The shuttle required long expensive refurbishment after each flight.

Just made me realise, this is just like the F-35.

Its turn around time is ridiculous, it has to be maintained with specialized equipment/hangers, along with external contractor assistance.

Compared to the Gripen, as an example, which can land on a freeway and be up in the air again in a few minutes.

One was designed to be used in war, in desperate scenarios, with no ability to coddle it. The other, the F-35? Is designed around milking the taxpayer as much as possible, and employing people in as many politician's states as possible.

The shuttle was like that, I think. Which is really sad.