I like open above-board testing, as do you. Sometimes, though, failures aren't just growing pains. Sometimes failures show that the current design, or the idea itself, is unfeasible. The general public is not qualified to tell the difference. Neither is the president nor congress.

Neither is the design group who has a vested interest in success. Left to their own devices, design groups - abetted by whatever portion of the military is supposed to receive the new toy - sometimes make the tests easier and easier till one can be called a success. I'm not sure if this has happened in this case or not, based on what I have read. I am very concerned about it though.