LO,
Thanks for the posted reply.
Wouldn't disagree at all on factors that aid long life. However, for a powered lift aircraft those changes through life will have to be accomplished with much more control over weight. It's a price you pay for that STOVL capability. If you're on land and blessed with lots of long runways you can always get to, then it's probably not worth paying.
But if you need to go to sea without cats and traps, or need to go to hot and high runways, it might be. F-16 is a good example as it happens - a very capable aircraft, but can't operate out of some expeditionary runways. As ever, it's all down to requirements and operating concepts. Just because they're not always what one Air Force might do doesn't make them wrong.
There is certainly some growth in the F-35B's lift system, but it will be constrained by the need to get the extra air and heat through the aircraft and out of the exits in a controlled and sustainable manner. Again, that's not limited to STOVL aircraft - look at the issues the Jaguar had with its supposedly simple Adour upgrade. And the F-16 had to have a new intake to handle the more powerful engines, plus LOTS of internal strengthening.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that when designing and building very high performance combat aircraft, there are always severe challenges, and nothing is ever straightforward.
Hope this helps,
Best regards as ever
Engines