Boeing overcharged the U.S. Air Force 8,000% above market for soap dispensers

"an inapt comparison of the prices paid for parts that meet military specifications and designs versus basic commercial items that would not be qualified or approved for use on the C-17"

This is the problem--the government heavily regulates (which the big contractors encourage) all the parts and suppliers until Boeing becomes the sole-source supplier and can charge arbitrary prices. There is a reason for it at times, i.e. to answer does someone die if this part fails or can we just stock a few spares? But obviously many many things being vastly over-specced most of the time.

> But obviously many many things being vastly over-specced most of the time.

And sometimes they are appropriately specced.... for 1951, and no-one bothered to update the spec. They just ask for more of part 46-18432, please, and since the spec becomes more and more outdated, it becomes harder and more expensive to provide a part to that spec.