototype".

An any case, it's not surprising the military doesn't want it. It wasn't built to their ever-changing spec. I've never seen a single combat system that wasn't redesigned, altered, modified, repurposed, etc during the construction phase (let alone the late design phase). Which is why cost overruns happen. Some folks don't understand that. It's like deciding you want an extra bathroom in your new house when they're already hanging the drywall. Costs a heck of a lot more to make changes late.

Boeing built a plane on their own once, intended to be a competitor to the C-5. The Air Force was so pissed off they didn't award Boeing a new prime-contractor bid for decades. And eventually the air force DID buy a few 747s, just not for the cargo role.