@RepPatHarrigan: For 20 years, a $6 knob that takes one hour to 3D print has been grounding Black Hawk helicopters four times a month, a…

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right-to-repair black-hawk helicopter procurement 3d-printing military contractor

Summary

A $6 3D-printable knob has grounded Black Hawk helicopters for 20 years because the contractor refuses to sell the part or IP, costing taxpayers $40,000 per replacement four times a month. This highlights the need for right to repair in the NDAA.

For 20 years, a $6 knob that takes one hour to 3D print has been grounding Black Hawk helicopters four times a month, and the contractor responsible won't sell us the part or the IP rights to fix it ourselves. So instead, American taxpayers have been paying $40,000 every single time to replace the entire system, multiplied by four times a month, for two decades. That is NOT a procurement problem, that is a shakedown, and it is exactly why right to repair has to be in this year's NDAA.
Original Article

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