The absence of that deluge suggests it may not be a dog.
Did you learn your writing skills at the New Yorker?
I am still trying to disentangle the negatives there.
"Can it now" is not possible. The RN is probably well and truly stuck. However, much of the world could benefit by planning for reality, which is that the F-35 will not be the all-conquering (8 x advantage in air-to-ground, 6 x advantage in air-to-air) wonderbeast it was sold as.
Also, I don't see how the USAF can afford 1763 of them, a new bomber, a new trainer, a new cruise missile, a new ICBM &c. and cover the payroll. (The USN can't afford Ohio Replacement.) Let alone all the long-range/unmanned capabilities required by Third Offset.
So the answer is either less fighter-heavy forces or (for many air forces) some less costly combat aircraft. Maybe FAXX is unmanned with more A than F; maybe it's a command center for an unmanned swarm; it's certainly not a seagoing F-22-substitute (by the way we'll need to replace F-22 sooner than most people think.)
This might provide some food for thought:
http://csbaonline.org/publications/2...r-superiority/
And I thoroughly agree that the current procurement system is incapable of delivering results.