Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

You can get by with a slightly outta date tank but given the reliance on air support and lack of significant AA assets you can't afford to have aircraft that can't achieve air superiority (or at least parity).

My reading on the F-35B is that it has decreased the capability of the A and C variants due mainly to the concept of shared or common design principles. The engineering to lift what 20 tons near vertical and then expect STEALTH and supersonic speeds is daunting. The Navy and the Corps do not need a STEALTH supersonic close aircraft.

Conceptually, what is the need for STEALTH close air support and VTOL when the big boat carrier has assets to provide air superiority and STEALTH (needed to penetrate and strike deep). Especially, at 150 mil a piece, why sacrifice the payload capability of the F-35C to achieve VTOL in the B is beyond me, unless you're living in Fort Lauderdale, an employee of Lockheed Martin, or a congressman from that district.

It seems the Navy has an incessant need to put fixed-wing aircraft on assault ships while forgetting the air craft carrier is designed for that species.

This talk of the advanced JSF, the F-35 and in particular the F-35B can drive a teetotaler to reach for the George Dickel.