GK121:
....this is enough to trigger the "OH MY G@D THE SKY IS FALLING AND THE F-35C IS DOOMED FOREVER" brigade to hare off in full cry.
'F35C is doomed' certainly wasn't what I intended to say, and having checked my post I don't think that is what I said. The USN and USMC are going to get and operate F35Cs. But I still don't read the USN as being cheerleaders for the aircraft. They appear to be taking it more because they have to and not because they want to. If it were not to prove its worth and something more to the Navy's liking is on the horizon come the mid 2020's it might yet not take the full compliment. Of course I am drawing conclusions from afar and may be mistaken, and they want it badly. Certainly not how it looks from here though.
I most certainly don't want any part of the F35 programme to fail as it is going to be a significant component of our and many of our allies' fast jet fleets for years to come. Failure is not an option as far as I can see and given how far it has already battled against a strong tide, the programme's leaders think that too. It's very much in the interests of all operators that it evolves into an excellent system in each of its forms.
LF