[hydrogen18]

I was thinking along the opposite lines: the F-35 has been a giant shitshow designed to get foreign militaries to waste efforts trying to "duplicate" it.

It'd be even more hilarious if the Chinese stole the plans to the F-35 and produced it verbatim. They'd realize they would have wasted a great deal of espionage and manufacturing effort on producing the lamest fighter ever.

[astrodust]

The USSR spent a ton of money making the Buran and had very little to show for their efforts other than a warehouse full of expensive, rusting junk.

[hydrogen18]

This is true. The most successful Russian rocket line is the Soyuz family. It's unrelated to the Energia rocket that was used in the Buran programme.

The Buran was basically a money pit for the USSR.