As far as I understand it , the F35B is also supposed to give Air support with its
cannon and other weapons, a task for which it probably is not very well suited ?
Didn't they(USAF/NAVY/MARINES) , at one point, contemplated using more specialised systems for that task?
I seem to remember that they came up with that refitted cropduster, and also a further evolution of the good old BRONCO, more specifically the new OV-10X.
Looking back 30 years ago, it was rather succesfully (the Bronco , that is) deployed from the LHD's at that time without the aid of CAT's and cables.
I could imagine a small amount of them (6 or 8) on board the CVF's and the latest US LHD's could be of great help to the F35B, making it able to perform the tasks it is best suited for without having to 'abuse' them for a role for which they certainly are not well suited.
and the cropduster;
