Why is it so important to have AAR for the ship-based F-35 then ?
The F-35B has a combat radius of 450nm on internal fuel. Assume the carrier has to stand-off shore at 200nm to avoid land based anti-ship missiles,
such as the C-802, then the effective range against a land based target will be 250nm.
That severely limits the system capability against any land-locked country or large country such as Iraq, Libya or Afghanistan - to name only the last 3 in which we have conducted operations.
And that ignores the advantages in both time and numbers in being able to to airborne alert as opposed to GCAS etc.