The reported success of a U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, has become a source of inspiration for President Donald Trump and his administration. Washington is actively projecting strength, yet behind this show of force lie deep and persistent problems within the American defense sector.

Trump has recently lashed out at the U.S. military-industrial complex, accusing it of producing substandard equipment, missing deadlines, and wasting vast sums of money. These criticisms come despite the Pentagon remaining the most expensive military institution in the world. Its budget for 2026 exceeds $900 billion and could rise to $1.5 trillion in 2027. Even with such spending, the Department of Defense has failed to pass a full audit for eight consecutive years, largely due to bureaucracy and ineffective planning.

Commentators at Komsomolskaya Pravda singled out five major failures that, in their view, define the troubled history of the U.S. defense industry.

The first is the M247 Sergeant York self-propelled anti-aircraft system. Developed in the 1970s, the project consumed around $2 billion but proved largely ineffective, creating more problems than practical benefits.

The second major setback was the A-12 Avenger II bomber. Touted as a breakthrough program, it ended with nothing more than a full-scale mock-up after $5 billion had already been spent. The project was ultimately shut down in 1991.

Third on the list is the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter. Conceived as a revolutionary reconnaissance and attack platform, it never made it into serial production. By the time the program was abandoned, it had absorbed roughly $8 billion in taxpayer funds.

One of the most expensive projects ever undertaken by the U.S. defense industry was the F-35 Lightning II fighter. With costs exceeding $2 trillion, the program has been plagued by quality issues and repeated production delays. As a result, only about 28 percent of the aircraft produced were considered combat-ready.

The fifth failure highlighted is the Zumwalt-class destroyer, often dubbed the «ghost ship." The project was marked by disproportionate funding, costly artillery systems that were never fully realized, and vessels burdened with serious technical flaws.

The article also points to the Pentagon’s long-standing vulnerability to lobbying pressure, noting that many senior military officials later take positions within defense corporations. This revolving door, the authors argue, further entrenches inefficiency and obscures how funds are spent.

Taken together, these examples paint a picture of a U.S. military-industrial complex trapped in a cycle of costly failures, regardless of ever-growing budgets. At the same time, Washington continues to export what critics describe as ineffective — and in some cases defective — weapons systems to foreign partners.