“We’re dealing with the laws of physics. You have an airplane that’s a certain size, you have a wing that’s a certain size, you have an engine that’s a certain size, and that basically determines your acceleration characteristics,” Burbage said.
AFAIK none of these factors, even including the laws of physics, has changed since 2001. So in view of the amazing modelling and simulation technology deployed in the program, one wonders how long they have known that the KPP was at risk.
By the way, there was a chap named Burbage at LockMart a few years ago, who seemed really confident that the program was going swimmingly and was "on track to meet the revised budget, timetable and performance goals set more than two years ago."
At Home And Abroad, Criticism Of F-35 Persists
I wonder if he's any relation?
Spaz - You are missing the most likely reason that the Brits went to the F-35C in the first place, which was that the B was having problems and was (in late 2010) about to be put on a two-year probation. The result was that the UK would go into 2013 with two irrevocably STOVL carriers and potentially no jet. By going CATOBAR they knew that they would always have an option, because the US Navy will always have jets.
My guess is that before the B-to-C switch was announced, the UK went to the US and basically said "Can you guarantee unequivocally that the B will go into service?" and that the answer was "well, er. that's the program of record, but..."