Thanks Engines. Some news on the F-35C Hook which is behind it.
I if not we await test results. News report below has the main thrust at the end with the context of the news otherwise and as always for those wanting to cast aspersions it is always best to read the entire original news at the URL provided.
US Navy committed to F-35 despite talks about more F/A-18 buys 19 Nov 2013 Andrea Shalal-Esa
"Nov 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy remains committed to the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, but is also looking at options to buy additional Boeing Co F/A-18 fighter jets, a senior U.S. Navy official said on Tuesday.
Richard Gilpin, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for air programs, told Reuters at the Dubai Airshow that the Navy's current plans still called for purchases of the Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18G electronic attack planes to end in fiscal 2014....
..."Let me be clear. The Navy is very committed to moving to JSF. I wouldn't want you to get the impression that the Navy is not committed to JSF, because we are," Gilpin said in an interview at the air show....
...CONFIDENT ABOUT NEW TAILHOOK ON F-35 C-MODEL
Gilpin said a budget-driven pause in procurement of the Navy's F-35 C-model would not derail the program, although it could potentially increase the cost of each airplane.
He said the Navy continued to work with Lockheed on driving down the cost of the airplanes, and was "on a good path there."
He also said he was "very confident" about the reworked tailhook on the F-35C, which will be tested at a Navy facility in December. "The tailhook thing is behind us, literally and figuratively," he said...."
UPDATE 1-AIRSHOW-US Navy committed to F-35 despite talks about more F/A-18 buys | Reuters