SSSETOWTF -
"I don't pretend to have the foggiest idea about ship-building"...
Mr Boffin does seem to have such.
And if we're talking life-cycle costs, from a May 1 release:
"Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has received a contract for $315 Million from Pratt & Whitney to supply the Rolls-Royce LiftSystem® for 17 F-35B Lightning II aircraft."
Like a second engine. (Or four and a half F414s.) Clearly LCC would be affected by how often you do STOVL, but still...
Last edited by LowObservable; 2nd May 2012 at 22:56.