Originally Posted by WE Branch Fanatic
LO
Surely the whole point of V/STOL aircraft is that they can operate from austere locations? Isn't this why the USMC wanted the F35B?
My understanding is that the USMC primarily wanted the B so it could continue to sustain shipboard operations from amphibs rather than CVs. Both belong to the Navy but culturally the Grunts feel they own the amphibs. It all goes back to Guadalcanal.
If you really wanted a V/STOL aircraft to operate from austere locations it would not look like an F-35, and I don't expect them to do a lot of that.