With 72 F35A’s ordered to replace the “classic” F-18’s, I’ve been thinking about what would be the best replacement for the Super Hornet’s & Growlers in the long term. Conventional thinking is that it would be more F35’s (possibly updated) but, if this hybrid F22/F35 project gets off the ground, it would make a brilliant high end replacement. The fact that it is being planned to be exported to Japan indicates that the US government ban on foreign sales of the F22 may be repealed.
Lockheed Pitching F-22/F-35 Hybrid to U.S. Air Force