Originally Posted by LowObservable
Navaleye - The problem with a stealth alpha strike in conjunction with the US Navy is that the B has half the offensive load of the C, and 200 nm less combat radius. Question: how do the 680 "Department of the Navy" F-35s split between Bs and Cs? Answer: Nobody will tell you, and nobody has decided, because the Marines want Bs on board the CVNs and the big-deck Navy doesn't.
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II Program
In April 2002 the Navy - concerned that it could not afford the number of tactical aircraft it planned to purchase - reduced the number of JSF aircraft for joint Navy and Marine Corps operations from 1,089 to 680 by reducing the number of backup aircraft needed. News reports in 2002 indicated that the proposed reduction would cut 259 jets from the Marine Corps buy, and 50 from the Navy purchase, resulting in a total F-35B buy of 350.
1.
330 F-35C for the USN to replace their F/A-18Cs, and to work beside their F/A-18E/Fs.
AND
2.
350 F-35B for the USMC to replace all their AV-8Bs
and F/A-18C/Ds.
And, the USMC wants their Bs on the LHA/LHDs, not the CVNs. The USN wants some USMC squadrons on the CVNs, but the USMC refuses to buy any "CV/paved runway" versions... they want all to be of the "amphib/austere field" version.