hour. on "america tonight" - ♪ heading down the highway ♪ kate pearson exploded on to the music scene with the b-52s. now, after 39 years and the bs kate is going solo also tonight... >> the f35 is the most expensive weapons programme in american history. so far the pentagon has bought

almost 150 f-35s, with more on the assembly line. even though the plane is not cleared for combat. >> it can blow up. >> absolutely. there goes the airplane and the pilot good evening, thank you for joining us i'm adam mays sitting in for joie chen. despite the talk about the need for belt tightening there's a programme that has been spared. congress is expected to spend more than 1 trillion on the f-35 fighter plane. even though that programme experienced setback after setback. now there's another concern. safety. "america tonight"s sheila macvicar investigates speaking with former pentagon advisors raising alarm bells much >> reporter: the air force base is where the american pilots

learn the art of aerial combat. here the full array of u.s. air power is on display, gr proven workhorses like the f-16 and f 15 to the modern f22. parked along side the runway you'll find the latest edition to america's military arsenal. the f-35 is the most expensive weapons programme in american history. according to one pentagon report, it has a price tag of 1.4 trillion. so far, the pentagon bought almost 150 f-35s, with more on the assembly line. even though the plane is not clear for combat. eventually, the air force is expected to buy more than 1700 f35s, with the navy and the marines purchasing 700 more -

ones modified for them. why buy so many f-35s when they are not cleared for battle. congress and the military believe the plane can be refined. >> you can't touch the airplane. >> from a shape to the millions of lines of computer code acting as artificial intelligence it's complicated. >> reporter: like getting into a racing card. -- car. >> it is you don't get in it you strap it on. >> this is where it's being tested. this colonel is a test unit commander. how do you compare the f-35 to the f 15 e - you are licensed on both. >> the f-35 is a monumental leap in capability it's something our air force need to secure our national defense. >> reporter: from a military man, that may be what you would expect to hear. other reviews have been less positive. the plane has been so plagued by

design flaws and technical setbacks rarely a week goes by without a negative headline. the latest bad news a week ago, courtesy of this report. it was written by dr jay michael gilmore. the operator of test and evaluation. that's the dot and e. a pentagon watchdog appointed by the president. his report details so many problems. a defense military publication called the f-35 a hot mess. >> let's look at why the aeroplane is dangerous to the pilot. >> okay. >> reporter: it doesn't make for easy reading. we asked to be taken through it. an engineer that evaluated planes, spray was part of the team that designed the f-16 in the early 1970s. so he is. spray has spoken with pilots who flew the f-35.

chief among the concerns and that of the dot and e. >> it says live fire test and evaluation, confirm the vulnerabilities of the fuel tank structure. what does that mean? >> they implemented tests where they took pieces of the airplane and shot at it with real ammunition, and what they found was it's bad, as you would expect. >> they catch fire burn and explode. >> exactly, because there's too much flammable stuff located in for locations. think of the engine as a blow torch surrounded by fuel. that is what it is. >> the plane's propensity to catch fire when shot at. the biggest concern in combat is the beginning. the report lists other safety concerns including the potential for arcing and shorts in the wiring that powers the plane's flight controls. problems protecting the plane from lightening requiring it to

stay 25 miles from bad weather, and trouble with so-called transonic roll-off. what pilots call wing drop. a problem forcing the plane to roll towards the ground when making certain terms. >> when this report uses the words catastrophic and cascading, what does that mean. >> it means what it says. that you start with a small problem, and you get leaking fuel. >> the thing can blow up. >> absolutely. >> there goes the plane and the pilot. >> the safety concerns are not just theoretical. >> we are dumping heat into what is flammable. >> last june an f35 burst into flames taxiing for takeoff, because an engine part crashed, performing limited manoeuvres the air force refuses to release pictures of the incident. >> one of the sets of fans in the engine rubbed against the casing and the cracks caused a

fan played to break off. the whole fan explodes like shrapnel. thank god the air plane was on the runway. after the fleet of f35s was grounded for three weeks. the plane missed a heralded debut. despite that the air force chief of staff was adamant the air force's plane was on schedule. >> i'm confident that the programme will remain on track. >> when you read the dotne evaluation, what do you see? >> i see a programme that should have been held up. >> from 2001 until 2005, tom christy was the director of operational tests and evaluation spending more than 30 years at the pentagon as a high-ranking official. >> they are producing what 40, 50 airplanes a year. to me that's full-scale production. that's a tragedy, i think,

because god knows what we'll have to do to fix the aircraft. >> to this day, test pilots are operating under severe restrictions, unable to fly the plane at high speeds or manoeuvre aggressively for fear the engine problem could happen again. according to the dotne, a final design to fix the problem was not complete at the time the report was written. major-general commands the air force warfare center. his unit is testing the air force's version of the f35. >> can i ask what the reaction was when you heard about the engine fire. >> we have to be concerned. we have a long history of a sound safety programme. so i have no safety concerns and since i have to fly it i have to pay personal attention to the concerns. >> he is the highest ranking officer to qualify in the f35. >> i have 50 hours fly engine

it. >> when we met him he was returning from a test flight. >> the d&toe report highlighted concerns with the plane as it exists. how does that impede your ability to advance this airplane? >> certainly there are limitations that the fleet is working through from the engine incident that happened. we are slowly working through expanding the operational envelope of the airplanes. >> is it likely as you expand you find more issues. >> it's likely. it's because of what we do. we take it put it in operationally representative conditions when i put it in those conditions i learn how it acts in a combat scenario. >> we wanted to ask the pentagon why it is purchasing a plane with so many problems. >> the lieutenant general is the officer in charge of the f-35 programme. his office told us his schedule

didn't allow for an interview in time for the report. in a statement he says: are he as says: despite all the problems - those discovered and those still unknown, the marine corp is expected to declare its version of the f-35 operationally capable, or i.o.c. this summer. the air force plans to follow suit in 2016, the navy in 2019. what does it mean if the marine corp declares i.o.c. in 2015? >> it's a sham. the programme has been embarrassing, and they are just at the point to say that we'll take whatever we get. >> do you think the plane is combat ready? >> no, absolutely not.

that capability is years away in my book. >> how is it taxpayers bought 150 f35s with more in the pipeline. christy says he's seen the play book before. pentagon officials team up with the defense contractor promising lots of jobs tempted members of congress vote for the weapons to keep coming. lockheed martin the manufacturer, has a website boasting about the enormity of plane's economic footstep claiming it benefits 49 states in puerto rico. >> you don't stop one of these things once it's come this far. >> reporter: literally the plane has left the tarmac. >> yes. >> reporter: a final thought. the pentagon has been massaging the numbers, according to a report, and recent pentagon claims about the plane's

improved reliability is not because it is getting better but not all failures are being counted. in other words, the bad news about the f-35 could be a whole lot worse. >> "america tonight"s sheila macvicar got back from the pentagon, where lieutenant bogden spoke off-camera. how does he justify the purchase of the plane? >> he says the plane is being rolled out. fixes are found, and the first planes will go into operational capacity with the marine core at the end of jooub. 99 days from now. a sign on the wall. 99 days. >> we are talking 1.4 trillion. the annual budget for the u.s. is 3 trillion, not all spent at one time, but it's a lot of money. >> it is the most expensive

amount spend. the $1.4 trillion goes out over a number of years, whatever the life line of the plane is. that will be money not spent all at once. it is true that as an individual plane, they are the most expensive that have been produced by the u.s. or elsewhere. >> in 99 days will the plane be safe for those flying in it. what about those living near air force bases. >> the general says it's a marine corp decision. there are fixes that need to be made. problems with certain aspects of the plane, software is one. there are other issues which means that because of delays and developmental testing, operational testing. the plane will fly under restrictions. it will not be able to pull the same kinds of manoeuvres at the same kinds of speeds that the existing f 15s and f-16s can. >> a lot of money on the line.

>> sheila macvicar. after the break - sexual assault in the military. men victimized by other men while serving the country. did the pentagon let them down. the government investigation. >> and tomorrow - you flick the switch, they take your money. complaints against new electric companies, fighting for your business. >> "america tonight" - an investigation. hot on "america tonight"s website, the self-buy diaries. we sit with six fascinating luminaries from the self by self festival. check it out on aljazeera.com.

complaints against new electric complaints against new electric

in our fast-forward segment overlooked women have long been

viewed as primary victims of sexual assault. what about men? it's a lot more common than you thing. as sheila macvicar learnt it's less common for them to seek help. >> reporter: it's along the serene albuquerque river in mexico that mike scott feels at peace. >> it's a place to reflect, a place to escape my anxious little world for 15 minutes or an hour. >> reporter: debilitating memorize of his time in the military haunt him a decade after an honourable discharge. he never simpled in combat but has been fighting an internal law. >> you get better and crash back down. it's endless. mike says another soldier

sexually assaulted him in 1998. he didn't report the incident because he was too afraid to speak up. >> i thought god would protect me but he didn't. and that's - that's the toughest betrayal of all. fast-forward and a new government investigation finds that mike scott is hardly alone. most of the victims of assault in the military are men, but they are less likely to report it. this comes from a report from the government accountability office, the investigative arm of congress. the report urging the department of defense to address that problem kate pearson, the lead singers of the b-52s is creating buzz again. >> they didn't understand the seriousness of the band. >> there is a seriousness to some b-52 songs you say. >> from the aids crisis to her solo career we go beneath the bee hive next.

>> sunday. you know his music but what about the man? >> i was given a gift. >> up close and personal. behind the scenes of the biggest hits... >> she was a troubled girl. >> brightest stars... >> kids don't want to "own", they just want to "play". >> and the future of music. >> the record business is in trouble. >> every sunday night, >> i lived that character. >> go one on one with america's movers and shakers. >> we will be able to see change. >> gripping. inspiring. entertaining. talk to al jazeera. sunday, 6:30 eastern. only on al jazeera america.

what do you get when you mix a hippy, folk music and crazy beehives and head down an atlanta highway. one of the most recognisable singers from the 1980 from a band that urged us to roam and party at the loveshack. i stat with b-52 singer kate pearson for a candid one on one conversation. ♪ heading down the atlanta highway ♪ >> reporter: kate pearson exploded on to the music seen with the group b-52s, once proclaimed america's favourite

party band by rolling stone. pearson says beneath the beehives there was a deeper message. >> at first it seemed to overshadow the band the wigs the outfits and the hairdo lyrics, we felt we were misunderstood and everyone was calling us crazy. later we realised people were allowed to have fun, let the freak flag fly, busting loose, giving people joy and helps a lot of people get through life never did i expect people to say. like you helped me through high school, you got me through the hard time. i was a young gay boy or girl. i think the b-52s message was by example, it pays to be different. >> different they are. ♪ hey, i'm kate ♪ the b-52, kate fred cindy and keith have released eight albums over the last four

decades. in 1989 cosmic thing went multi-platinum. three top 40 hits one of the best-selling albums of the era. >> are you proud of that. >> it's pretty amazing. what does platinum mean any more. >> pear son invited us to a recording studio in woodstock new york a shrine to the ban's past. >> we won the mtv video award for "love shack." kate is going solo with a song guitars and microphones. >> picture of your mother hanging on the wall. >> born in 1948, pearson group up in new jersey. >> see a resemblance. >> what do you think when you look at that picture of a little girl in pigtails. >> i feel the same. i look the same.

>> music was part ever her life. her father played in a big band. >> i used to sit on my dad's lap and play. he would play the cords and i would strum. pretty much since i was two... she's spunky eclectic and seriously. in high school during the civil rights era, pearson's first music group was a protest band. >> we were the sun down-nuts, and i work a song "coly lee wilkins is free", and she shot a civil rights worker activist. >> reporter: after graduating from college she hitch hicked around europe, and ended up in georgia. after a name of cocktails and chinese food she and four friend formed the it b-52s, and threw a

house party in 1957. >> what was that like? >> it was amazing. the house shook. our friends danced like crazy. ♪ down down ♪ >> reporter: "rock lobster" became a hit in the underground music scene. famous for the male versus female vocals. ♪ rock lobster ♪ ♪ rock lobster ♪ does the song mean anything or is it just fun? >> it's just fun. it could be considered environmental. we are celebrating sea creatures. at the end cindy and it jam on the different creatures and the sounds. [ singing ] the band's cult following grew. despite a tragic setback in 1985 when lead guitarist ricky wilson

died of aides. >> aids was a new disease. some called it a gay virus. we didn't know ricky was sick until a certain point. we didn't know he had aids until he passed away. we were told to be silent. that was difficult. people thought we were ashamed, which we weren't. it was difficult time. >> was it scary? >> it was heart-breaking. none of the band members felt we could continue. we took a long break, and rds gosh, life is so pressure. we are precious to each other. doing new music conjures his spirit. it's with us. >> l.g.b.t. issues and h.i.v. aids is strong and center. a song from pearce's solo album is called mr sister ♪ hey mr sister ♪

♪ you got the world on your shoulders ♪ ♪ they make you play with ...♪ >> reporter: but the video backfired among some of the transgender calling it stereo typical and degrading [ singing ] >> reporter: were you surprised by the reaction? >> i was very surprised. i was taken aback. i thought it was gender positive. i said it was about anyone who is a self-expanding making a transition, portrayed. i meant is to be inclusive. >> that's dear to your heart. >> i'm bisexual i was with men. now i'm with monica for 11 years going on 12. this is an issue that i care about, an i care about gay marriage equality and have been supportive of trans people.

>> reporter: outside the music scene kate and her partner monica live a simple life. >> here we are. >> they run a small motel called kate's crazy meadow in woodstock. >> it was built in 1952. >> perfect. >> coinciding with b-52s. her new ambum has kate on the road. promoting music with long-time friends, like the b-52s fred schneider. >> what is kate like? how would you describe her? >> she's a nut. she's a strong woman who is focussed and she's just a fire cracker. she is a fire cracker. >> reporter: recently guest starring on the seth myers show. at 66 years old, kate pearson is among the oldest female rockers

touring from america. is it different for a woman in rock'n'roll versus a man, as they age. >> there's a lot of nasty comments, particularly online directed at women. there's a different standard. >> i'm conscious of how i look and i want to have make-up and hair. at the end of it i want to be myself, and my hair and make-up. [ singing ] >> i'm happy. i'm content where i am. and still spreading a message that it's okay to be different yes, it is. that's if for us here on "america tonight". tell us what you think at aljazeera.com/americatonight. you can talk to us on twitter or facebook. come back we'll have more

tomorrow. affecting us all... >> we're taking a hard look at the most important issues out there that get you the answers that you deserve. >> real money with ali velshi only on al jazeera america u.s. troops are not getting outs of afghanistan as fast as the president promised, and that could be a problem for a world-weary american public. where afghanistan is vulnerable and what a secure afghanistan can mean to americans and afghans. domestic abuse you do not hear about. we'll look at how money can be used for power and control and how romantic relations go wrongs. and why people say the d